Syracuse’s offseason additions are still settling in, but Tuesday’s media session showed three very different versions of that transition: one player waiting on eligibility news, one enjoying life in a bigger city, and one finding his footing through time with teammates.
Quarterback Steve Angeli was among the voices talking through the situation surrounding senior wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons, whose summer has been anything but steady. Ross-Simmons is part of the class of 2022 athletes involved in litigation over the NCAA’s new “5-in-5” rule, and his status has swung back and forth in August.
He was ruled eligible, then ineligible, then eligible again. As things stand, he is expected to be in uniform when Syracuse opens the 2026 season against New Hampshire later this week.
Angeli made clear he’s glad to have him back.
"It’s awesome,” Angeli said during Tuesday’s media session. "J-Ross is first and foremost is a great person.
He’s a great guy to have on the team. A great locker room guy to have.
We’re supporting him through everything going on. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Even with Ross-Simmons currently set to play, Angeli said the recent uncertainty is a reminder of how quickly things can change.
"That’s just life,” Angeli said. "There’s no guarantees, especially with football with all the uncertainty that goes around.”
Among the newcomers adjusting to Syracuse is wide receiver Cole Weaver, a redshirt junior who spent the last three seasons at Miami (OH). Weaver put together a strong run with the RedHawks and was named Miami’s Offensive Skill Position Player of the Year after leading the team with 45 catches, 642 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Now at Syracuse, he’s enjoying both the jump to a Power 4 program and the change in surroundings.
"It’s great to be in a city,” Weaver said. "The previous school I was at was more of college town. So the fact that I have a little more to do outside football, it’s awesome.”
He also found a memorable way to make the most of it.
"A couple of weeks ago I did puppy yoga,” Weaver said. "That was pretty cool.
If you want to try that, I highly recommend. They were white and beautiful.
I almost stole one that day.”
Linebacker Chris D’Appolonia is another transfer working into the mix. The Toledo transfer was a Third-Team All-MAC selection after finishing with 68 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks for the Rockets.
For D’Appolonia, the adjustment has been helped by the kind of off-field bonding that can speed up trust. He pointed to a camping trip with the team as a turning point in feeling comfortable around his new teammates.
"Just being around the guys for a night away from a football setting, you get to learn a lot about people,” D’Appolonia said. "For me, that was something that was good for me.”
That connection has already started to show.
"I’ve been here for a few months, and I can honestly say it feels like I’ve been here for a couple years now,” D’Appolonia said. "I’ve grown really close to some of the guys here.”
In Other News...
Syracuse Still Has Eyes On A 5-Star After His Latest Move
Kevin Wheatley Jr. is making another move in a prep career that has already drawn plenty of attention, and Syracuse remains part of the picture. The 2028 five-star recruit, who was once committed to the Orange, is transferring to Iowa United Prep for the 2026-27 high school season after previously attending Brewster Academy. Wheatley did not play last season because of injury, but his profile has stayed high enough that multiple programs are still involved.
Iowa United Prep will give Wheatley another chance to re-enter the national conversation in one of the sports more demanding settings. The program plays in the Nike EYBL Scholastic conference, a league filled with top prep schools, so the move should put him in front of heavy competition and plenty of scouting eyes. For Syracuse, it keeps the door open on a player it already knows well, even as his path continues to shift. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Bowl Hopes Ride On One Huge Steve Angeli Question
Syracuse heads into 2026 with a fresh look all over the roster and sideline, but the whole season still seems to hinge on Steve Angeli. The quarterback is back from injury after a 3-9 finish in 2025, and the Orange have tried to give him more help through a revamped coaching staff and a wave of transfer additions aimed at lifting the program back toward respectability.
Even with that reset, the offense still comes with real uncertainty, especially in a passing game that has been turned over nearly completely. The range of expectations from the beat around the team says plenty about how hard Syracuse is to pin down right now, and it leaves one question hanging over camp: whether Angeli can steady everything enough to push the Orange into bowl eligibility. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Fans Have A Cheap Chance To See If This Team Is Different
Saturdays opener gives Syracuse a straightforward first look at where this version of the Orange stands, and it comes with an unusually easy entry point for fans. New Hampshire visits the JMA Wireless Dome at noon, and the ticket menu ranges from inexpensive upper sections to pricier seats closer to the field and in club areas, making it one of those early-season games where the cost to get in barely feels like a barrier.
For a program coming off a 3-9 finish, the interest is less about the opponent than the first hints of whether the group looks more settled and competitive right away. The returning presence of Steve Angeli at quarterback adds another layer to the conversation after his senior season was interrupted by injury, and Saturday should offer at least a first read on how quickly Syracuse can turn that familiarity into something that feels different. [Read more 🡒]