Syracuse Football: 2026 Spring Game Recap and Takeaways

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Syracuse, NY — With a lot of new faces for the Syracuse football program, the 2026 Spring Game was an important showcase for Fran Brown and the Orange. Some of the locked-in starters did not participate in the game itself. However, with so many positions up for grabs, this was an important event for fans to witness. With that in mind, let’s dive into how the event went, who stood out, and what fans should pay attention to entering summer camp.

Syracuse Football Spring Game Recap

Rather than starting with a simulation “game”, Syracuse opted to start situational. The Blue Team was given less than two minutes to drive down the course of the field with just one timeout. Meanwhile, the Orange Team was given two timeouts, looking to make a stop and put points on the board themselves. Unfortunately, the display proved to be a nightmare scenario for Syracuse fans.

Instead of securing points for either side, both team’s respective quarterbacks threw interceptions. Zaid Lott had a ball get deflected and into the hands of Davien Kerr. Meanwhile, Amari Odom drove his team into the redzone before throwing an interception of himself. Safe to say, it was a PTSD situation for Syracuse fans expecting to see the program resume to their high-flying offensive ways.

The actual game itself was full of its ups and downs. There were some nice connections and plays on offense. However, for most of the contest the defense had their way. They forced quick passes, incompletions, and had good run defense. For fans in attendance, it’s not what they want to see from a team that struggled heavily on offense last year. In the end, the Orange Team won 9-7 on a 50-yard Tripp Woody field goal.

Standout Players

With a lot of positions up for grabs and opportunity to make a name for themselves, there were a few standout players during the Syracuse 2026 Spring Game.

Danny Lauter, Quarterback

Despite not being the “starter” for his team, Danny Lauter proved to be an exciting quarterback at the Syracuse 2026 Spring Game. He showed a strong arm, hitting passes on the far side of the field. He also showed great pocket awareness and presence at the line of scrimmage.

Whether Lauter’s performance is enough to push him into serious starter conversation remains to be seen. However, his display during the game was promising to see for fans in attendance.

Terrell Wilfong, Wide Receiver

Coach Gattis said that Syracuse could theoretically run a 7-8 man receiver rotation. And, he’s likely not wrong. This time, it was Terrell Wilfong who truly impressed during the spring game. Not only did he run good routes, but he caught good contested balls and found himself open on numerous occasions. And, he would have likely scored a touchdown if Amari Odom could have hit him in stride on a 45-yard completion early in the contest.

Rashard Perry, Defensive Tackle

Despite being named as a defensive tackle, Rashard Perry lined up all over the defense. And, he wreaked havoc in the process.

Not only did Perry bring pressure to the quarterback, but he was a force as a run defender. Perry was around the ball consistently, making big hits and TFLs. For a defense desperately needing more production out of their front seven, if Perry can continue this into summer camp it will pay dividends for the program.

Chris D’Appolonia, Linebacker

Toledo transfer Chris D’Appolonia was yet another defensive player who stood out at the Syracuse Spring Game. In the event prior to the game itself, D’Appolonia had a nice interception on quarterback Amari Odom while the team was in the redzone.

Yet the redshirt junior wasn’t done there.

During the game itself, D’Appolonia was consistent in creating pressure on the quarterback and looked good in coverage. He also had a massive tackle for loss that ended a drive for the Orange Team.

Syracuse Spring Game: Other Notes

Here are some other takeaways from the 2026 Syracuse Spring Game.

Offensive Woes

Despite the numerous changes to personnel and staff, offensive woes continued for Syracuse. Numerous plays would have been blown dead in a real contest, resulting in sacks or bad tackles for loss. Meanwhile, there were still mental errors that persisted which shouldn’t happen in a game situation like a spring contest.

On top of that, the team struggled to score points. The offensive line once again showed little push in the rushing attack from a north-south perspective. While there was some space laterally, the offensive line needs to get push in the rushing attack if Syracuse wants to have success in 2026.

Angeli’s Achilles

Despite looking at a summer return for quarterback Steve Angeli, there should be some lingering doubt if you’re a fan.

Yes, it’s true that Angeli has been practicing. In fact, he’s been staying late after practice to get in reps with his team. However, it’s very clear that Angeli is still not healthy from his Achilles tear.

During a fan event that saw Angeli and Joe Filardi throwing, Angeli returned to the sidelines afterwards with a very noticeable limp. While that’s not a complete cause for concern, it’s worth monitoring. Some fans may feel differently, but it’s likely better for Syracuse to start another quarterback and redshirt Angeli this season in order to preserve his health and ability going forward.

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