Syracuse got a significant blow during the spring practice when wide receiver Calvin Russell III suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Expectedly, everyone thought he would miss the upcoming season, including his head coach, Fran Brown. When the latter gave his injured star receiver a chance to sit out the season, he wasn’t prepared for the answer he got.
“The first day I got hurt, Coach Fran and I had a conversation,” Russell said on Friday night. “The first thing he opened up with was, ‘Do I want to sit out?’ I told him, ‘I ain’t come here to sit out, I came to play football.’ “So that’s what’s going on right now.”
When asked what makes his situation unique and why he’s confident about a quick return, the dual-sport freshman kept things calm and composed. He expressed full confidence in his recovery, stating he expects to be back on the field by late October.
Russell underwent traditional surgery rather than opting for the “Speed bridge” repair. Further, the top five wide receiver in the 2026 class spoke highly of quarterback Steve Angeli and credited him for keeping him sane through it all.
Angeli completed 1,317 yards and scored 10 touchdowns last season before going down with a similar injury. Now, the quarterback is 6 months into his recovery and is back on the field for practice, but not yet with contact. Angeli has been Russell’s backbone through this time. He even suggested the surgeon Martin O’Malley to him for his surgery. Dr. O’Malley is a renowned surgeon who has treated NBA stars Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton.
WR Calvin Russell III spoke today for the first time since tearing his Achilles last week in practice. He said it was a full tear. Fran Brown asked him if he wanted to sit out this season
“No, I didn’t come here to sit out. I want to play football.”
Russell maintains he could… pic.twitter.com/j9sF1MxA2E
— Ashley Wenskoski (@AshleyWenskTV) April 11, 2026
They saw him on the field in his scooter, with his foot elevated, just six days after his surgery. He took a few passes over the shoulder and roamed around for a bit just to keep his sanity intact.
“Just catching a ball keeps my head up,” Russell said. “It keeps my head in the game.”
Fran Brown is also confident that the freshman will be back.
“I’m confident Calvin will return stronger because of our culture, commitment to our players, and the relationships Calvin has with me and his daily coach,” Orange coach Fran Brown said in a statement.
Fran Brown is all set for the upcoming season
Despite a few ups and downs, Syracuse seems to be coming together for the upcoming season. So far, the team has had four practices on their new ground. Coach Brown, along with Deion Sanders, proposed a joint spring practice, which was declined twice.
One of the most admirable aspects of their practice so far is the newly formed defense under defensive coordinator Vince Kehres. Antoine Deslauriers and Chris Peal, the cornerbacks, have been in grind mode, adapting to the new system.
“Completely different,” Deslauriers said. “For me, it was really throwing everything out from last year and learning a whole new system. I think Coach Vince Kehres made everything really easy for us to learn.”
