Syracuse football: Somehow this feels different

I am starting to get old. we joke about it podcast, Not as experienced as some of our fans, but having been around this program for three decades since the age of ten, I’ve seen a rookie Donovan McNabb on television, but damn if I didn’t know this year, Syracuse Orange Football feels different. There is an intangible feeling on the hill and in the whole city in general, which has not been present for years. I have several people joining us in our group of season ticket holders this year. I have a lot of people asking me around town what it’s like to be on site, or “behind the scenes.” There is generally a buzz that has not surrounded this team, dare I say it, even in this century.

Fran Brown came in with his staff and activated a program that had become stagnant, if not weakened. He breathed life into the program and the city which was not there during the earlier regime.

Let’s take it back to the turn of the century:

• Under Dino Babers, there was an initial promise that ultimately unravelled;
• There were several issues affecting the status of the program under Scott Schaefer;
• Under Doug Marrone, unfulfilled work and promises were greatly reduced;
• Under Greg Robinson, the initial hype was dashed by immediate on-field results;
• Under Paul Pasqualoni, a strong program that had become complacent.

It’s been a long time since I waited here…

During the previous regime fans were asked to have faith, to believe without evidence. Based on seeing that evidence in the flesh, this staff quickly gained a prophetic following. The team is out in the community, working in cleanups or soup kitchens, connecting with their surrounding area and city. Conversely, the media is able to watch the program as well, not just the appearance that has been prepared for you to watch. We are encouraged to talk to the coaches, the strength and conditioning staff, even the recruiting staff. With the latter, we find some of the most profound, growing and solid evidence.

To see the way recruiting has changed, to see top classes and top transfers from all over the place commit to Syracuse, it seems foreign and yet this staff has pulled it together in less than half a year.

They recently inducted several members of the Class of 2026 isiah williams, 247 Composite 0.9839 linebacker and Demetres Samuel, 0.9666 safety, both from Florida. The two rank third and fourth, respectively, on Syracuse’s all-time commitment list. Since 2000, only Cecil Howard and Jonny Morant were higher-rated recruits. Morant, as any of you fellow “oldies” will know. Cecil Howard was more vague, but it is also the highest-rated recruit in program history. I mention this as a reminder that there are things beyond star numbers that go into a recruit’s success.

This ranks the Class of 2026 #3 nationally 247Sports.com, It’s quick, but typing those words just feels crazy. The Class of 2025 is currently ranked #9 in the nation. Their current class without a full offseason is ranked at #37. These places are highly unlikely to persist, but the fact that they currently exist there is another alien concept. In 2023, the Orange were 73rd, up from 65th the season before that. In fact, you have to go back to 2007 to find a class ranked top-50 in the country. That year was the 44th year overall. The only higher ranking was #29 in 2001 under Coach P.

This week we finally got our first glimpse of not only recruiter Fran, but coach Fran as well. His attention to detail was noticeable. His desire to include scholars was also notable. There were over thirty-five recruits, dozens of alumni of all ages, and more people in the stands than I had ever seen. The ability to muster more than 10,000 people for spring football in New York seemed an impossible task after these past few seasons. Is there usually an increase in interest after “appointment of a new coach”? Absolutely. But like I said, I don’t know why that is feels apart.

The spring game was another piece in the mosaic of evidence that continues to be built. On the field last weekend we were able to imagine the extra strength and conditioning work we had only heard about. We were able to clearly see the lack of discipline based penalties during the game (I didn’t know it was possible to commit only one false start). This was a glimpse into what the DART mantra and everyone’s new favorite phrase, “Eligibility is not here to stay,” means. And… it was good. It was nice to sit in the stands and watch. It was great talking to Mike from the press box. There was an excitement among the fan base, a passion that had been missing for a long time, which gradually dwindled to mediocrity.

If their staff’s ability to coach in game situations remotely reflects what we’ve been seeing over the past few months and what we saw during a few hours of preview last Saturday, Orange fans are in for a fun fall. Is going to.