Camp Starts Wednesday for Syracuse Football
8/4/2026 4:59:00 PM | Football
With practice one of the 2026 fall camp scheduled for Wednesday, head coach Fran Brown met with the media on Tuesday, discussing the team's preparation for the season.
Togetherness was a central theme to Coach Fran's remarks, praising the championship level leadership group – which includes players across all position groups on the team – for the way they've developed team chemistry to date.
"Today I could sit there and tell you that these guys care about each other," Brown said. "You can hear them out in the hallway right now. We're around each other a lot. We care about, understand and know the little details that it takes to win… There's a lot of different energy."
Brown enters his third season at the helm of the program, bringing back core veterans – including Preseason All-American Chris Peal, talented sophomores Antoine Deslauriers and Demetres Samuel Jr. and quarterback Steve Angeli.
Angeli, now healthy again, returns after leading the Orange to a 3-1 start, where he was tops in FBS football in passing before going down with a torn Achillies.
"I think that him getting hurt was more than likely - I hate to say it – but it's probably the best thing that happened to him and myself," Brown said. "Probably the best thing that's going to happen to our program because we're going to be able to take off and go to another level.
"He was able to understand how to truly lead. He was in it and then he got to step out of it and see all the things that were going right and wrong.
That same culture extends to a retooled coaching staff, one Brown expects to fold seamlessly into the standard he's set. On new defensive coordinator Vince Kehres, Brown again pointed to togetherness driving that side of the ball this fall.
"We're going to have a plan. We'll play together, we'll play together all the time," Brown said. "It's 11 as 1. That's what you'll see when we're out there playing on defense."
Starting Wednesday, the Orange will spend the next several weeks building toward the Sept. 5 season opener, and Brown left with a simple charge heading into the month ahead. "Stay focused on your faith, stay locked in on the man above and just compete," Brown said. "Wake up every day, go out and compete. Forget about what happened yesterday, it's all about the day, let's make sure we dominate that. I can't wait to start tomorrow. Let's have fun."
That energy will carry right into one of the best home slates in recent memory, with all six opponents visiting the JMA Wireless Dome coming off winning seasons in 2025 — and several marquee programs making their first trip to Syracuse in years or even decades. The Orange open the season Sept. 5 against New Hampshire, host Cal Sept. 12, welcome Louisville Oct. 17, SMU Oct. 31 and Clemson Nov. 7, before closing out the home slate against a Notre Dame.
Secure your seats now at Cuse.com/FootballTickets
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Togetherness was a central theme to Coach Fran's remarks, praising the championship level leadership group – which includes players across all position groups on the team – for the way they've developed team chemistry to date.
"Today I could sit there and tell you that these guys care about each other," Brown said. "You can hear them out in the hallway right now. We're around each other a lot. We care about, understand and know the little details that it takes to win… There's a lot of different energy."
Brown enters his third season at the helm of the program, bringing back core veterans – including Preseason All-American Chris Peal, talented sophomores Antoine Deslauriers and Demetres Samuel Jr. and quarterback Steve Angeli.
Angeli, now healthy again, returns after leading the Orange to a 3-1 start, where he was tops in FBS football in passing before going down with a torn Achillies.
"I think that him getting hurt was more than likely - I hate to say it – but it's probably the best thing that happened to him and myself," Brown said. "Probably the best thing that's going to happen to our program because we're going to be able to take off and go to another level.
"He was able to understand how to truly lead. He was in it and then he got to step out of it and see all the things that were going right and wrong.
That same culture extends to a retooled coaching staff, one Brown expects to fold seamlessly into the standard he's set. On new defensive coordinator Vince Kehres, Brown again pointed to togetherness driving that side of the ball this fall.
"We're going to have a plan. We'll play together, we'll play together all the time," Brown said. "It's 11 as 1. That's what you'll see when we're out there playing on defense."
Starting Wednesday, the Orange will spend the next several weeks building toward the Sept. 5 season opener, and Brown left with a simple charge heading into the month ahead. "Stay focused on your faith, stay locked in on the man above and just compete," Brown said. "Wake up every day, go out and compete. Forget about what happened yesterday, it's all about the day, let's make sure we dominate that. I can't wait to start tomorrow. Let's have fun."
That energy will carry right into one of the best home slates in recent memory, with all six opponents visiting the JMA Wireless Dome coming off winning seasons in 2025 — and several marquee programs making their first trip to Syracuse in years or even decades. The Orange open the season Sept. 5 against New Hampshire, host Cal Sept. 12, welcome Louisville Oct. 17, SMU Oct. 31 and Clemson Nov. 7, before closing out the home slate against a Notre Dame.
Secure your seats now at Cuse.com/FootballTickets
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