Yasin Willis Discusses Syracuse Commitment
New Jersey native and four star running back Yasin Willis was sold by new head coach Fran Brown’s pitch to join SU.
In a wild weekend of recruiting for the Syracuse Football program, Willis announced that he would be switching his commitment from Pittsburgh to Syracuse on Sunday evening.
According to 247Sports, Syracuse has not had multiple Top 500 recruits in the same class out of high school since 2018. Fran Brown and his staff accomplished that feat in less than 24 hours following the Orange’s massive weekend of four stars coming to campus for official visits. Jaylin Hornsby, the top wide receiver from New Jersey in the 2024 class, flipped his commitment from Texas A&M hours before.
Willis followed suit and decided that joining Syracuse would put him in the best position to succeed on the field but also surround himself with like-minded individuals that want to turn the program into a powerhouse. The top recruit in New Jersey didn’t need much convincing from Coach Brown to join what SU is trying to build.
“Coach Fran is why I switched," Willis said. "We built a great bond with each other, and I got to understand what his plan was and what he wanted to do. That’s just something that I wanted to be a part of. Be in the backfield with LeQuint (Allen) because we can change the game. That one-two punch is going to be different."
The 6-0 200 lbs running back watched film with the coaching staff during the visit and got a better idea of how he would be used in this upcoming season’s offense. Willis appreciated watching Allen, a fellow New Jersey native, on tape with his aggressive running style and versatility used in different ways offensively.
“The coaching staff told me how they would run more 20 personnel so (me and LeQuint) would both be on the field together," Willis said. "One of us would be at running back and the other at wideout. The coaching staff knows what they want, and they are ready to go out and do it. So getting to know what their plans are honestly hyped me up."
Allen was also Willis’ player host throughout the weekend festivities. The 191st ranked player in the country and 12th best running back by Rivals found it refreshing spending so much time with Allen, who gave him a great idea of what to expect when he gets to Cuse.
“We clicked early on in the weekend and created a great bond," Willis said. "It’s like looking at yourself in the mirror. LeQuint showed me around the campus, where he stays, the practice facilities, what to expect in practices, and how to stay consistent with classes."
Willis had been committed to Pitt since July but vividly remembers when he realized that Syracuse would be the best school for him to attend.
“It was actually during the photo shoot where we took a group picture with all the other recruits," Willis said. "I just looked around at all the guys that were there who have the same goals and ambition that I have. There’s really nothing more than I could ask for, being around a bunch of guys like me that have the same goals."
Willis assured SU fans that no more convincing was needed for additional visits before officially signing with Syracuse on National Signing Day. He also wanted Orange fans who don’t know much about him that he’s bringing hard work and dedication to the program.
“I’m going to give this place 110 percent every single day because I never want to let anyone down," Willis said. "Fans don’t have to worry about me taking plays off because I’m never going to do that.
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