Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

On Tuesday, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown promised fun at the 2024 spring game. He promised hard hits and explosive plays, not simple.

“We’re gonna set it up where you’re going to be able to see action,” Brown said at Ensley Athletic Center.

And for the most part Brown and his team delivered on that front. With SU football alums Zaire Franklin and John Lally serving as guest coaches, the white and blue teams gave fans at the JMA Wireless Dome deep passes, big runs and even a fumblerooski play to offensive lineman Mark Petry that went for four yards.

The white team, made up of the first-team offense and second-team defense, defeated the blue team, made up of the first-team defense and second team offense, 31-10. For all the excitement since Brown’s hiring, Syracuse’s newest big-time transfers and returns excelled. And during the game, Syracuse notched its third commit from the class of 2026: four-star running back D’Antae Sheffey.

But Brown still said the Orange have “a lot of work to do,” adding that, on a scale of 1-10 in terms of where he wanted his team to be, he would rate his team at a five.

Brown said he didn’t like seeing his players sign autographs in the middle of the contest and would rather have the players stay locked in and support their teammates. Brown is keenly aware of the attention his program is now getting and he said it’s up to him to maintain focus.

“There are two types of pressure to me: (when) things are going bad, people can handle that kind of pressure, But some people can’t handle the pressure, you can’t handle success,” Brown said. “So I got to make sure that I prepare them for that.

“I had a lot of people in the building throughout the week this week, a lot of cameras, a lot of different things and you just could see who acts different and who does what and who can stick to the course.”

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s 2024 Spring Game scrimmage:

Kyle McCord’s dome debut

McCord was the most important player the Orange picked up in the transfer portal, so it was fitting he was the only SU player wearing orange on the field. He was the only player to get an ovation from the crowd when he entered the game.

McCord completed his first pass attempt of the night on a middle of the field bullet to LeQuint Allen Jr. for a pickup of five yards. Later in the drive, McCord completed passes to Zeed Haynes and Trebor Pena, the two receivers he said on Tuesday he had the best chemistry with.

The Ohio State transfer also showed off his ability to stand tall in the pocket, even with the incoming pressure from pass rushers. On a 4th-and-3, McCord found Pena over the middle on a post route to pick up the first down. Later in the drive when faced with 4th-and-3 again, McCord remained unphased and completed a dart to Darrell Gill Jr. for a first down inside the 5-yard line.

McCord tried to force a connection to Haynes but failed on two straight attempts on a deep ball down the right side of the field. But on the third attempt in the second quarter, McCord found Haynes open with separation and completed a 38-yard pass for a touchdown. His night was over after the first half, but his presence gave the fans in the Dome much more to cheer about.

Top two rushers stand out

Following a season in which he occasionally was the sole focal point of the offense, Allen Jr. picked up right where he left off and rushed for 15 yards up the middle of the field on his first attempt. But almost immediately, Allen Jr. felt a pain in his right foot, came out and was inspected by two SU trainers. He limped in pain before eventually returning.

The injury scare didn’t stop Allen Jr. from having a proficient night. After McCord’s fourth-down completion to Gill Jr, Allen Jr. scored the first touchdown of the game. In the second quarter, he rushed to the second level and then outran every defender, recording his second touchdown of the night on the 40-yard rush.

Allen’s backup, freshman Yasin Willis, also had an efficient night for the white team, scoring a touchdown of his own in the red zone midway through the second quarter. Willis, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound back out of Newark, N.J., used his size and strength to scrap for extra yards on every attempt he got, making him an intriguing option for the fall along with Allen Jr.

“We’ll have thunder (and) lightning with both of those guys being able to play,” Brown said.

Blue team standouts

While the blue team suffered a blowout defeat, there were players on their sideline that stood out. Namely, linebacker Marlowe Wax continued to be a dominant on-ball and off-ball presence. Wax frequently hunted down running backs like Allen Jr., hitting the junior hard and forcing loss of yards on plays.

Fellow defenders, like four-star recruit KingJoseph Edwards, had a highlight play where he forced a strip sack, giving Ty Gordon the chance to pick up the fumble.

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, the backup quarterback from the 2023 season, scored the blue team’s only touchdown on a 10-yard rush after eluding a collapsing pocket. Braden Davis, who saw some snaps at receiver in the first half, became the blue team’s quarterback for the second half, leading the group down to the 5-yard line before getting stopped.

“He’s a good athlete, 6-foot, big hands and he can run wild,” Brown said. “So it’s like give him an opportunity to go and play to get him on a football field.”

In-game awards

Throughout the game, Brown and his staff awarded players on the team for their efforts during spring ball practice. There were 10 player awards: offensive MVP, defensive MVP, most improved offensive player, most improved defensive player, best special teams player, the strength and conditioning award, the DART award (named for Brown’s slogan he said at his introductory press conference), the community service award, the Zaire Franklin award (given to a linebacker) and the John Lally award (given to an offensive lineman). Each player received a miniature replica of what looked like the Super Bowl trophy.

Southeastern Conference transfers Haynes and defensive lineman Fadill Diggs secured offensive and defensive MVP, respectively. Meanwhile, tight end Max Mang and defensive back Jaeden Gould, the latter of whom was referred to as the most improved player. Justin Barron following a spring ball practice, received most improved honors.

Barron then received the special teams award and the community service award, while defensive lineman Dion Wilson Jr. nabbed the strength and conditioning award. Allen then got the award of the night by winning the DART award.

To round out the seemingly endless list of awards, Wax and Petry received their positional group honors from Franklin and Lally, respectively.

Published on April 20, 2024 at 9:43 pm

Contact Henry: henrywobrien1123@gmail.com