sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to World UFO Day!
World UFO Day is dedicated to the existence of unidentified flying objects. First celebrated in 2001, it was created by the World UFO Day Organization. The day is often celebrated on June 24 and July 2, although The World UFO Day Organization declared July 2 to be the official day. June 24 marks the anniversary of one of the first UFO sightings in the United States, when Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine high-speed crescent-shaped objects near Mt. Rainier in Washington, in 1947. July 2 marks the anniversary of the Roswell UFO incident, which also happened in 1947.
The creators of the day claim the day exists to "raise awareness about the undoubted existence of UFO's and with that intelligent beings from outer space" and that the day exists to "encourage governments to unclassify their knowledge about sightings throughout the history"—as they believe that the US government has exclusive information about UFOs. The creators also said, "the most important thing is that people collectively open their minds to the subject for one day and send out the message mentally that UFOs are welcome on this earth." On a less serious note, the day is for talking with friends about UFOs, watching movies about UFOs, attending conferences about UFOs, having parties with UFO themes, and gazing up into the sky looking for UFOs.
SU News
Former Maryland commit among 2 offensive linemen to verbal to Syracuse football on busy weekend (PS; Carlson)
Syracuse football received a pair of verbal commitments on Saturday, giving the Orange the second-highest number of commitments in the Power-Four.
Both players are offensive linemen with impressive frames. They bring Syracuse’s number of verbal commitments in the Class of 2025 to 24 players. Six of those players are offensive linemen.
Kahlil Stewart, a three-star prospect, had been committed to Maryland before decommitting on Wednesday and picking Syracuse over the weekend. He is listed by 247 Sports at 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds. The website’s composite rankings place him as the No. 1,071 prospect in the country, the No. 23 player in Pennsylvania and the No. 77 interior lineman.
Among the four main recruiting websites, he is ranked as high as the No. 21 player in Pennsylvania and the No. 46 interior lineman by 247 Sports. He attends St. Joseph’s Prep, the same high school that quarterback Kyle McCord attended in Philadelphia.
According to 247 Sports, Stewart also received offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech, Duke, Kentucky and West Virginia over the course of his recruitment.
Syracuse also received a verbal commitment from D’Joni Scatliffe, an offensive lineman from East River High School in Orlando, Florida. Listed by 247 Sports at 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds, Scatliffe has not been rated yet by the four major recruiting websites.
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247sports.com
Former Maryland pledge Kahlil Stewart commits to Syracuse football (247sports.com; McAllister)
Class of 2025 Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseph's Prep offensive lineman Kahlil Stewart has committed to Syracuse. Stewart, listed at 6-4, 325 pounds and expected to play center with the Orange, had been committed to Maryland since February but decommitted on June 19th. He attended Syracuse's Big Man Camp which turned into an official visit after he earned an offer. Stewart committed on the visit. He also held offers from Boston College, Duke, Kentucky, Penn State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia, among others. This is the second offensive line commitment of the day for SU as Djoni Stewart also committed.
Syracuse's 2025 class is now 24 players deep and ranked 17th in the nation with the addition of Stewart. The Orange received many of those commitments before and during spring ball, much earlier than has been the norm. The Orange has recruited nationally in the 2025 cycle, but has put a focus on the Northeast. Of Syracuse's 24 commitments, 17 are from the Northeast with eight in New York, three in Pennsylvania, three in New Jersey, two in Connecticut and one in Massachusetts. Three more are from the DMV (Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia) region, two are in Texas, one in Georgia and one in Florida.
Syracuse's 2025 class includes, besides Harvey, edge Sharlandiin Strange out of Cheltenham High in Pennsylvania, wide receiver, Darien Williams out of Christian Brothers Academy in New York, defensive back Javon Lawrence out of North Rockland High in New York, offensive lineman Byron Washington out of DeSoto High in Texas, defensive back Jordan Gibbs out of Longwood High in New York, two-way lineman Jaylan Pray out of Brunswick School in Connecticut, quarterback Luke Carney out of Dallas Christian School in Texas, running back Bo MacCormack out of Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Massachusetts, offensive lineman Matthew Hawn out of Christian Brothers Academy in New York, wide receiver Julian McFadden out of LeSalle College High in Pennsylvania, running back Malachi Coleman out of Fleming High in Virginia, offensive lineman Kardiear Shepherd out of Cicero North Syracuse High in New York, wide receiver Terrell Wilfong out of West Orange High in New Jersey, defensive lineman Haleem Muhammad out of Pennington School in New Jersey, athlete Ziyyon Bredell out of Lincoln High in Pennsylvania, wide receiver Daunte Bacheyie out of Christian Brothers Academy in New York, linebacker Antoine Deslauriers out of Nacoochee School in Georgia, defensive back Amari Colon out of James Monroe High School in New York, offensive lineman Skylar Harvey out of Archbishop Curley in Maryland, tight end Wyatt Bowman out of Georgetown Prep in Maryland, defensive lineman Quante Gillians out of Aquinas Institute in Rochester, defensive back Rayshon Andrews out of Avon Old Farms in Connecticut and offensive lineman Djoni Scatliffe out of East River High School in Florida.
Djoni Scatliffe commits to Syracuse football (247sports; McAllister)
Class of 2025 Orlando (FL) East River offensive lineman Djoni Scatliffe has committed to Syracuse on his official visit, he announced on social media Saturday. Scatliffe is listed at 6-7, 270 pounds. Scatliffe is also a basketball player in high school, which should help him at the collegiate level especially with his footwork. Scatliffe is the seventh offensive lineman taking by the Orange this cycle, all of which are 6-6 or taller.
Syracuse's 2025 class is now 23 players deep and ranked 17th in the nation with the addition of Scatliffe. The Orange received many of those commitments before and during spring ball, much earlier than has been the norm. Syracuse's 2025 class includes, besides Harvey, edge Sharlandiin Strange out of Cheltenham High in Pennsylvania, wide receiver, Darien Williams out of Christian Brothers Academy in New York, defensive back Javon Lawrence out of North Rockland High in New York, offensive lineman Byron Washington out of DeSoto High in Texas, defensive back Jordan Gibbs out of Longwood High in New York, two-way lineman Jaylan Pray out of Brunswick School in Connecticut, quarterback Luke Carney out of Dallas Christian School in Texas, running back Bo MacCormack out of Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Massachusetts, offensive lineman Matthew Hawn out of Christian Brothers Academy in New York, wide receiver Julian McFadden out of LeSalle College High in Pennsylvania, running back Malachi Coleman out of Fleming High in Virginia, offensive lineman Kardiear Shepherd out of Cicero North Syracuse High in New York, wide receiver Terrell Wilfong out of West Orange High in New Jersey, defensive lineman Haleem Muhammad out of Pennington School in New Jersey, athlete Ziyyon Bredell out of Lincoln High in Pennsylvania, wide receiver Daunte Bacheyie out of Christian Brothers Academy in New York, linebacker Antoine Deslauriers out of Nacoochee School in Georgia, defensive back Amari Colon out of James Monroe High School in New York, offensive lineman Skylar Harvey out of Archbishop Curley in Maryland, tight end Wyatt Bowman out of Georgetown Prep in Maryland, defensive lineman Quante Gillians out of Aquinas Institute in Rochester and defensive back Rayshon Andrews out of Avon Old Farms in Connecticut.
The Orange has recruited nationally in the 2025 cycle, but has put a focus on the Northeast. Scatliffe is Syracuse's first commitment from Florida in 2025, though SU has two pledged already in 2026. Of Syracuse's 23 commitments, 16 are from the Northeast with eight in New York, three in Pennsylvania, two in Connecticut, two in New Jersey and one in Massachusetts. Three more are from the DMV (Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia) region, two are in Texas, one in Georgia and now one in Florida.
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Syracuse flips former Maryland offensive-line commit Kahlil Stewart (orangefizz.net; Burstein)
As Syracuse football begins its journey back to national prominence, the first step is winning its own region. One of the biggest challenges for SU is beating other East Coast Power Five teams for recruits
Now, that might be starting to change. Saturday SU flipped Kahlil Stewart, a three-star 2025 center from St. Joseph’s High School in Philadelphia. Stewart decommitted from Maryland less than a week ago, and soon after switched to the Orange.
While it would not be surprising to see Stewart shift to a guard position, in his official commitment graphic he was listed as a center. And that’s a position that will need some help when Stewart comes to campus. Two of Syracuse’s top centers this year – J’Onre Reed and Josh Ilaoa, are seniors. The line of scrimmage has been a point of emphasis for Fran Brown.
Competing against top talent is not something new to the Pennsylvania native. St. Joseph’s High, where Stewart plays, took home a state title this past season and finished ranked seventh in the nation, per MaxPreps. It’s the former school of Syracuse QB Kyle McCord.
As Syracuse football begins its journey back to national prominence, the first step is winning its own region. One of the biggest challenges for SU is beating other East Coast Power Five teams for recruits
Now, that might be starting to change. Saturday SU flipped Kahlil Stewart, a three-star 2025 center from St. Joseph’s High School in Philadelphia. Stewart decommitted from Maryland less than a week ago, and soon after switched to the Orange.
It was a very quick timeline for the 6-4, 325 pound offensive lineman. Stewart decommitted on Wednesday, and was on SU’s campus just two days later for an official visit, where he received an offer. A day later, Stewart officially committed.
While it would not be surprising to see Stewart shift to a guard position, in his official commitment graphic he was listed as a center. And that’s a position that will need some help when Stewart comes to campus. Two of Syracuse’s top centers this year – J’Onre Reed and Josh Ilaoa, are seniors. The line of scrimmage has been a point of emphasis for Fran Brown.
Competing against top talent is not something new to the Pennsylvania native. St. Joseph’s High, where Stewart plays, took home a state title this past season and finished ranked seventh in the nation, per MaxPreps. It’s the former school of Syracuse QB Kyle McCord.
Starring as a left guard for St. Joseph’s, Stewart was able to create lots of holes on the line of scrimmage for his quarterback and running back to move.
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TNIAAM Roundtable: Discussing Syracuse football’s biggest impact additions (TNIAAM; Staff)
We continue our Friday roundtable series and up this week is Syracuse Orange football. We put a few questions to the TNIAAM staff and we’d love your feedback too.
Who’s the biggest off-season addition to the roster?
Dom: Kyle McCord. It feels like such a cop-out answer, but you can never undervalue having a legitimate starting quarterback (especially one which ranks in the top-10 among transfer portal QBs). If you need any prove, look no further than last season. There will always be “question marks” with a first-year head coach, but bringing someone in like McCord easily helps to at least mitigate that concern. His legitimate experience combined with all of the Orange’s offensive weapons in the mix this upcoming year is huge.
Mike: Zeed Haynes. Maybe not an expected choice, but Haynes looks to be a legit top receiving option with multiple years to make an impact. Not only will he serve as a great compliment to Oronde Gadsden and Jackson Meeks this season, but the former four-star is a candidate to lead the receivers room when both are gone in 2025. I'll stand by saying Garrett Shrader wouldn't have gotten as much slack as a passer if he had targets who could catch with some consistency - and both McCord and his successor will benefit immensely from that.
Max: Kyle McCord. The highly-touted transfer put SU football back in the national spotlight with his surprising commitment to the Orange last December. He threw for 3,170 in his lone season starting at Ohio State, something a Syracuse gunslinger hasn’t done since Ryan Nassib in 2012. While his new receiving core will not feature Marvin Harrison Jr., McCord’s talent alone should electrify the Orange offense, making him an immediate top QB in the ACC.
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Audio Vault (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian previews another official visit weekend for Syracuse football, the Man Who Sort of Knows gives his picks, and AI Friday previews ‘Cuse football’s offense for this upcoming season.
(youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Football Head Coach Fran Brown is on the recruiting hunt once again. The Cuse recently secured commits from 3-star Rayshon Andrews and Quante Gillians. The Orange are also in the running for 4-stars: CJ May, Tyler Williams, Malik Washington, and Dawayne Galloway. Plus, the Cuse is pursuing 5-star 2026 wide receiver Calvin Russell.Jackson Holzer provides a football recruiting update on this edition of the Locked On Syracuse Podcast.
Syracuse Football Has A Backup Quarterback PROBLEM | Syracuse Football Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Syracuse Football's backup quarterbacks consist of Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Braden Davis and three-star high school recruit Jakhari Williams. Head Coach Fran Brown's squad could be in trouble if Ohio St. four-star transfer Kyle McCord goes down. Jackson Holzer tells you that Cuse Football needs a better backup QB.
Fran Brown Plans to Shine a Spotlight Over Syracuse Football (orangefizz.net; admin)
On December 4th, 2023, Fran Brown was officially the 31st head coach at Syracuse. There were a few mixed feelings among the fans of Syracuse Orange. However, most fans admitted that the team needed a change. While Syracuse was hardly the worst football team around, many believed that the team had become stagnant. If something didn’t change, the team would probably continue to plummet. Enter, Fran Brown.
Brown came in and said that Syracuse would rise again. He pledged that his tenure over the team would see massive changes to the Syracuse program. He’d reinvigorate the staff. He’d bring in new players (and ditch the deadweight), and he would, hopefully, help Syracuse become a better team.
It is a promise that he seems to have stuck by, too. While it is still tough to call Syracuse’s games this season (unless they are the clear favorites), there appears to be a new lease of life among the team and the fanbase, and even amongst sports bettors, with more and more people backing them to win games. Gambling companies have started to attract more bets hoping that Syracuse can win (you can check out offers available through sports betting if you’re planning to do the same), and Brown is clearly showing that he is the man to lead the team, after a few false starts with other head coaches over the last few years. Often, if seasoned gamblers start to back a team more and more, this is something to take note of. People will not throw their money away for nothing, after all.
But what changes has Brown attempted? How is he starting to shine a spotlight on the wonders of Syracuse football, and is it sustainable for the near future?
Marcellus Barnes Jr.
It all started in January, when Marcellus Barnes Jr. was a wanted man for many different football programs, with Georgia, Virginia Tech, and Ole Miss wanting a piece of the action. Honestly, Barnes Jr. could have chosen to go anywhere. Fans everywhere wanted him. He chose Syracuse.
The cornerback didn’t do it on the down low, though. Oh no. It was during the High School All-American Bowl where, live on TV, Barnes Jr. publicly committed to playing for Syracuse. He ignored every other team that wanted him. He knew that Syracuse was where it was at for the very near future.
It was at this time that people started to think, “Yep, Syracuse may be worth something this year.”
Quick Expansion of the Team
The program at Syracuse was brutal during stretches over the last decade. A rapid succession of head coaches each trying to make their mark on the team had created a mess. Syracuse wasn’t always terrible, it just wasn’t performing where it should be. The atmosphere for Syracuse games began to wane, as fans were starting to get apathetic at what was happening on the field.
Fran was determined to shake this up and cast a light on Syracuse football again. In the middle of January, he brought in 32 signees and oversaw a record turnover of players. Brown brought in so many quality players that he became the national recruiter for the year.
This put Syracuse ranked No. 35 on the 247Sports Composite, the first time they’d ever cracked the top 40. The epic recruitment from Brown showed that he had the talent, and the vision, to attract some of the best players to play for his team. No other coach in recent years has been able to do this, and it shows that Brown is committed to showing off Syracuse football in the best light.
The best part is that he won’t be running away from his obligations any time soon. The whole reason he moved to Syracuse was because he wanted a long project. One he could play about with for years. He wanted somewhere to settle his family, which means that we can only see major improvements coming.
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TNIAAM Reacts: Viva Cuse Vegas! (TNIAAM; Wall)
Syracuse Orange fans are looking to head west to catch Fran Brown’s squad next fall. Over 70% of you said you’d most want to see the Orange face UNLV or Cal away from home. It looks like Vegas was the overwhelming favorite, but Cal could still get right back in this.
Our other question had to do with men’s basketball’s new transfers. Most of you are excited about center Eddie Lampkin providing Syracuse with some offense in the post. It was a little surprising to see Jaquan Carlos that low since it’s been a few years that Orange fans have clamored for a “true point guard” and he seems to fit that criteria.
Thanks as always to those of you who take the time to respond to these questions. Enjoy the weekend!
Syracuse football: how about the Orange vs Rainbow Warriors in the Tokyo Dome? (TNIAAM; Wall)
It’s summer so Syracuse Orange fans can count on us to get a little more into #jokesandgarbage here, but when it can combine with Syracuse football schedule talk... now we’re grillin’.
In an interview with Christian Shimabuku of KHON in Honolulu, Hawaii AD Craig Angelos talked about his plan to play a football game in Japan.
So what if we put Canada’s College Team against Japan’s College Team and we do it in the Tokyo Dome?
Many of you probably think this is best left for a future season of NCAA College Football 25, but why wouldn’t Syracuse consider something like this in a year when they need non-conference games?
After 2026 Syracuse is going to need to start filling their schedule, because this is what we’ve got (courtesy of FBSSchedules.com).
2027
- 09/04 - at Penn State
- 11/06 - at UConn
2028
- 09/09 - Penn State
2029
- 09/01 - Morgan State
- TBA - Notre Dame
2034
- TBA - at Notre Dame
2037
- TBA - Notre Dame
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2024 Boston College Football Early Opponent Preview, Week 11: Syracuse (SI; Rabkin)
The Boston College Eagles football team plays a home game against the Syracuse Orange in Week 11 in the upcoming college football season.
Both programs will be led by first-year head coaches, albeit in different ways. Boston College hired Bill O’Brien in Jan., just weeks after he accepted the offensive coordinator job at Ohio State. This will be O’Brien’s first year as a collegiate head coach since 2013 when he was with Penn State. Since then, the 54-year-old has served as the head coach of the Houston Texas from 2014-20 and offensive coordinator at Alabama from 2021-22 and with the New England Patriots in 2023.
Syracuse will be led by Fran Brown, who was hired by the Orange in Nov. of 2023. Brown has never been a head coach and has served as a defensive backs coach in all but one season of his coaching career (2012). Brown has made stops at Temple, Baylor, Rutgers, and most recently Georgia.
Let’s take a look at the matchup:
Offense
The biggest question mark for any program is always who will be in the quarterback position come Sept. That is the case for Syracuse. The team lost its starting quarterback Garrett Shrader due to eligibility. However, the Orange have options with three quarterbacks currently on the roster, backup quarterbacks from last season Carlos Del-Rio Wilson and Braden Davis. Syracuse also added a massive pickup via the transfer portal in former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord, who was a five-star prospect from the class of 2021. McCord spent three seasons with the Buckeyes and earned the starting position in 2023 where he went 229-of-348 for 3,170 yards, 224 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
As for offensive weapons, Syracuse retained its top rusher in running back LeQuint Allen. Last season, Allen tallied 245 rush attempts for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns. The group also kept its second and third-best wide receivers Umari Hatcher and Donovan Brown. In 2023, the duo combined for 59 receptions, 803 yards and four touchdowns.
Syracuse’s top wide receiver, Damien Alford was dismissed from the program in Feb., for undisclosed reasons.
Defense
The Syracuse defense will look similar to how it did in the previous season. The Orange retained its top three tacklers, defensive back Justin Barron and linebackers Derek McDonald and Marlowe Wax. In 2023, the trio combined for a total of 267 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, ten pass breakups and quarterback hits, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two sacks.
Schedule
The Eagles will head into this matchup with over two weeks of rest as the team has its second BYE week of the season scheduled during Week 10 and has a Friday night matchup against Louisville in Week 9. The game is also one of the Eagles theme games. This week it will be Military Appreciation & Healthcare Heroes Day. The day prior (Nov. 8) is also significant for Boston College athletics as it is the ceremony for the 2024 Varsity Club Hall of Fame.
Syracuse will travel to Chestnut Hill after a home matchup against Virginia Tech. This will be its first of a two-game road trip.
Outlook
If the history of recent matchups continues its trend, this will be a close, tight contest throughout the entirety of the game. In three of the last four games between the two programs, the margin of defeat has been within ten points and two of those were one possession or less. If the Eagles come out victorious, it will be their first win against the Orange at home since 2014.
Syracuse at Boston College:
BCCentral takes a long look at each of the Eagles upcoming opponents this season, including its Week 11 matchup against the Syracuse Orange.
The Game:
Date: Nov. 9Time: TBD
TV: TBD
Location: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Series: Syracuse leads the all-time series 33-23
Last Meeting: The Eagles won the last game between the two teams on Nov. 3, 2023, 17-10 at Syracuse.
The Team:
The Coach: Fran BrownOffensive Coordinator: Jeff Nixon
Defensive Coordinator: Elijah Robinson
2023 Record: 6-7
Players to Watch: QB Kyle McCord, RB LeQuint Allen, WR Umari Hatcher, WR Donovan Brown, DB Justin Barron, LB Derek McDonald, LB Marlowe Wax, P Jack Stonehouse, K Brady Denaburg.
Top Newcomer: Recruit- Four-Star EDGE KingJoseph Edwards, Transfer- Former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord.
The School:
Location: Syracuse, N.Y.Founded: 1870
Enrollment: 22,698
Nickname: ‘Cuse.
Colors: Orange, White, and Blue
Mascot: Otto the Orange
The Program:
Last Time Beat Boston College: 2022.Last Time Won ACC: Never.
National Championships: One — 1959.
Playoff Appearances: None.
Conference Championships: Five, all in Big East — 1996; 1997; 1998; 2004; 2012.
Bowl Appearances: 28 — 16-11-1 record.
Last Time Didn’t Play in a Bowl: 2021.
Heisman Trophies: One — Ernie Davis in 1961.
2024 NFL Draft: None.
Last 4 Recruiting Class Rankings: 2024 No. 36; 2023 No. 73; 2022 No. 65; 2021 No. 64.
Schedule
Aug 31: vs. OhioSept. 7: vs. Georgia Tech
Sept. 20: vs. Stanford
Sept. 28: vs. Holy Cross
Oct. 4: at UNLV
Oct. 12: at NC State
Oct. 24: at Pittsburgh
Nov. 2: vs. Virginia Tech
Nov. 9: at Boston College
Nov. 16: at Cal
Nov. 23: vs. UConn
Nov. 30: vs. Miami
https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/top-stories/syracuse-coaches-tour-coming-to-binghamton/ (binghamtonhomepage; Rich)
Syracuse University coaches are spreading Orange spirit across Upstate New York, stopping in Binghamton along the way.
SU athletics recently announced the 2024 Coaches Caravan. The Coaches Caravan will stop through various parts of the state, giving fans an inside scoop on the upcoming athletic seasons.
The Coaches Caravan will feature appearances from head coaches, Athletic Department leadership, and Otto the Orange. Featured coaches include Head Football Coach Fran Brown, Head Women’s Basketball Coach Felisha Legette-Jack and Head Man’s Basketball Coach Adrian Autry. There will also be guest Olympic sport head coaches in attendance.
The Coaches Caravan is coming to Binghamton on July 10. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., those in attendance will be able to enjoy a program hosted by the Voice of the Orange, Matt Park. There will also be special giveaways and photo opportunities with Otto the Orange. The event will be held at Farm by Beer Tree, located at 197 Route 369 in Port Crane.
Entry to the Coaches Caravan is free. To register, click here.
The tour will also be stopping in Rochester, Verona, and Syracuse.
https://theplayerstrunk.com/product...39087&pr_ref_pid=8027898314991&pr_seq=uniform (theplayerstrunk.com)
ANDRE SZMYT SYRACUSE FOOTBALL PLAYER-EXCLUSIVE ZIP-UP JACKET WITH #91 (SIZE L)
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/college-football/syracuse-orange-football/depth-chart (sportskeeda.com)
Lots of other problems but someone needs to let these people know we changed staffs and defensive schemes...
Syracuse Orange Football Depth Chart 2024-25
Updated Jun 18, 2024, 07:05 AM ETOffensive Positions
| POS | STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR-X | Jackson Meeks | Darrell Gill Jr. | - | - |
| WR-Z | Zeed Haynes | Umari Hatcher | - | - |
| WR-SL | Trebor Pena | Donovan Brown | - | - |
| LT | Enrique Cruz Jr. | Mark Petry | Trevion Mack | - |
| LG | Joshua Miller | Jakob Bradford | - | - |
| OC | J'Onre Reed | Josh Ilaoa | - | - |
| RG | Kalan Ellis | Joe Cruz | - | - |
| RT | David Wohlabaugh Jr. | Da'Metrius Weatherspoon | - | - |
| TE | Oronde Gadsden II | Dan Villari | Maximilian Mang | - |
| QB | Kyle McCord | Carlos Del Rio-Wilson | Braden Davis | - |
| RB | LeQuint Allen | Yasin Willis | - | - |
| POS | STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDE | Fadil Diggs | Denis Jaquez Jr. | Rashard Perry | - |
| NT | Dion Wilson Jr. | Braylen Ingraham | - | - |
| RDE | Kevin Jobity Jr. | Isaiah Hastings | Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff | - |
| WLB | Anwar Sparrow | Kadin Bailey | - | - |
| MLB | Marlowe Wax | - | - | - |
| SLB | Derek McDonald | James Heard | - | - |
| FCB | Devin Grant | Jalil Martin | Berry Buxton III | - |
| FS | Duce Chestnut | Cornell Perry | - | - |
| ROVER | Justin Barron | - | - | - |
| BS | Alijah Clark | Jaeden Gould | - | - |
| BCB | Jayden Bellamy | Greg Delaine | - | - |
| POS | STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT | Jack Stonehouse | - | - | - |
| PK | Brady Denaburg | Jadyn Oh | - | - |
| KO | Brady Denaburg | Jadyn Oh | - | - |
| LS | Tom Callahan | Ethan Stangle | - | - |
| H | Jack Stonehouse | - | - | - |
| PR | Donovan Brown | LeQuint Allen | - | - |
| KR | Darrell Gill Jr. |
ACC News
https://dailyprogress.com/sports/co...cle_c0fb8946-bb77-509d-b9b1-543125b0d8fa.html (dailyprogress.com; $; Teel)
Last season presented a rare opportunity for ACC football programs, and they pounced. With greater access to ABC’s noon, 3:30 p.m. and prime-time windows, the conference produced its best ratings on record.
Two factors were at work.
First, last year marked the debut of Big Ten television contracts that excluded Disney, owner of ABC and ESPN. Second, the ACC’s football product improved.
Florida State fielded its best team in nine years and, at 13-0, should have been included in the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, Louisville, N.C. State and Clemson also authored top-25 finishes.
But the landscape changes radically this season, and not just because Texas and Oklahoma are joining the SEC; Stanford, Cal and Southern Methodist are ACC-bound; Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA are entering the Big Ten; and Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State are joining the Big 12.
The SEC’s exclusive media rights deal with Disney begins this year, leaving the ACC with less access to ABC and more hurdles to clear. Fans will have to adjust, too, as the ACC shoehorns more content — 68 conference games compared to last season’s 56 — onto ESPN’s platforms and The CW.
Evidence of the shift first emerged late last month, when the conferences and their TV partners announced early season kickoff times and network designations.
In Weeks 1-3, ABC, which attracts larger audiences than ESPN, will show three games involving ACC teams. There’s a noon/3:30 doubleheader Aug. 31: Clemson versus Georgia in Atlanta, followed by Miami at Florida. The following Saturday, N.C. State and Tennessee clash in Charlotte, North Carolina, at 7 p.m.
The ACC has no Week 3 appearances on ABC. Instead, the network will air a tripleheader of SEC contests: LSU-South Carolina, Texas A&M-Florida and Georgia-Kentucky.
Conversely, with SEC availability limited by the league’s other television obligations last year, ABC showed seven games involving the ACC in the season’s first three weeks, including Virginia-Tennessee in Nashville. That frequency continued throughout the year.
Indeed, of the 18 contests featuring at least one ACC team that drew an audience of at least 2.5 million, 16 were on ABC. Some highlights of the 16, with the data courtesy of Sports Media Watch’s database:
Florida State’s Sept. 23 victory at Clemson was the ACC’s most-watched league game, attracting 6.71 million viewers at noon, more than tripling the noon offerings of ESPN (Auburn-Texas A&M) and Fox (Cincinnati-Oklahoma). One year earlier, in prime time, the Seminoles and Tigers drew 3.38 million on a split ABC/ESPN2 telecast.
Similarly, with 3.48 million viewers, FSU’s Sept. 16 escape at Boston College last season won the noon window, outdrawing Illinois-Penn State on Fox and LSU at Mississippi State on ESPN. The Seminoles’ appeal extended to prime time Oct. 21, when their clash with visiting Duke (4.08 million viewers) trumped head-to-head competition from Michigan-Michigan State on NBC and Utah-USC on Fox.
An Oct. 7 doubleheader of Virginia Tech-Florida State (3:30 kick) and Notre Dame-Louisville (7:30) had audiences of 3.02 million and 5.12 million, respectively. The Fighting Irish’s games at N.C. State, Duke and Clemson, all on ABC, logged viewership
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwlV4CkSG84 (youtube; podcast; The Crowded Booth)
Is Syracuse a threat in ACC for 2024? | Syracuse Orange Football
https://clemsonwire.usatoday.com/20...contenders-for-2024-college-football-playoff/ (usatoday; Holley)
With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams for the first time this year, doors will be open for teams that would have previously been considered an afterthought.
The latest iteration of the Playoff will award automatic bids to the four champions of Power Four conferences, as well as the top Group of Five team, plus first-round byes, on-campus games and more opportunities for teams to make the sport’s new postseason format.
Enter Miami and NC State. A recent analysis titled the “six sneaky contenders and sleepers” that could play their way into the 12-team Playoff has the Hurricanes and Wolfpack as two programs that could still be standing in postseason play when the regular season and conference championship games conclude in December.
While Clemson and Florida State have consistently been given the best odds of reaching the Playoff as the ACC champion, Rotoballer’s Jackson Sparks lists Miami as the strongest dark horse among possible conference contenders.
Per Sparks:
Miami doesn’t have Clemson on its regular-season schedule for 2024, and they get a break by playing Florida State at home on October 26. The ‘Canes open the season against Florida in Gainesville on August 31 in a nationally televised contest on ABC (3:30 p.m. EDT).
Elsewhere in the ACC, North Carolina State made Rotoballer’s list of dark horses following a nine-win season in 2023, during which Dave Doeren’s team won six straight games — beginning with a 24-17 upset over Clemson in Raleigh.
With that momentum and some key transfer portal editions, the Wolfpack could be poised for bigger things in 2024.
Writes Sparks:
NC State visits Clemson on September 21 but avoids Florida State in regular-season play. The Wolfpack face a tough test in non-conference play in Week 2 when they face Tennessee in a primetime contest at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. It will be a nationally televised game on ABC.
Tennessee topped Rotoballer’s list as the biggest sleeper team entering the 2024 season. Utah, Kansas and Boise State also made the list.
Follow us @Clemson_Wire on X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news, notes and commentary.
https://packinsider.com/2024/06/21/...ach-acc-football-teams-final-record-for-2024/ (packinsider.com; Bradham)
Grant Hughes over at CBS Sports released his predictions for the Final Records of each ACC team for the 2024 Football season.
The Wolfpack are predicted to go 10-2, with a 7-1 record in the ACC.
What are your thoughts on Hughes’ predictions?
According to College Football Report, NC State is tied for the 2nd Most Ranked Finishes after beginning the season Unranked in the Preseason AP Poll since 2010.
CFB Teams With The Most Ranked Finishes After Being Unranked Preseason (Since 2010)
Northwestern – 5
NC State – 4
Oklahoma State – 4
Michigan State – 4
Mississippi State – 4
Baylor – 4
TCU – 3
Texas A&M – 3
Utah – 3
Boise State – 3
Memphis – 3
UCF – 3
Cincinnati – 3
Houston – 3
An interesting tidbit regarding this stat: NC State has finished the season ranked in the Final AP Top-25 4 times since 2010. On all 4 occasions, the Wolfpack was unranked to start the season.
According to College Football Report, NC State is tied for 14th most Top-25 finishes in the Final College Football Playoff Rankings with 5.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=430EYEYVJ8M (youtube; podcast; Fan Attic)
Snap Count (S3 E1): ACC Football Season Preview | DJ Uiagalelei's Return to the ACC
Clemson, Miami, Florida State, or maybe even Syracuse or Virginia Tech...Who will climb to the top of the ACC in 2024. We look at all the teams and make season predictions.
Content in this video:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
00:00:00 - Intro
00:10:00 - DJ Uiagalelei & Florida State
00:18:20 - Dabo Swinney & Clemson
00:30:20 - ACC Contenders & Teams to Watch
00:45:00 - ACC New Coaches, Hot Seat Coaches, & Top Coaches
01:16:40 - ACC Player of the Year Candidates
01:24:40 - Can the ACC win the College Football Playoffs
https://fsuwire.usatoday.com/lists/fsu-football-acc-football-running-back-rankings-athlon-sports/ (udatoday.com; Fowler)
The other day, we reviewed Athlon Sports’ ranking of every ACC team’s quarterback unit. Today, we will look at the running back unit for each of the 17 teams in the conference.
Using the same publication, Athlon Sports has allowed us to view the projected starter and backup at the running back position for each team. This can be helpful in the age of the transfer portal, as players are freely moving schools, and key names that you recognize from the season before might be in a totally different conference.
A great example of this is the Miami Hurricane’s Damien Martinez. In 2023, Martinez handled the majority of the carries for the Oregon State Beavers, surpassing 1,100 yards and scoring nine touchdowns. This season, Martinez will be in the ACC as he made the move to Miami, where he will be looking to become a key contributor in the Hurricanes’ run game.
Now that the 2024 college football season is rapidly approaching, let’s take a look at the rankings of all 17 ACC teams’ running back units.
17 Stanford Cardinal
Projected Starter: Sedrick Irvin (2023 stats: 26 carries | 113 yards | 4.3 YPC | 1 TD)
Backup: Ryan Buter
2023 Rushing Average: 118.4 yards/game (8th in the PAC-12)
16 Virginia Cavaliers
Projected Starter: Kobe Pace (2023 stats: 125 carries | 384 yards | 3.1 YPC | 1 TD)
Backup: Xavier Brown
2023 Rushing Average: 117.9 yards/game (13th in the ACC)
15 Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Projected Starter: Demond Claiborne (2023 stats: 137 carries | 586 yards | 4.3 YPC | 5 TD)
Backup: Tate Carney
2023 Rushing Average: 130.4 yards/game (12th in the ACC)
14 Duke Blue Devils
Projected Starter: Jaquez Moore (2023 stats: 116 carries | 674 yards | 5.8 YPC | 6 TD)
Backup: Peyton Jones
2023 Rushing Average: 167.2 yards/game (9th in the ACC)
13 Pitt Panthers
Projected Starter: Rodney Hammond, Jr. (2023 stats: 118 carries | 547 yards | 4.6 YPC | 4 TD
Backup: Desmond Reid
2023 Rushing Average: 101.9 yards/game (14th in the ACC)
12 Boston College Eagles
Projected Starter: Kye Robichaux (2023 stats: 163 carries | 780 yards | 4.8 YPC | 8 TD)
Backup: Treshaun Ward
2023 Rushing Average: 199.5 yards/game (2nd in the ACC)
11 Syracuse Orange
Projected Starter: Lequint Allen (2023 stats: 245 carries | 1,064 yards | 4.3 YPC | 9 TD)
Backup: Yasin Willis
2023 Rushing Average: 172.3 yards/game (8th in the ACC)
10 SMU Mustangs
...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL-PE7uzuaI (youtube; podcast; Locked on ACC)
Do standout ACC quarterbacks like Cam Ward at Miami, Grayson McCall at NC State, Kyron Drones at Virginia Tech and Preston Stone at SMU have a legitimate shot to win the Heisman Trophy this year? In a new article on On3Sports, those four were listed, in order, as the top contenders within the ACC. The last ACC player to win the most prestigious individual award in college football was Lamar Jackson at Louisville in 2016. Will the ACC break an eight year drought?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39TlDhwao8g (youtube; podcast; Locked on Big 12; premieres at 8 AM EST)
SMU football's TV viewership has struggled significantly, reflecting the challenges the program faces in capturing a broad audience and sustaining national interest. Despite the rich history and strategic location in Dallas, SMU's games often draw low ratings, impacting the program's overall visibility and financial health.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlipq3DuSKU (youtube; podcast; On3)
College Football Realignment & Super Conference In The Future? | What's Going On With ACC, Big 12?
https://www.betcarolina.com/news/best-college-football-tailgating-experience-in-the-acc (betcarolina.com; Bean)
The pageantry of college football is around the corner for North Carolina sportsbooks, with the newly expanded Atlantic Coast Conference welcoming three new campuses far from the East Coast basins that the collective’s built its name around for more than 70 years.
Starting this fall, those newcomers (California-Berkeley, SMU and Stanford) will join the 15 existing members in taking the fields and courts of the ACC, giving the conference a fresh look in 2024.
Based on the digital tea leaves from oddsmakers at Bet365 North Carolina, it looks like Clemson (+260), Florida State (+260), Miami (+400), Louisville and NC State (+550 each) are the frontrunners on the gridiron this season.
We’re also getting closer to tailgating season for college football fans across the country. BetCarolina.com wanted to know where the best tailgating experiences are out of the ACC. Using StadiumJourney.com and Sports-Reference.com, we factored in food and beverage, atmosphere, fans, return on investment, and overall records in our scoring system to find the top 10 campuses for college football tailgating in the ACC.
Top 10 ACC Tailgating Experiences
| Rank | Team | Total Score |
| 1 | Clemson Tigers | 273 |
| 2 | Florida State Seminoles | 272 |
| 3 | Virginia Tech Hokies | 262 |
| 4 | Miami Hurricanes | 254 |
| 5 | Louisville Cardinals | 223 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Panthers | 213 |
| 7 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | 202 |
| 8 | NC State Wolfpack | 193 |
| 9 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 173 |
| 10 | Cal-Berkley | 142 |
Which ACC School Has The Best Tailgating Scene?
Of the four North Carolina schools in the 18-team ACC, the Wolfpack do tailgating the best based on our metrics, with a total score of 193 points to beat out UNC’s total of 173 for the eighth spot in the conference.Leaguewide, the leaders in tailgating excellence were Clemson (273 points), FSU (272 points), Virginia Tech (262 points) and Miami (254 points), while Louisville rounded out the ACC top five with a score of 223 points.
Throw in Pittsburgh at 213 points and Georgia Tech at 202 points and you have the full list of ACC members that ranked ahead of the Wolfpack and Tar Heels, with newcomer Cal-Berkeley rounding out the list with a score of 142 points.
While NC State (1979) and UNC (1980) have gone more than 40 years without an ACC football title, their North Carolina brethren from Winston-Salem hold the title of the last North Carolina ACC school to win a conference title, with the Demon Deacons doing so in 2006, while Duke was the last school before them to do so (as a split champion with UVA in 1989).
...
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2024/06/ranking-acc-schools-by-realignment-value.html (RX; HM)
Ranking ACC Schools by Realignment Value
Not saying the ACC is going to be raided, but if it was, which would be the most valuable schools?
A few days ago the UNC fan magazine TarHeelsWire ranked all ACC programs based on conference realignment value (in their opinion, at least). This is what they came up with:
| School | Value |
| Clemson | 10 |
| FSU | 10 |
| UNC | 10 |
| Miami | 9 |
| Duke | 8 |
| Va Tech | 7.5 |
| Louisville | 7 |
| NC State | 6.5 |
| Uva | 6.5 |
| Pitt | 6 |
| Ga Tech | 5.5 |
| BC | 5 |
| Wake | 4.5 |
| Cuse | 4.5 |
| SMU | 4 |
| Stanford | 2 |
| Cal | 1 |
Not surprisingly, they rank the Tar Heels at the very top, tied with FSU and Clemson for most valuable. They also ranked their buddies, Duke, ahead of NC State, Louisville, and Virginia Tech, and they ranked their other buddies, Wake Forest, ahead of Syracuse, SMU, Stanford, and Cal... I'm somewhat shocked that they ranked Boston College ahead of Wake! If you want to read why they ranked them this way, click the link above.
_____
Now, how would I rank these schools? Not quite the same; I'm thinking it's more like this...
| School | Value |
| FSU | 9.5 |
| UNC | 9 |
| Miami | 8 |
| Clemson | 6 |
| Uva | 6 |
| Va Tech | 5.5 |
| Duke | 4 |
| Cuse | 4 |
| Ga Tech | 4 |
| Louisville | 3.5 |
| Pitt | 3.5 |
| Stanford | 3.5 |
| Cal | 3.5 |
| BC | 3.5 |
| NC State | 3 |
| SMU | 2 |
| Wake | 1.5 |
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2024/06/how-long-since-last-cfb-title.html (RX; HM)
How Long Since Last CFB Title?
I retweeted this the other day because I thought it was cool:
x.com
twitter.com
It got me thinking: just how long has it been for some of these ACC schools since they reached the summit of college football glory? Here's a table of claimed national championships, with the ones in this century in bold. Notice the last year in each row...
| School | # | Claimed national championship seasons |
| Notre Dame | 11 | 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 |
| Pittsburgh | 9 | 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976 |
| California | 5 | 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1937 |
| Miami | 5 | 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001 |
| Georgia Tech | 4 | 1917, 1928, 1952, 1990 |
| Clemson | 3 | 1981, 2016, 2018 |
| Florida State | 3 | 1993, 1999, 2013 |
| SMU | 3 | 1935, 1981, 1982 |
| Stanford | 2 | 1926, 1940 |
| Boston College | 1 | 1940 |
| Syracuse | 1 | 1959 |
Only two schools (Clemson and Florida State) have won a national championship in the last 20 years. A third school (Miami) won one in the last 25 years. If we enlarge our net to 40 years (1984) we pick up Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. Make it 50 years and you can include SMU and Pitt. Ten more years buys you nothing, but 65 years ago Syracuse won it all.
To take in BC, Stanford, and Cal, you'd need to go all the way back to before World War II. Of course, the rest of the ACC teams have never won a national title - although, to be fair, Duke can lay claim to at least one, pre-WWII.
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2024/06/how-pac-12-was-killed.html (RX; HM)
How the Pac-12 was killed
A Stanford fan who goes by "Redwood86" posted this on CSNBBS in the thread "Dumb Newbie Question re: Big-12 Media Contract":
Can someone explain to me why Group A was valued by ESPN & Fox more than Group B? Was it politics (revenge), strategy, or what??
First of all, this is anything but a dumb question, as it gets to the heart of why the Pac-12 dissolved.
Everyone's favorite Auburn fan, JRSEC, posted this reply:
...
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2024/06/most-difficult-sec-ooc-games-are.html (RX; HM)
Most Difficult SEC OOC games are...
...mostly against ACC teams:
Here's the list in text format, with ACC schools in bold:
Out of 16 SEC teams, the hardest non-conference game for nine of them is a ACC team, and for another it's Notre Dame. That accounts for 10 out of 16, or 62.5%
...
https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2024/06/teams-clemson-has-never-played-in-fb.html (RX; HM)
Teams Clemson has never played in FB
Clemson is a national football power, but apparently not a national team. What do I mean?
According to FBSchedules, the Clemson Tigers will host the East Carolina Pirates...
That brings up the question: which teams have the Tigers never played yet?
If we narrow it down to just the P4 teams, we get this list (Big Ten teams in bold):
- Arizona
- Arizona St
- Arkansas
- BYU
- Cincinnati
- Houston
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kansas St
- Michigan
- Michigan St
- Northwestern
- Oklahoma St
- Oregon
- Oregon St
- Rutgers
- SMU
- Texas
- UCLA
- Utah
- Washington
- Wash. St.
- Wisconsin
https://sports.yahoo.com/rivals-five-star-acc-programs-164555726.html (yahoo.com; Garcia Jr)
The Rivals Five-Star, the marquee football event of the offseason, is just days away. We continue a conference-by-conference look at which programs should be paying the closest attention to the results from Jacksonville next week.
Next up is the ACC.
*****
CLEMSON
There is just one Clemson commitment expected to compete in Jacksonville, but other targets will make noise in the process. One of top running backs in the country is a Tiger pledge in Gideon Davidson. Already tabbed as the No. 4 back in the Rivals250, he could push higher on the list with a strong dual-threat showing in this setting filled with gifted defenders.Dabo Swinney and company are somewhat selective on the recruiting trail, but there are a handful of 2025 targets still on the Tigers' board worth tracking next week. Wide receiver Cortez Mills has drummed up the most buzz among them, cancelling a Miami visit this weekend in favor of LSU. Clemson and Oklahoma are now viewed as two of his top options. Offensive lineman Max Buchanan is high on the program among his top options after a June stop in Death Valley, similar to linebacker Logan Anderson. Safety projection Gregory Thomas is down to Clemson and Florida State ahead of his expected decision next Sunday.
In the 2026 class, the Tigers are already in on a select group of defensive prospects in particular, including defensive linemen Daverin Geralds and Jake Kreul along with defensive backs Zelus Hicks and J'Zavien Currence, among others.
*****
FLORIDA STATE
If anyone is curious about the future of Mike Norvell's program, the Rivals Five-Star is a must-watch as both the class of 2025 and 2026 quarterback commitments for the Seminoles are expected to compete with and against one another. Tramell Jones, the rising-senior, has had as strong an offseason as any passer nationally, leading his club 7-on-7 team to four tournament titles, including the OT7 Finals earlier this month. He followed it up with some banner performance days at the Elite 11 Finals, stamping his place among the elite passers in the 2025 Rivals250.In 2026, the Seminoles have a five-star on board in Brady Smigel, who just verbally committed to Norvell and company on Saturday. A big, prototypical pocket passer from Newbury Park, Calif., the rising-junior should offer a counter to Jones' game as the future of the position in Tallahassee seems relatively set.
The Seminoles' defensive commitment on the Rivals Five-Star roster, Javion Hilson, is the highest-ranked four-star in the Rivals250. The in-state pass rusher, who was back in Tallahassee this weekend, is gunning for five star status against the elite competition the offensive line will provide.
Florida State will likely add to the commitment list from within the undeclared group of competitors slated in Jacksonville, too. Big cover corner Gregory Thomas is down to the Seminoles and Clemson Tigers ahead of a June 30 commitment date. His Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage teammate, running back Byron Louis, has Florida State contending with Miami, Georgia and Wisconsin at this time. Offensive lineman Max Buchanan, defensive linemen Jarquez Hunter, Jake Kreul and JaReylan McCoy are additional targets as are Hylton Stubbs, Shamar Arnoux and Bryce Fitzgerald in the secondary.
*****
MIAMI
The Hurricanes will have plenty of top targets in town to compete, with the event just a few hours north of campus, but it will enter the Rivals Five-Star with one commitment expected in Jordan Campbell. The Miami (Fla.) Carol City standout has dominated events on both sides of the ball this offseason, nearly winning Running Back MVP honors at the Rivals Camp Series stop in Miami while contending at other events as a shut-down cover linebacker thanks to great length, range and ball skills. Michigan just hosted the four-star and will work, among others, so this recruitment may be far from over in the end.Several local targets dot the list of participants, of course, with Rivals250 cornerback Chris Ewald Jr. among those next to come off the board. Planning a June 27 decision to celebrate his birthday, the experienced prospect is down to Miami and Georgia.
Even closer to Coral Gables, Miami has worked to stay in the race for do-it-all secondary prospect Bryce Fitzgerald, who is also high on Florida and Florida State down the stretch.
Broward County running back Byron Louis has Miami, Florida State, Georgia and Wisconsin as his top group with official visit season wrapping up.
Elsewhere in the state, prospects like wide receiver Jaime Ffrench, offensive lineman Max Buchanan, defensive linemen Jarquez Carter and Jake Kreul, linebacker Tony Williams and safety Hylton Stubbs all have Miami among their top programs.
*****
NOTRE DAME
Cue the eye roll from traditional Irish fans, but Notre Dame will have a large impact at the event and if not in this conference breakdown, where would Marcus Freeman's program get highlighted?The program has one of the larger group of verbal commitments slated to participate next week, with four, led by the face of the class and potential future face of the program in Deuce Knight. The quarterback is hitting his stride this offseason after head-turning efforts at the OT7 Finals and Elite 11 Finals earlier this month. He already checks in as America's top-ranked dual-threat quarterback.
One of Knight's future protectors is signed up to compete, too, in Rivals250 offensive lineman Owen Strebig. He may match up with a South Bend teammate in the trenches as pass rusher Christopher Burgess Jr. is also signed up, gunning to close the gap on a few peers considering he is tabbed as the No. 2 strongside defensive end nationally.
Another with a chance to make a move up the ranks is Notre Dame secondary commitment Dallas Golden, who has not been seen much since he led Tampa (Fla.) Berkley Prep to a state championship in the fall.
Plenty of uncommitted Irish targets will be working out in the class of 2025 and beyond, led by legacy linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Rivals250 rising-junior safety Bralan Womack.
*****
SMU
The Mustangs are ACC-bound, remember? As college football is reshaped heading into the 2024 season, these events can provide reminders of how much the moves have helped programs bump up in the recruiting realm a bit.SMU was slated to have a pair of participants in Jacksonville before local quarterback Keelon Russell flipped his pledge to Alabama ahead of his Elite 11 MVP run. Still, Rhett Lashlee's program will be represented by a pledge in blue-chip wide receiver Daylon Singleton.
The DeSoto (Texas) standout is a champion sprinter with plenty of Friday night production to his name at one of the top programs in the Lone Star State, hauling in 17 scores as a junior last fall en route to a state championship.
There are seven undeclared Texans coming to compete in Jacksonville, so perhaps a strong effort from Singleton could push SMU in the conversation more and more as the week wears on.
https://sports.yahoo.com/midlands-football-qb-standout-aj-171118778.html (yahoo.com; Bezjak)
AJ Brand will get a chance to play quarterback at a Power 4 school.
The Irmo High School rising senior committed to Virginia Tech on Sunday on Instagram live announcement. Brand picked Virginia Tech over South Carolina and Oregon State. He recently took official visits to Virginia Tech and USC.
While Oregon State was a late school in the mix, it ultimately came down to the Hokies and Gamecocks. And the biggest difference was that Virginia Tech recruited him as a quarterback, while Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks wanted him to play defensive back.
South Carolina doesn’t have a quarterback committed for the 2025 class. Landon Duckworth is committed for the Class of 2026. LaNorris Sellers, a redshirt freshman, will be the team’s starting quarterback when August practice begins.
Meanwhile, Brand is the second QB in Virginia Tech’s class, joining Kelden Ryan of Desoto, Texas.
247Sports Composite and On3 rank Brand as a three-star prospect and 18th-best player in the state for the Class of 2025.
Brand is coming off a record-breaking season as quarterback for the Yellow Jackets. He set school records for total offense (4,045 yards), passing yards (2,932), touchdown passes (45) and total TDs (62).
Brand was named Class 4A Lower State Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state. He helped the Yellow Jackets to the Class 4A Lower State championship game. Irmo will be moving up to Class 5A this season.
Brand also plays basketball and was a member of Irmo’s 2023 4A state championship team. He is expected to enroll in the winter at Virginia Tech but won’t play basketball this year.
Brand becomes the third Class of 2025 quarterback from Palmetto State committed to a Power 4 School. Richland Northeast’s Will Wilson is committed to N.C. State and Westside’s Cutter Woods is committed to Wake Forest but recently was offered by South Carolina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwB6vAVOZo0 (youtube; podcast; Locked on College Football)
SMU's move into the ACC came on the condition of taking ZERO dollars in media rights revenue for a period of time. Could their deep-pocketed donors make them a school the ACC could rely on to avoid needing expansion if FSU and Clemson leave?
On today's episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin talks about a trendy upset target in week 1. Colorado cannot overlook North Dakota State, but they are not losing that football game at home. 10:25
USC and Ole Miss had a home-and-home schedule for 2025/26 as part of their non-conference slate. The cancellation of that series shows why College Football needs a centralized governing body. 19:45
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qUNRaLzhi4 (youtube; podcast; John Kurtz)
A new update from Josh Pate on impending doom for the ACC. A Big 12 AD says he knows what revenue-sharing number they're shooting for...will it be the full $22 million?
Other
Aaron Laird and Al Noterpole box up our sweet chili chicken pizza from Valentine's Delicatessen in Skaneateles. Valentine's is our 24th stop on the CNY Pizza Tour. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)(Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)
https://www.syracuse.com/food/2024/...repare-your-lakeside-menu-for-date-night.html (PS; $; Miller)
The picture-perfect setting for a Saturday date night deserved an ideal menu to match. But because every table at every restaurant in Skaneateles was spoken for, I had to make a few adjustments.
Instead of a table for two with a partially hidden view of Skaneateles Lake, I secured my wife and me a primo bench along the shore, next to the docks. Rather than of a bottle of 2015 Veuve Clicquot champagne, I reached into my backpack and pulled out a couple bottles of the 2024 Champagne of Beers. No prime rib or duck à l’orange for us. We dined on a large sweet chili chicken pizza and a side of wings from Valentine’s Delicatessen.
Go ahead and scoff, but it was as though Cupid prepared this dinner himself.
On Saturday, the part of Cupid was played by Aaron Laird. He’s one of a large cast of pizza makers who each have 10 to 18 years experience in this deli across from the gazebo on Genesee Street. Valentine’s is one of three businesses in this tiny shopping strip. Over the years, it had been a mechanic’s garage, a pharmacy and an antique shop. It’s been Valentine’s since 1988.
“You hit us at the best time,” Aaron said at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, just as he and three others assembled one pizza after another. They looked up only when it came time to pop each pizza into the oven. “This is the start of what is going to be a very busy dinner rush.”
Valentine’s will sell roughly 200 pizzas on a typical summer night. Saturday had the makings of a 300-pizza night. That’ll happen with clear skies and a 72-degree temperature, Aaron said.
“That right there is a typical order,” he said, pointing to a guy picking up two sheet pizzas, two large pizzas and a few dozen wings. “I’m guessing he’s going back to his boat from here.”
Makes sense. It’s only about 50 steps away to the docks.
Lead the way, captain. It’s time to wine and dine lakeside ...
https://www.syracuse.com/restaurant...taurant-option-with-upscale-comfort-food.html (PS; $; Cazentre)
YBR Casino & Sports Book in Chittenango plans to open its newest and largest restaurant next month.
Brickhouse Kitchen, serving “upscale comfort food,” is expected to open July 20 inside the casino’s sports betting space. The casino, also known as Yellow Brick Road, opened in 2015 in the Chittenango Plaza at 800 W. Genesee St. (Route 5), just east of the Onondaga-Madison county line.
Brickhouse Kitchen will add to the dining and drinking options at YBR, which also include Wicked Good Pizza & Plates, Burgers of Madison County and Bar West. At 9,000 square feet, it will be the biggest sit-down eating area in the casino, said Kelly Abdo, public relations director for the Oneida Indian Nation, which operates the casino.
The menu will include entrees such as mustard maple salmon, marinated pork tenderloin and a 12 oz. New York strip steak. Other items include chili con carne nachos, reuben egg rolls and fried calamari, along with pub fare like burgers, wings and a steak sandwich.
The menu was developed by the team that oversees the dining options at all the Oneida Nation properties, including Turning Stone Casino in Verona, Point Place Casino in Bridgeport and the Lake House at Sylvan Beach. The team is led by executive chef Ron Ross and chef de cuisine Holly Tennant.
The new restaurant anticipates high demand for the opening, and will begin taking reservations via OpenTable on July 6.
The opening of Brickhouse Kitchen continues an expansion and renovation at YBR that began with the opening of a 19,400-square-foot entertainment space. It includes “luxury” bowling lanes, Topgolf Swing Suite bays, shuffleboard, pool tables and more. The casino also offers slots, table games and what is billed as the biggest sports betting lounge in the state.
