The fate of Syracuse’s football season may reside greatly in the hands of the player who wins the Orange’s quarterback competition.
Consider the battle underway.
SU opened camp on Thursday, and there is an intentional snap imbalance in the early going.
LSU transfer Rickie Collins is set to get more snaps to start camp. Syracuse coach Fran Brown attributes that to the fact that Collins was with the team in the spring as an earlier transfer than competitor Steve Angeli.
“We’ve got to say Rickie’s ahead because he was in it. He did it in the spring,” Brown told reporters. “I would say 51-49, 52-48. Something of that nature. But they do gotta watch some tape.”
Angeli didn’t transfer to Syracuse from Notre Dame until after spring ball.
“I just want these guys to be the best version of them to be able to help this team,” Brown said. “Everybody says, ‘Can you replace Kyle [McCord]?’ Nope, you can’t replace Kyle. We can’t do what Kyle was doing, but we can get these guys to be the best version of themselves, and then how to help us.”
McCord had a potent year in the Syracuse offense last year. It led to an NFL Draft selection by the Philadelphia Eagles.
A transfer from Ohio State, McCord proved even in Brown’s first year that a new QB could come in, learn the system and shine.
Now it’ll be up to either Collins or Angeli to do the same.
Syracuse didn’t just lose McCord. LeQuint Allen and Oronde Gadsden are in the NFL now. Trebor Pena transferred to Penn State. Wideout Jackson Meeks is also in the professional ranks.
Brown told reporters that offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon and QB coach Nunzio Campanile will help him decide the winner of the quarterback competition.
SU won’t give away whether there will be games featuring two quarterbacks.
“We’ve all got to make sure that we do what’s best for the ‘S,'” Brown said.
