Anonymous ACC coach says do not expect a 10-win season out of Syracuse

Syracuse had one of their best seasons in school history in their debut year under Fran Brown. However, coaches in the league aren’t expecting year two for him or the Orange to be as successful as year one.

The season preview from Athlon Sports provided anonymous quotes from coaches in the conference about the other programs, including ‘Cuse. They noted the change that’s been made already in this tenure up in New York but, with the turnover from the past fall to this one, they’re not thinking the Orange will be back at double-digit wins.

“The biggest culture change at a program in our league, for sure,” one said.

“Fran (Brown) is a rising star, and he’s attacking recruiting and the portal in a way that program has never seen. But don’t expect another 10-win season this year,” said another. “Right now, their roster looks like it’s going to be a little less talented as they transition into a more consistent approach to recruiting high school.”

Syracuse went 10-3, tying for their third-best record in school history and their best since 2017, in 2024. They’d have a winning record in the Atlantic Coast Conference and go 3-1 against ranked opponents with victories against Georgia Tech, UNLV, and, most notably, Miami in the regular-season finale. They were able to do that in part because of a Top-25 scoring offense, leading the nation in passing offense behind QB Kyle McCord.

However, the Orange lost many of who helped that team to ten wins. They lost contributors on both sides of the ball like McCord, RB LeQuint Allen, WRs Trebor Pena (Penn State) and Jackson Meeks, TE Oronde Gadsden II, DE Fadil Diggs, DB Clarence Lewis, and LBs Justin Barron and Marlowe Wax among others. They’ll now have to replace that, and try to match that mark, with a new class of transfers and freshmen.

“They’re not a really good run team, and it’s going to hurt them more with an inexperienced quarterback,” one said

“The defense is missing a lot of the guys who stood out for them last year. They’re very shaky as a secondary,” said another.

That’s not to mention one of the more difficult schedules of this upcoming season for Syracuse. The Orange will play Tennessee in Atlanta for their opener before playing at Clemson, Duke, at SMU, Pittsburgh, at Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and at Miami in the ACC as well as at Notre Dame.

Syracuse can have success again this season under Brown. It just might not reach the peak of what last year was, likely more so competing for a fourth-straight bowl berth than anything else in 2025.

“The good news is that they’re aggressive about scouting talent,” one said. “If they somehow keep the same level of offensive production, they could go bowling again.”