2025 Spring Football Roster
Jersey Number 89
Dan Villari
- Position:
- Tight End
- Height:
- 6-4
- Weight:
- 241
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Hometown:
- Massapequa, N.Y.
- High School:
- Plainedge
- Prev School:
- Michigan
Bio
Career Overview: Arrived at Syracuse as a transfer from Michigan in the spring of 2022 ... Converted to tight end and appeared in 32 games with nine starts at Syracuse in various roles ... Across both schools, has appeared in 36 games, has 27 receptions for 259 yards and three touchdowns, 76 rushes for 391 yards and three touchdowns and completed 24-of-36 passes (66.7 pct.) for 203 yards and one touchdown.
Redshirt Junior Year (2024): Appeared in 12 games with two starts ... Had 12 carries for 29 yards and a touchdown, also caught six passes for 57 yards ... Had one catch for seven yards against Georgia Tech (9/7) ... Ran four times for 11 yards and had a six-yard reception at NC State (10/12) ... Hauled in three passes for 40 yards and carried the ball twice for four yards and a touchdown at Pittsburgh (10/24) ... Ran three times for 10 yards against Virginia Tech (11/2) ... Ran twice for two yards at Boston College (11/9) ... Had one catch for four yards at Cal (11/16) ... Ran once for two yards against UConn (11/23) ... Missed the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl vs. Washington State (12/27) due to injury.
Redshirt Sophomore Year (2023): Was an all-purpose player for Syracuse in 2023, playing every game with 10 starts. Played tight end, quarterback and sometimes running back in Syracuse's offense ... Completed 22-of-33 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown, ran 55 times for 326 yards and two touchdowns and caught 20 passes for 180 yards and three scores ... Had rushing, receiving and passing touchdowns on the season. Running back LeQuint Allen accomplished the feat last season, but prior to that, no Syracuse player had done so in over 20 years ... Caught one pass for three yards in the opener against Colgate (9/2) ... Hauled in one pass for eight yards against Western Michigan (9/9) ... Made his first start of the season against Army (9/23), catching one pass for 11 yards ... Caught two passes for a career-high 65 yards and his first touchdown against Clemson (9/30), also had one rush for two yards ... Caught a career-high four passes for 11 yards and ran the ball once at North Carolina (10/7) ... Had three catches for 18 yards at Florida State (10/14) ... Caught four passes for 37 yards and a touchdown at Virginia Tech (10/26) ... Made three catches for 14 yards against Boston College (11/3) ... Produced a breakout performance against Pittsburgh (11/11). With injuries to quarterback Garrett Shrader, Villari lined up all over the field - something he'd do for the remainder of the season - including taking snaps as the de facto quarterback. Completed 3-of-5 passes for 12 yards and ran 17 times for 152 yards and his first collegiate rushing touchdown ... Was named ACC Running Back of the Week for his play vs. the Panthers ... Completed all-14 of his passing attempts for 59 yards at Georgia Tech (11/18), also ran 12 times for 81 yards and a touchdown ... Completed both passing attempts for 51 yards and a touchdown vs. Wake Forest (11/25), ran 13 times for 51 yards and caught one pass for a 13 yard touchdown in the win ... Finished the season by running 11 times for 37 yards and completing four passes for 55 yards in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs. South Florida (12/21).
Redshirt Freshman Year (2022): Appeared in seven games, including starting the final three games of the season at tight end ... Also appeared on numerous special teams units ... Made his Syracuse debut at UConn (9/10), hauling in one pass for 22 yards ... Made his first collegiate start at Wake Forest (11/19) ... member of the SU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in the fall semester.
Redshirt Year at Michigan (2021): Appeared in four games for a squad that won the Big Ten Championship and reached the College Football Playoff … Made his collegiate debut against Western Michigan (9/4), carrying the ball three times for 11 yards … Also appeared against Northern Illinois, Wisconsin and Maryland … Completed 1-of-3 passes for 26 yards and carried the ball twice for 14 yards against Maryland (11/20).
Freshman Year at Michigan (2020): Did not appear in any games.
High School: At Plainedge High School under head coach Rob Shaver, led the Red Devils to a 12-0 record and the school’s first Long Island Class III State Championship in 2019 … Helped Plainedge to back-to-back Nassau III league titles in 2018-19 … 23-1 career record as a starter, passing for 1,306 yards and 13 TDs and rushing for 1,522 yards and 25 scores in his career … Ranked three stars by 247 Sports … First Team All-State and All-Long Island Selection … Received the 78th Annual Thorpe Award from the Nassau County High School Football Coaches Association as the top player in Nassau County
Personal: Dan Villari ... Born June 29, 2002 in Manhasset, New York ... Son of Tim and Maria Villari ... One brother, one sister ... Majoring in communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Redshirt Junior Year (2024): Appeared in 12 games with two starts ... Had 12 carries for 29 yards and a touchdown, also caught six passes for 57 yards ... Had one catch for seven yards against Georgia Tech (9/7) ... Ran four times for 11 yards and had a six-yard reception at NC State (10/12) ... Hauled in three passes for 40 yards and carried the ball twice for four yards and a touchdown at Pittsburgh (10/24) ... Ran three times for 10 yards against Virginia Tech (11/2) ... Ran twice for two yards at Boston College (11/9) ... Had one catch for four yards at Cal (11/16) ... Ran once for two yards against UConn (11/23) ... Missed the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl vs. Washington State (12/27) due to injury.
Redshirt Sophomore Year (2023): Was an all-purpose player for Syracuse in 2023, playing every game with 10 starts. Played tight end, quarterback and sometimes running back in Syracuse's offense ... Completed 22-of-33 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown, ran 55 times for 326 yards and two touchdowns and caught 20 passes for 180 yards and three scores ... Had rushing, receiving and passing touchdowns on the season. Running back LeQuint Allen accomplished the feat last season, but prior to that, no Syracuse player had done so in over 20 years ... Caught one pass for three yards in the opener against Colgate (9/2) ... Hauled in one pass for eight yards against Western Michigan (9/9) ... Made his first start of the season against Army (9/23), catching one pass for 11 yards ... Caught two passes for a career-high 65 yards and his first touchdown against Clemson (9/30), also had one rush for two yards ... Caught a career-high four passes for 11 yards and ran the ball once at North Carolina (10/7) ... Had three catches for 18 yards at Florida State (10/14) ... Caught four passes for 37 yards and a touchdown at Virginia Tech (10/26) ... Made three catches for 14 yards against Boston College (11/3) ... Produced a breakout performance against Pittsburgh (11/11). With injuries to quarterback Garrett Shrader, Villari lined up all over the field - something he'd do for the remainder of the season - including taking snaps as the de facto quarterback. Completed 3-of-5 passes for 12 yards and ran 17 times for 152 yards and his first collegiate rushing touchdown ... Was named ACC Running Back of the Week for his play vs. the Panthers ... Completed all-14 of his passing attempts for 59 yards at Georgia Tech (11/18), also ran 12 times for 81 yards and a touchdown ... Completed both passing attempts for 51 yards and a touchdown vs. Wake Forest (11/25), ran 13 times for 51 yards and caught one pass for a 13 yard touchdown in the win ... Finished the season by running 11 times for 37 yards and completing four passes for 55 yards in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs. South Florida (12/21).
Redshirt Freshman Year (2022): Appeared in seven games, including starting the final three games of the season at tight end ... Also appeared on numerous special teams units ... Made his Syracuse debut at UConn (9/10), hauling in one pass for 22 yards ... Made his first collegiate start at Wake Forest (11/19) ... member of the SU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in the fall semester.
Redshirt Year at Michigan (2021): Appeared in four games for a squad that won the Big Ten Championship and reached the College Football Playoff … Made his collegiate debut against Western Michigan (9/4), carrying the ball three times for 11 yards … Also appeared against Northern Illinois, Wisconsin and Maryland … Completed 1-of-3 passes for 26 yards and carried the ball twice for 14 yards against Maryland (11/20).
Freshman Year at Michigan (2020): Did not appear in any games.
High School: At Plainedge High School under head coach Rob Shaver, led the Red Devils to a 12-0 record and the school’s first Long Island Class III State Championship in 2019 … Helped Plainedge to back-to-back Nassau III league titles in 2018-19 … 23-1 career record as a starter, passing for 1,306 yards and 13 TDs and rushing for 1,522 yards and 25 scores in his career … Ranked three stars by 247 Sports … First Team All-State and All-Long Island Selection … Received the 78th Annual Thorpe Award from the Nassau County High School Football Coaches Association as the top player in Nassau County
Personal: Dan Villari ... Born June 29, 2002 in Manhasset, New York ... Son of Tim and Maria Villari ... One brother, one sister ... Majoring in communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
