Sounds like this battle will not last through spring
Many Syracuse Orange fans expected that the battle to replace Kyle McCord would last through the spring and summer and well into fall camp. Fran Brown squashed that idea after the opening practice of spring.
Brown told media members that he wasn’t looking to split reps in spring.
Fran Brown says Syracuse Football will have its QB 1 picked soon.
“I ain’t got time to play mind games with my team…we’re going to pick a Quarterback, run with it…and he’s going to be the guy until he tells us he’s not,” he said. pic.twitter.com/Of7hhLsQZK
— Samantha Croston (@SamCroston1) March 22, 2025
With no experienced signal-caller on the roster, it makes sense to give one player the bulk of the reps in these practices, but which player will be the one to grab the reins? Does a quick decision mean returners Michael Johnson, Jr or Jakhari Williams has an edge? Or does it suggest that LSU transfer Rickie Collins would get first chance?
The one thing that a quick decision would seem to rule out is the idea that Luke Carney or Rich Belin would be handed that spot two months into their Syracuse careers. It seems like a three-man race at this point and we might have our answer later this week.
An early decision does show once again that Brown doesn’t always do things the conventional way. He’s shown that when he feels he’s got the right decision, he’ll make it and not waver because other coaches do.
Naming a starter early can cause some hard feelings in the locker room, but if you want the new QB, new center and some new receivers to get a rhythm going it makes sense to give that player the most reps in practice. That doesn’t mean there won’t be competition next August, but the next month is key for a Syracuse team looking to build off the 10-win season, and avoid a big step back in 2025.