Syracuse Orange news: QB transfer to visit, Duce Chestnut to SEC, more

Syracuse Orange football coaches, after not being able to hold on to 2023 four-star quarterback LaNorris Sellers, appear to be focused on adding another quarterback to the team’s depth chart heading into the next season.

Per an article from SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister, Ty Keyes plans to take a visit to the Orange campus on Saturday, Jan. 14.

The 6-foot-2 Keyes is a transfer from Southern Mississippi. According to McAllister, Keyes has received a scholarship offer from the ‘Cuse coaching staff, and he has three years of eligibility left.

Not too long ago, Keyes entered the NCAA’s transfer portal. In his two seasons with Southern Miss, he threw for 636 yards and six touchdowns against six interceptions, while rushing for 115 yards and a touchdown on the ground, per McAllister.

As a member of the 2021 recruiting cycle, Keyes was a four-star prospect and the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in this class, according to ESPN. He attended Taylorsville High School in Taylorsville, Miss.

Last month, during the early national signing period, Sellers flipped his commitment from Syracuse football to South Carolina. He had a prolific senior year for South Florence High School in Florence, S.C.

Other Syracuse Orange news

Former CB on the move to SEC
Duce Chestnut, who was a starting cornerback for the Orange during a 2022 stanza when the team went 7-6 overall, has transferred to LSU out of the Southeastern Conference, he said on Twitter.

Chestnut had 40 tackles and one interception in the most recent term, and he earned an All-ACC honorable-mention nod.

As a freshman in 2021, Chestnut was selected to the All-ACC third squad, while multiple national media outlets bestowed upon him freshman All-America honors.

LSU went 10-4 in 2022, crushing Purdue in the Citrus Bowl. The Tigers, led by first-year head coach and former Notre Dame boss Brian Kelly, were No. 17 overall in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

A few days ago, another former Syracuse football defensive back, Ja’Had Carter, said on social media that he had committed to Ohio State, which played in the CFP, where the Buckeyes fell to Georgia.

Jim Boeheim talks Jesse Edwards
When Syracuse basketball lost at then-No. 11 Virginia this past Saturday by seven points, senior center Jesse Edwards managed to grab 10 rebounds, but he only scored four points.

That’s not going to get it done if the Orange looks to make a realistic run at post-season play, and ‘Cuse head coach Jim Boeheim discussed Edwards in an article from Syracuse.com’s Mike Waters.

Men’s hoops players played well in homecoming
As Syracuse basketball fell to the Cavaliers at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va., starting sophomore forward Benny Williams didn’t compete due to illness, per SU Athletics.

That resulted in extended minutes for freshman forward Maliq Brown and freshman wing Justin Taylor. Brown boasted 10 points, eight boards, two steals and one block, while Taylor generated seven points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.

Taylor grew up in Charlottesville and played at the nearby St. Anne’s-Belfield School. Immediately prior to joining the ‘Cuse, though, Taylor spent a year with the post-grad squad at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where his teammate was Syracuse basketball freshman guard/wing Quadir Copeland.

Brown, who won a bunch of awards as a senior in high school, competed for the Blue Ridge School in St. George, Va., which is about 30 minutes from Charlottesville.

Women’s basketball lands road triumph
Senior guard Dyaisha Fair had another strong showing, as she poured in 27 points, and the Syracuse Orange women’s basketball team won at Clemson, 91-77. The ‘Cuse did a terrific job on the glass and had a huge edge in second-chance points versus the Tigers (11-6, 2-3 in the ACC).

Next up, the Orange (12-4, 3-2) hits the road again, traveling to Boston College on Thursday, Jan. 12. The tip-off is slated for 7 pm, with live streaming coverage on the ACC Network Extra.

Ice hockey to battle an elite squad
Syracuse Orange women’s ice hockey resumes its 2022-23 season when the ‘Cuse (7-13-1) hosts No. 5 Colgate (17-2-1) on Tuesday, Jan. 10, beginning at 6 pm from the Tennity Ice Pavilion. This contest will be streamed on cuse.com.

NCAA/recruiting news

In the spring of 2022, media reports suggested that Syracuse basketball coaches were showing interest in 2024 five-star guard/small forward Trentyn Flowers.

To the best of my knowledge, I don’t believe that the Orange ever offered the 6-foot-8 Flowers, and that’s disappointing to me. He’s one of the premier prospects in the junior class.

Moreover, I’ve read a flood of commentary on social media that speaks to Flowers’ wonderful work ethic, humbleness and high character.

Flowers is a standout for the Combine Academy in Lincolnton, N.C. He recently earned an offer from Kentucky.

On January 11, Flowers looks to cut down his list of contenders still in the running to five schools, per a tweet from 247Sports national analyst Travis Branham.

Obviously, the ‘Cuse won’t be in Flowers’ top five. I’ll never understand why Syracuse basketball didn’t offer him.