Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse football will hold its annual spring game on April 11, according to the schedule it has sent its recruits. The scrimmage will occur the same day as the No. 2 men’s lacrosse team’s game against No. 13 Virginia.
It is unknown if Syracuse’s 2026 spring game will be the conclusion of Syracuse’s spring practice window.
The Orange plans 10 practices from March 20-April 10. Syracuse is allowed two more practices and two more scrimmages apart from the spring game.
Fran Brown opted to have one more practice after the spring game last season. The Orange also moved one of its spring practices to Rochester last year as a recruiting tactic for four-star wide receiver and Oregon signee Messiah Hampton.
Teams are allowed 15 practices in a 34-day window in the spring. Of those 15, only 12 can involve contact. Full-contact practices may not begin until the third practice of the spring.
Just eight of the 12 contact practices can involve tackling, and just three of those can be devoted to 11-on-11 scrimmages.
Practices may not last more than 20 hours per week and players must receive one off day per week.
Spring practices will be extremely meaningful for Syracuse this year. The Orange overhauled its coaching staff and hired new defensive and special teams coordinators. Syracuse also has a new quarterbacks coach to handle three incoming transfers and a true freshman in the position group.
The Orange will not have the luxury of starting quarterback Steve Angeli being full available for the spring. He will be limited to non-contact work as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon.
Syracuse will also be incorporating a new starting running back and replacing its top seven pass catchers from last season. This will be former Broyles Award winner Josh Gattis’ first full season as Syracuse’s wide receivers coach.
Defensively, Syracuse will have a new starting defensive line and a number of new starting safeties.
Brown and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders tried to hold joint practices and scrimmage each other last spring, but the NCAA denied their request. The NCAA still has not changed its practice rules and there has been no talk at this point from the two coaches about pursuing the NFL-like approach again.
Syracuse’s spring practices are traditionally closed to the public, and media is limited to a small portion of each session. All scrimmages outside of the spring game are usually closed to the public and the media. The spring game is traditionally open to all fans at the JMA Dome.