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To set up an interview with Fran Brown, new Syracuse special teams coordinator James Vollono had to talk to some of his contacts to find Brown’s phone number. Eventually he got a hold of it before cold calling the newly hired head coach.

“I saw this opportunity open up and I said, ‘Hey, coach. I know we don’t really know each other. But I’d love to talk to you if you have a few minutes,’” Vollono said. “And he said, ‘You interview tonight. Let’s go.’”

Vollono said the two coaches had a lengthy interview process. But Vollono still took the opportunity even though he was coming off two seasons at Troy where it won 24 games..

Now at SU, Vollono described himself as Brown’s “Paul Revere,” echoing any message the head coach wants to convey. In terms of the position group he coaches, Vollono said he wants to see more unity within the team and achieve that with special teams. Vollono cited Marlowe Wax’s and Justin Barron’s presence as special teams players.

“You’re gonna see guys in a lot of places that are premier guys,” Vollono said. “And not only are they helping their draft stock, they’re helping our team.”

Here are some more observations from SU’s latest spring practice:

Justin Barron returning

Last week, Syracuse football posted a video titled “I’m Back | Justin Barron.” The defensive back and captain said when he first talked to Brown, the conversation was about entering the transfer portal.

Today, Barron added that he was as close as one could be to going into the portal. He had the papers signed. But in the video, Barron said all Brown asked for was a chance to meet. The rover safety cited how the “system changing” would be a reason to remain in central New York. Barron specified that under the old regime, there would be a certain system where Barron was still left in a “box,” unable to play entirely in space. Now, that’s different.

“It allows me to do what I do best,” Barron said. “For me, that’s being in space, being able to plan the perimeter and make plays.”

Second scrimmage recap

The Orange held their second scrimmage of spring ball last Saturday. Barron noted that the intensity improved between the two scrimmages, with players now knowing their assignments and where to go on certain plays. Barron couldn’t pick out a single moment during the scrimmage, but just noticed the general intensity on display.

“You just see it all around the field,” Barron said. “Each side of the ball is gonna have their plays. There’s gonna be explosives, we’re gonna have takeaways, they’re gonna have big plays, it’s just how the game goes.”

Days following the first scrimmage, Brown said his team had to get “tougher.” Brown further echoed a sentiment of improvement, starting with him, but he also noted that players that were competing got better. Linebacker Wax said he saw many of the younger players improving as well.

“I feel like everybody’s just taking a step forward together,” Wax said. “Everybody moving together. From the first group, third group, second group, everybody’s doing really good.”

Brady Denaburg, Jack Stonehouse

Vollono said every day, kicker Brady Denaburg, punter Jack Stonehouse and long snapper Tom Callahan are focused on making incremental progress as the specialists practice on the soccer and lacrosse fields adjacent to the rest of practice.

Vollono said it comes down to focusing on one detail at a time with Denaburg, who finished with the lowest field goal percentage among qualified Atlantic Coast Conference kickers.

“You can’t eat the whole elephant, right?” Vollono said.

The special teams coach added that he is currently working on technique with Denaburg. The kicker can kick it “a country mile,” according to Vollono, but now it’s about focusing on the “check down” kicks.

Meanwhile, Vollono has just one punter — Stonehouse — on the roster. While he couldn’t comment on recruiting specific names to Syracuse, Vollono said he is confident in the current situation. He said Denaburg and fellow kicker Jayden Oh have been practicing punts as well.

“My philosophy is, what they can handle is what they can do,” Vollono said. “So we can keep developing them in the kicking aspect. But if they can handle a little more from the punt aspect, we’ll use that as well.”

Published on April 16, 2024 at 2:13 pm

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