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For the first time under first-year head coach Fran Brown, Syracuse went on the road. The Orange traveled across the country to Las Vegas and took down then-No. 25 UNLV in an overtime thriller.

The back-and-forth affair came down to the wire, with quarterback Kyle McCord attempting 63 passes and running back LeQuint Allen Jr. breaking through for the game-winning score. The win was the second against a ranked opponent under Brown and SU’s first road victory versus a ranked opponent since 2010.

Up next for Syracuse is a road trip to Raleigh, North Carolina, to take on NC State. The Wolfpack are 3-3 to start the season in their 12th year under head coach Dave Doeren.

“I know that it was a great overtime win and all those things of that nature, and it means a lot to our community and just overall,” Brown said. “But at the end of the day, we got to get ready for NC State, because they’re a really good football team who almost won the conference last year.”

Here are some takeaways from Brown’s weekly press conference before his first Atlantic Coast Conference road game as SU’s head coach:

Vegas jackpot

Syracuse’s victory over UNLV was filled with key decisions by Brown down the stretch. None was bigger than the one following Jackson Meeks’ touchdown with 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The score cut SU’s deficit to one, forcing Brown to decide whether to kick the game-tying extra point or go for a two-point conversion and the win.

While Brown said he knew much of the staff and fanbase wanted to go for two, he went with his gut and chose the first option.

“I just wanted to put it on the players and give them the opportunity to show how hard they work, and what they’ve done all summer,” Brown said.

SU kicked the extra point, sent the game to overtime and won it there.

Against the Rebels, the Orange also showcased a flurry of special teams mistakes. Versus Holy Cross the week prior, Syracuse missed three field goals. Issues carried over on a bigger scale in its bout with UNLV.

Wide receiver Ricky White III wreaked havoc on SU’s punting unit. He blocked one which resulted in a UNLV touchdown and impacted another, getting into the backfield before Jack Stonehouse got the kick off, leading to a nine-yard sack. Brown again took responsibility for the mistakes, saying he’s already addressed it with the team and will continue to throughout the week.

“I have to make sure that our special teams are better, because we got lucky two games where special teams could have cost us in a loss and we won, but it’s going to come around where that won’t be able to happen that way,” Brown said.

Despite mistakes, the win was arguably the best under Brown and taught him a lot about his team.

“They showed that they were committed,” Brown said. “They care and we trust each other, but it’s really just the love. We love each other.”

Wolfpack breakdown

SU’s next opponent is currently at the bottom of the ACC standings. The Wolfpack are winless in conference play, most recently losing to Wake Forest.

Though against the Demon Deacons, NC State also likely lost its quarterback for a few weeks. Grayson McCall was carted off the field following a scary moment where he suffered helmet-to-helmet contact by multiple defenders at once. Brown sent his regards to McCall Monday, and broke down his relationship with the quarterback who SU will likely face, CJ Bailey.

“I’m just praying that he’s doing well, doing fine. I’ve seen the shot that he ended up getting taken out of the game last week, and he’s a tough kid. He’s been through a lot of stuff, but I just pray that he’s doing well,” Brown said of McCall. “I got a chance to know Bailey a little bit from down in Florida on the recruiting trail. So you know, I know he’s a good player also that they have been playing already,” he added.

Led by Doeren, Brown described NC State as a “no tolerance, very detailed program.” Doeren is an experienced coach who is the winningest coach in program history.

Brown also highlighted reigning ACC Rookie of the Year Kevin Concepcion, who scored three touchdowns in NC State’s season-opener at the Duke’s Mayo Classic. He has 266 receiving yards and 37 receptions through six games.

“He’s electrifying,” Brown said of Concepcion. “He’s a guy that’s explosive, a gadget player, but he also can beat you deep, like he’s just a complete wide receiver. We like that kid a lot.”

Roster notes

Brown also provided a few notes on multiple Syracuse players with questionable activity.

Freshman cornerback Marcellus Barnes Jr. will be practicing and Brown expects to have him back. Barnes Jr. exited the Stanford game in the first quarter and missed the last two games entirely. Wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons is expected to be in a bigger role and Brown declared him off the PUP (physically unable to perform) list, using NFL terminology.

“We’re excited about Justus Ross coming back, because that was a big piece of our offseason,” Brown said. “Being able to get him, he was a huge free agent for us to get and we haven’t had an opportunity of getting him.”

Allen Jr. was banged up after his four-touchdown performance in the UNLV game with a noticeable limp. But Brown said he would practice Monday, crediting his physicality and toughness.

Kick returner Malachi James will be back in his starting role after an absence, according to Brown. Within the kicker competition between Jadyn Oh and Brady Denaburg, Brown credited Oh for fighting his way into a role.

“He was a diamond in the rough, and he just kept working,” Brown said of Oh. “He won a competition last week, so therefore he was able to kick in the game.”

Published on October 7, 2024 at 6:56 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky