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Three Observations from Syracuse Football Practice on Aug. 24
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- Three Observations from Syracuse Football Practice on Aug. 24
Monday marked day one of Week 4 of training camp practice for the Syracuse Orange football team. This week is final week of training camp practices before the team transitions into game week preparation starting next Monday.
The Orange, coming off a 3-9 season, will open up on Sept. 5 against New Hampshire .
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As August winds down, so does SyracuseRoundtable live coverage's from camp. Friday's practice will be the final day of live and on-site coverage.
Here's the top three observations from Monday's practice session.
Justus Ross-Simmons out of practice, may be ineligible
The back and forth between wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons and his eligibility continued into the new week.. Ross-Simmons was deemed eligible after a Colorado based court ruling in July gave a fifth year of eligibility to Class of 2022 recruits who graduated in 2026. However, on Friday, a tenth circuit granted the NCAA's stay request. The NCAA has been fighting these players coming back to college, and for now, Ross-Simmons is ineligible.
Ross-Simmons was in attendance at practice but did not participate in any drills on Monday.
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The future of Ross-Simmons is still to be determined. The senior wideout played the past two seasons for the Orange, combining for more than 500 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.
As of Monday night, Ross-Simmons was still listed as a member on the official team's roster.
What's next for the wide receiver position?
The constant changing status of Ross-Simmons has now added an interesting mix to the Orange's wide receiver position group.
Earlier this month, Terrell Wilfong broke his collarbone and is likely to be out of action for at least two months. Calvin Russell III is out, maybe for the season, as he recovers from a torn Achilles.
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That leaves transfer portal additions Cole Weaver and Zamondre Merriweather as the projected top two pass catchers. Weaver previously played at Miami of Ohio.
Umari Hatcher has continued to gain praise from both teammates and coaches in post practice press conferences.
Hatcher along with Tyshawn Russell are both returning after suffering injuries in 2025. The group has includes Elijah Moore , Matthew Outten, Darien Williams and Phoenix Henriquez. The position could be one that finds more consistency as the season progresses.
Three standout players: News and notes
-Hatcher continued to show why he has become the most talked about player in training camp. Hatcher was bringing a high level of consistency and effort during skill based drills during Monday's practice. Hatcher played in just one game last season, but had 49 catches in 2023 and 2024 combined.
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-Running back Ju'Juan Johnson made a one-handed catch look easy during running back and quarterback drills. Johnson made the snag look effortless and then refocused his attention back on the drill. The combination of Johnson and Ahmad Miller in the Orange backfield could be a strong unit for Syracuse. Johnson is a transfer for LSU .
-In similar fashion to Hatcher's No. 2 and Johnson's No. 4, Tyshawn Russell wears a single digit and had a notable performance on Monday. After dropping a pass during a drill, Russell began doing push-ups, despite not being asked to by any coach. The senior wideout bounced back after the mistake and finished with high intensity for the rest of the period.
