Dan Villari’s big day was set in motion with a 1-on-1 meeting and the bestowal of a wristband

Syracuse, N.Y. — Following fumbles on consecutive drives in the second quarter Saturday as Syracuse football tried to build on its lead over Pittsburgh, Dan Villari got an earful on the sideline.

“Hold the f— ball. Dan, hold the f— ball,” the ACC Network broadcast picked up tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile saying.

“He gets on my case,” Villari said Tuesday. “He’s that guy that if I make one little mistake, I’m gonna hear it from him, but I love him to death and he’s just trying to make sure I’m the best player I can be possible.”

The tight end said that type of coaching is what he wants and needs to be the player he’s become, even if in the moment he might not seem receptive to it.

He didn’t have another drop the rest of the evening.

Villari’s two fumbles ended up being blips on a big day set in motion almost exactly a week prior following SU’s fifth straight loss.

His 154-yard rushing performance, the most by a tight end in Syracuse history, and role in leading a beleaguered Orange to a 28-13 win has attracted national recognition.

He was named Co-ACC Running Back of the Week — there’s no tight end award — with North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Syracuse’s post on X, formerly known as Twitter, about the accolade was retweeted by Sickos Committee, a popular college football account with 121,000 followers.

Villari was also named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll. The Hornung Award is presented annually to the most versatile player in college football.

It’s been a slow rise to prominence for Villari on the field this season. He’s shown flashes of the dynamic, dominant playmaking he did Saturday, but had not previously come close to the level of production.

But he’s been one of the most vocal about the team’s struggles in its five-game slump, expressing frustration at teammates not giving 100% and calling for more passion in practice — the type of talk necessary from a leader.

Villari said it wasn’t long after the Boston College loss that SU head coach Dino Babers presented him individually with two things: The plan for the following week’s offense, with him heavily featured, and the wristband of play calls typically only worn as quarterback.

The rest of the team, as far as Villari knows, did not find out about the reworked offense until a larger team meeting at least a day later.

It didn’t take much to get Villari on board. The playbook was similar to what he’d run in high school.

He delivered throughout the week and then on the field. He said he felt confident from the first play of the game, when quarterback Garrett Shrader popped a 34-yard rush from scrimmage, that the game plan was going to be successful.

When there were bumps during the game, like the fumbles, Villari shook them off quickly.

On Syracuse’s first drive of the second half, for example, Villari took the snap in wildcat, stepped up, double pumped — either on purpose or out of hesitation — and overthrew running back LeQuint Allen, his intended receiver, by about 5 yards up the seam.

A completion might have been a touchdown if Allen had been able to shake the single defender in coverage. It would have at least moved Syracuse into the red zone.

“I make that play 100 times in a row in practice,” Villari said of the pass play. “I’m not tripping about it.”

However, Villari did say he wasn’t quite warmed back up to throwing and “didn’t take that serious as [he] should’ve.” He’d thrown some in practice, but not the same amount a quarterback would, and he hadn’t taken any throws pregame.

The next play, Villari barreled up the middle of the field with Juwaun Price as his lead blocker for a 10-yard gain and a first down. At least four Pittsburgh defenders touched him before he went down.

He finished the game with 81 yards after contact for an average of 4.76 yards per carry, according to Pro Football Focus.

Though the fumbles hurt it, Villari’s 59.6% overall offensive grade from PFF was his sixth-best of the season.

It’s unclear whether the rest of the season will look the same for Villari.

The unique game plan came out of necessity and was impacted by the health status of other players, Babers said Monday. Villari’s now dealing with bumps and bruises from acting as the Orange workhorse.

It’s worth it, he said.

“Body took a big toll, but the win overrides all of it,” Villari said. “I’m just real happy we got the win. I think there’s a lot of momentum going into this week, so I feel good.”

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