Syracuse football searching for starting QB again: ‘Ultimately, it’s a business now’ (Overheard after practice)

Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse football has been playing quarterback musical chairs all season.

First it was Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli, who earned the starting job out of training camp but had his season ended by a torn Achilles suffered against Clemson in September.

Angeli was the country’s leading passer with 1,317 yards when he went down.

Next up was redshirt sophomore Rickie Collins, a transfer from LSU, who took over for Angeli and went winless in four starts for the Orange against Duke, SMU, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech.

Collins was 85-of-156 for 957 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions in those four losses.

Freshman Luke Carney has been sprinkled in for three games this season, making cameo appearances along the way against Colgate, Pitt and North Carolina, with 10 yards passing on three attempts and 36 yards rushing.

Freshman walk-on Joe Filardi got the call as QB1 last Friday against North Carolina, going 4-of-18 for 39 yards.

The Orange’s 147 yards of offense against the Tar Heels were its fewest since a loss to Pittsburgh in 2022.

Syracuse head coach Fran Brown said Monday the starting quarterback for SU’s matchup at No. 18 Miami on Saturday will be determined this week in practice.

Here’s some of the best things SU’s signal callers said after practice on Tuesday:

QB Rickie Collins

On what he has learned this season in being benched and now back in competition to start at quarterback:

“Humbling. Builds character. I feel like none of the great players that we see today, we wouldn’t see those guys if they didn’t go through whatever the case they story may have been. Everyone’s journey is different, and mine is different from the next guy.”

On Brown making offensive staff changes this week:

“He told us what he felt was best for the team, and I trust his judgment. Ultimately, whoever is coaching, whoever is going to give their best effort, 100 percent and they going to give those guys whatever they need to be successful.

“Ultimately, it’s a business now. We are playing and those guys are coaching us, but we’re out there performing what they teach us. Their jobs are basically in our hands, so we have to do what’s best for him and his family and also the other coaches’ family.”

On what he has to do better if he gets named starter again:

“Protect the football. Make my throws, make my reads, have good feet and control the game. Make my plays when it’s time to make my plays to do whatever I can to get us a win.”

QB Joe Filardi

On his quick rise to starting at QB against UNC last week:

“Yeah, I guess, surprising to me that like I would start this quickly, but I was preparing just every week as if I’d play. Because obviously you really never know just what can happen with the season. There’s injuries and just all sorts of things. So I just kept preparing, trying to get better each and every day.”

On what he has to do better if he gets the chance to start at QB again:

“Definitely just got to be better as a unit offensively. Kind of just have to complete more passes and just move the ball more efficiently. Can’t go three-and-out as many times as we did.”

On what SU lacrosse coach Gary Gait thought of Filardi’s chance to play QB against UNC (Filardi is also on the Syracuse lacrosse team):

“He was definitely excited for me. He wants the best for me, and I appreciate that he does. I’m just trying to make a name for myself here and just leave a legacy here.”

QB Luke Carney

On the lessons learned about how the QB position has evolved for Syracuse:

“I would say the lesson is life comes at you fast. So, I mean, if anything, you know, learning from this year, able to see how quickly I moved up. So just got to stay ready no matter what happens.”

On having the confidence to throw the ball more:

“I think that my legs is something they’ve wanted to use. I guess I need to prove a little bit more. But also, I think maybe they need to have a little bit more confidence in me.”

WR Emanuel Ross

On how he’s navigated the quarterback changes and SU’s offensive stalling:

“I’d say with all the changes, you’ve got to just stay consistent. Whenever you have problems, whether things are good, you can never get too high with the highs or too low with the lows. So me, as a football player and as a man, I just try to make sure I stay on that level path regardless of what’s changing around me.”