Looking Ahead 2026: Calvin Russell

[baggerbob]

Hopefully he gets some toke in the weight room just needs to be bigger stronger and faster I believe he can be plug in and play next year.

He has all summer to work on getting stronger, and faster.

 

[sufandu]

It’s a big enough adjustment for a 17/18 year old going to college for the first time without sports. Now factor in 2 sports, with practice and meetings taking up your entire day. Then what about game days? If your on the road you’re not going to be working out and if it’s a home game you’re whole day is planned. That’s a big ask for anyone, let alone someone away from home for the first time in their lives.

I'm not worried. McNabb did it and he was the starting QB.

 

[anomander]

I'm not worried. McNabb did it and he was the starting QB.

Didn’t he just do it his senior season?

 

[wfschrec]

Didn’t he just do it his senior season?

No pretty sure he had a bench seat for the 96 run

 

[wfschrec]

This goes without saying:
Charlie Ward
Julius Peppers
Tony Gonzalez
Ronald Curry

they have also done it.

 

[sufandu]

Didn’t he just do it his senior season?

No. He played during the 95-96 and 96-97 seasons. I think it was that second year he played a lot during a Georgetown game when we had a bunch of guys foul out.

 

[sufandu]

No pretty sure he had a bench seat for the 96 run

Yeah. I believe he was credited with starting that legs crossed-uncross-stomp-stomp-cross the other way thing during freethrows that kept guys loose.

 

[Ttk.gman2]

Russell III Joins Men's Basketball Program - Syracuse University Athletics

“Calvin Russell III, a two-sport standout at Miami Northwestern High School, has joined the Syracuse men's basketball program. Russell III, a 6-5, 190-pound swingman, who has enrolled for the spring semester at Syracuse, is expected to start practice with the team and be available for games.

Syracuse previously announced that Russell III had committed to the Orange football program. A five-star recruit according to 247Sports, Russell was ranked as the number two wide receiver and number 23 overall player in the Class of 2026. He is the highest-rated Syracuse football signee in 25 years.

As a member of the Bulls basketball team, Russell III helped the team win the Greater Miami Athletic Conference Championship and reach the regional semifinals of the Florida High School Athletic Association 4A state playoffs in 2024-25. In the regional quarterfinals of the state playoffs against Somerset Academy, he posted an impressive 38 points and 19 rebounds.

During his final season of high school basketball in 2024-25, Russell III averaged 15.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He was one of the Bulls' offensive weapons as a sophomore as well, posting a career-high 21.0 points to go with 7.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest. His freshman campaign saw him average 18.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.


With the football Bulls, he was a two-time state champion and All-Dade County Player of the Year.

Russell's mother, Chanivia Broussard, played basketball for four years at Miami, where she scored 1,482 points and finished third on the Hurricanes' all-time blocks list with 132. She was inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.”

 

[Ttk.gman2]

 

[anomander]

imo, terrible idea. Assume this had to factor into his decision, but just don’t see how it benefits either party.

 

[Ttk.gman2]

imo, terrible idea. Assume this had to factor into his decision, but just don’t see how it benefits either party.

Helps keep him focused on sports all year round.

 

[sufandu]

I love it. Take advantage of the opportunity, dude. It'll be the only chance you have to do it.

I bet he does it for a season, maybe two, then he drops basketball.

 

[anomander]

Helps keep him focused on sports all year round.

Yea, but “Volunteer” workouts have already begun? S&C is what he needs most. Working out with the team before Spring ball will keep you as focused on sports as you need to be. S&C is same as player development. You have to be at your peek physical fitness to maximize your potential. There is a whole different muscle set being used for football compared to basketball, where he mostly will be sitting the bench. Not to mention acclimating to college as an 18 year old. That in itself is hard enough. I doubt he will do both (work out/sit bench)

 

[anomander]

I love it. Take advantage of the opportunity, dude. It'll be the only chance you have to do it.

I bet he does it for a season, maybe two, then he drops basketball.

By then he could be playing anywhere. Have to maximize his ability when you have him.

 

[sufandu]

By then he could be playing anywhere. Have to maximize his ability when you have him.

Who's to say we won't?

 

[Ttk.gman2]

Yea, but “Volunteer” workouts have already begun? S&C is what he needs most. Working out with the team before Spring ball will keep you as focused on sports as you need to be. S&C is same as player development. You have to be at your peek physical fitness to maximize your potential. There is a whole different muscle set being used for football compared to basketball, where he mostly will be sitting the bench. Not to mention acclimating to college as an 18 year old. That in itself is hard enough. I doubt he will do both (work out/sit bench)

Hopefully he can find a way to get bigger and stronger to be ready for the season.

 

[LpoolNative]

imo, terrible idea. Assume this had to factor into his decision, but just don’t see how it benefits either party.

Are you serious?

What’s the worst that could happen? He wants to play, he can play, and he will play lol.

There’s literally zero negative to any of this unless we start him instead of Kyle or Freeman.

Come on dude.

 

[anomander]

Are you serious?

What’s the worst that could happen? He wants to play, he can play, and he will play lol.

There’s literally zero negative to any of this unless we start him instead of Kyle or Freeman.

Come on dude.

What do you mean zero negative. If your paying a true freshman to come and expect him to impact next years team then i want him totally focused on football. These winter workouts before Spring ball are important, especially for true freshman. I’m sure this is the deal we agreed to, but i’d him focused on football.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Are you serious?

What’s the worst that could happen?

We end up with two separate "Is Calvin Limping?" threads instead of just one?

 

[sufandu]

What do you mean zero negative. If your paying a true freshman to come and expect him to impact next years team then i want him totally focused on football. These winter workouts before Spring ball are important, especially for true freshman. I’m sure this is the deal we agreed to, but i’d him focused on football.

He can lift with the football team and still practice with the basketball team. Part of conditioning is cardio work, he can get some of that during basketball practice. Any halfway decent S&C coach can figure this out. They're getting paid too. He'll be a spectator with one of the best seats in the house for games a couple nights per week. If he wasn't doing that, he'd be somewhere else doing something else in his free time.

You mentioned in a previous post he may not be here in a year or two for us to take advantage of his growth. If we want to increase that possibility, we should limit him just as you suggest. You also mentioned athletes use different "muscle sets" for different sports. That's inaccurate. You use all the same muscles. There are differences with how you use your body, more lateral movement and jumping in basketball and more straight line sprinting in football for example. This is all minor and cross training can actually reduce overuse injuries. The lateral movement aspect of basketball may actually help aspects of route running.

You're making way more of this than it is. I'd rather have him sitting on the bench at a game than going to campus parties.

 

[shu 49]

Yea, but “Volunteer” workouts have already begun? S&C is what he needs most. Working out with the team before Spring ball will keep you as focused on sports as you need to be. S&C is same as player development. You have to be at your peek physical fitness to maximize your potential. There is a whole different muscle set being used for football compared to basketball, where he mostly will be sitting the bench. Not to mention acclimating to college as an 18 year old. That in itself is hard enough. I doubt he will do both (work out/sit bench)

I agree as I was a guy who let my kid just do 1 sport and I learned as long as they work on what they need to get better, they can do other stuff too. Think how playing basketball helps with starting stopping cutting using hands and all other stuff plus he loves it so mentally he is stronger for it.

 

[bnoro]

Yea, but “Volunteer” workouts have already begun? S&C is what he needs most. Working out with the team before Spring ball will keep you as focused on sports as you need to be. S&C is same as player development. You have to be at your peek physical fitness to maximize your potential. There is a whole different muscle set being used for football compared to basketball, where he mostly will be sitting the bench. Not to mention acclimating to college as an 18 year old. That in itself is hard enough. I doubt he will do both (work out/sit bench)

Why do you doubt he will do both?

I guess you have a point, basketball had a massive effect on Donovan McNabb's career.

 

[anomander]

He can lift with the football team and still practice with the basketball team. Part of conditioning is cardio work, he can get some of that during basketball practice. Any halfway decent S&C coach can figure this out. They're getting paid too. He'll be a spectator with one of the best seats in the house for games a couple nights per week. If he wasn't doing that, he'd be somewhere else doing something else in his free time.

You mentioned in a previous post he may not be here in a year or two for us to take advantage of his growth. If we want to increase that possibility, we should limit him just as you suggest. You also mentioned athletes use different "muscle sets" for different sports. That's inaccurate. You use all the same muscles. There are differences with how you use your body, more lateral movement and jumping in basketball and more straight line sprinting in football for example. This is all minor and cross training can actually reduce overuse injuries. The lateral movement aspect of basketball may actually help aspects of route running.

You're making way more of this than it is. I'd rather have him sitting on the bench at a game than going to campus parties.

That’s a good way to get hurt.

Also, totally disagree with working same muscles. Football is focused on more fast twitch and explosion.

 

[anomander]

Why do you doubt he will do both?

I guess you have a point, basketball had a massive effect on Donovan McNabb's career.

McNabb played 2 seasons. Also, if Calvin has anywhere near the successful career at Syracuse (Football) that McNabb did, then by all means play as much basketball as you want.

 

[baggerbob]

McNabb played 2 seasons. Also, if Calvin has anywhere near the successful career at Syracuse (Football) that McNabb did, then by all means play as much basketball as you want.

The one point you are missing, which surprised me, because you are very observant is, this is what makes him happy.
And for however long he is at Syracuse that's how you want him. The 2nd most important thing besides the education.