Syracuse spring game highlights: defensive shifts, rising stars, and QB decisions

As Syracuse University football gears up for its 2025-26 season, Saturday’s spring game gave fans a sneak peek at which players to watch in the upcoming year.

Amid the growing buzz surrounding the program—after a 10-3 season, multiple players expected to be drafted, and Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney joining the coaching staff—several starting positions remained uncertain heading into spring.

With former quarterback Kyle McCord heading to the NFL draft, fans were curious about who would guide the Orange in head coach Fran Brown’s second season. This week, Orange Nation got its answer: Rickie Collins, an LSU transfer, was named the starting quarterback following his commitment to Syracuse.

Fans must wait to see Collins in action as he was inactive for the spring game.

“He’s good… I gotta think about the future, right? Seeing those other guys play, they did a good job, but Rickie (Collins) was a lot further ahead,” Brown said. “I didn’t want to mess anything up. He’s got a little issue with his hand, so we wanted to be cautious and make the best decision for Syracuse University.”

Brown also spoke highly of redshirt freshman quarterback Jakhari Williams, who started slow but impressed as the game progressed. Brown sees Williams as the likely backup, calling him a “fighter,” and said he wanted to see how Williams managed the game and whether the team could depend on him if needed.

Another quarterback who made an appearance was walk-on Joseph Filardi. Despite a late-game interception, Brown praised Filardi’s off-season progress.

“He’s been progressing throughout the spring,” Brown said. “He was a walk-on that came in and made everybody start to pay attention to him, and he took a lot of reps.”

Saturday marked Brown’s second spring game at Syracuse, as the two teams were split into Blue vs. Orange. He told the media earlier in the week that fans should expect “real game energy” on the field. Brown promised plenty of contact — except for quarterbacks and select key players.

One noticeable defensive adjustment this year was a shift from the 3-3-5 alignment to a 4-2-5 scheme. The change adds a fourth defensive lineman and subtracts a linebacker, keeping five defensive backs on the field. The defensive line appeared bigger, faster and more athletic, with greater depth than last season.

On the first play from scrimmage, redshirt freshman defensive lineman King Joseph Edwards made a strong inside move. Edwards is a player to watch next season, especially after standout Fadil Diggs declared for the NFL Draft, where he’s projected to be selected in the fourth round.

Photo by Jack Henry

Defensive coach Nick Williams celebrates with his players after a fourth down stop during the Spring Football game at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday.

Williams delivered an impressive deep pass along the left sideline to wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons during the Orange team’s first third-down play. Williams showcased both accuracy and mobility throughout the game.

The game’s first touchdown came via a rushing score from sophomore running back Yasin Willis. The Orange led 14-6 at halftime.

The third touchdown came after a strong red-zone run by running back Jordan Montanez, who had a standout day. It wouldn’t be surprising if he eclipsed 100 all-purpose yards. The Orange led 14-13 entering the fourth quarter.

Though the game didn’t count toward their record, players from both teams competed with intensity and passion — evident in a few moments of pushing and shoving. Freshman quarterback Rich Belin led a late drive, but the Blue team’s field goal attempt to take the lead was unsuccessful.

Photo by Jack Henry

Quarterback Rich Belin steps back to pass during the Spring Football game at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday.

However, a fumble gave the Blue team another chance on the next Orange possession. They capitalized and scored, winning the game 16-14.

Asked about his focus for the final two spring practices, Brown said the goal is to “keep getting tougher.”

“Just lock in day by day and work on the flags we had,” he said. “Our offensive line jumped a few times, so we want to clean that up. Today, I saw a lot of guys just leaping and leaving their feet. I like running through contact, so I want to see that a little bit more.”