Syracuse football busy juggling the transfer portal and finalizing a coaching staff

There is likely to be one hot topic of conversation buzzing around the FBS/FCS head coaches at the annual AFCA (college coaches) convention beginning Sunday in Charlotte, moving the dates of the transfer portal window until after the college football season concludes with the the CFP championship game (Jan. 19 this season).

This year's portal dates are January 2-16, and although not having a direct impact on a Syracuse team that did not prepare for postseason play, for the teams that did play in bowls and those left competing for the CFP title, the impact of unsettling locker rooms has had coaches and administrators clamoring for an offseason change from the NCAA Div. I Administration Committee.

For a 'Cuse program that saw a whopping 30 plus players enter their names into the portal, and with the newly modified coaching staff already making its mark with newcomers entering the program, combined with the off-season conditioning regiment and six early enrollees from the '25 class (including 5-star WR Calvin Russell, QB Zaid Lott, and punter Jimmy Gregg) beginning the academic semester Monday, it is a busy January for Fran Brown in a period of overall program transition.

The makeup of the 2026 roster has months to go until it shakes out

That is the nature of the of having the one transfer window ending in mid-January, followed by the traditional, first Wednesday of February (Feb. 4 this year) signing day, followed by spring practice and then the rest of the recruiting class arriving in the early summer.

With a week to go, the Orange have welcomed a couple of running backs and wide receivers, a tight end, linebacker, and defensive tackle from the portal, while pressing hard to add more linemen on both sides of the ball.

The remaining transfer spotlight is, of course, the quarterback position, which currently lists only three players - Steve Angeli, Rich Belin (zero collegiate snaps), and Lott.

There are three primary coaching vacancies still to be filled

The Uptown Charlotte Convention Center will be jammed with thousands of college football coaches beginning Sunday, as the large rooms are filled with coaches adorning the colors and logos of their respective employer, and one can see just about every every college logo on a hat or sweatshirt if that school plays NCAA or JUCO football.

Younger coaches looking to move up the ranks, carefully watch for contacts they can add to their network, while experienced coaches mingle in groups chasing down the latest industry gossip.

While a couple of ACC head coaches (UVA's Tony Elliott and SMU's Rhett Lashlee) are scheduled speakers at the convention, Brown figures to be busy in a near-by hotel room finalizing interview plans for his three remaining primary coaching vacancies - special teams, linebackers and tight ends, with candidates he has had in mind.

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