Syracuse football's preseason camp commences this week, with practices getting underway on Wednesday, Aug. 5, a team spokesperson recently confirmed to Inside the Loud House.
On Tuesday, players reported to camp, and head coach Fran Brown held a press conference, during which he dished on various topics, including the Orange's new coaches, the offensive line, the quarterback room and the recently disclosed Atlantic Coast Conference preseason media poll.
One of the first topics of discussion was the NCAA's new 5-for-5 eligibility rules, with legal battles currently taking place and some college football players (and athletes in other collegiate sports) from last year trying to get a fifth season of eligibility.
Hear from the Head Man 🍊🎙️@FranBrownCuse talks to the media as Training Camp gets underway and we prepare for the 2026 season ⬇️https://t.co/tkfvzu6z3W
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) August 4, 2026
Brown said that he's "just real comfortable with the team that we have," and he doesn't plan to add any players from the 2025 roster who might be able to gain a fifth year of eligibility. "It's a lot of genuine love and care for each other," Brown said of his 2026 roster. "Our team's pretty full."
The Orange is attempting to rebound from a disappointing 2025 campaign, when the squad started 3-1 but then lost eight straight after starting quarterback Steve Angeli went down with an injury. Brown has said that he's learned a lot from last season, and he believes he has the right people - players and coaches - to turn things around.
"The mindset is still gonna be the same, a relentless approach with everything we do ... but there's new blood and a different energy. It's just new," Brown said.
Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown says the offensive line is critical to the 2026 season.
With a new defensive coordinator in Vince Kehres and numerous other position-group coaches, the Orange will look a lot different in the upcoming campaign. On the defensive side, Brown says, "We're going to all play together."
Brown also noted the importance of veteran offensive line coach Juan Castillo, who has decades of experience at the college and pro levels. SU's offensive line mightily struggled last year, and it will need to be much better for the 'Cuse to contend for a bowl game in 2026. The offensive line is "probably gonna get a lot better," Brown said. "They're gonna run the team."
The offensive line will be tasked with giving Angeli time to operate in the passing attack, while also carving out space for Syracuse football running backs to be efficient on the ground. Brown said of Castillo, "I'm confident in his ability and his expertise. He loves the game. Football is his life."
Across the roster, Brown says that he believes the 'Cuse has more depth - at quarterback, offensive line and defensive line, among other position groups. "We just got more depth, and we're ready to go," he said.
Angeli, at last month's ACC Kickoff event in Charlotte, N.C., said that while he was rehabbing his ruptured Achilles tendon, he became even closer to his Syracuse football teammates, coaches and staff members.
Both Angeli and Brown have said that the transfer quarterback from Notre Dame is good to go for the 2026 season. Brown said on Tuesday at his presser that in some ways, Angeli getting injured was "probably the best thing to happen" to Angeli, Brown and the program, because "now we can take off and go to another level."
Brown wishes all the former Syracuse football players well who, this past offseason, transferred to other schools. "I'm very happy for all of them. I hope that they got to learn something from here," Brown said. "I think that the team we have now is a better fit for us."
In late July, the ACC's preseason media poll forecast the Orange to finish at No. 14 in the 17-member league for football. Brown says that he beat the odds to become Syracuse's head coach, and the 'Cuse can do the same in 2026.
"I don't really care about that," Brown said of the ACC's preseason media poll. "It doesn't really motivate me. Whatever. Just go compete and play. I beat the odds, right? I think it could happen again. ... We can't wait to compete. This is the year for Syracuse to turn up."
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