Week 1 is setting up to be fascinating as both Tennessee and Syracuse roll into Atlanta with brand-new starting quarterbacks under center. The Volunteers are going with UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar, who brings plenty of experience with over 3,000 yards passing in each of his two seasons at App State, but he also led his conference in interceptions last season. Meanwhile, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown made the call to start Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli over the more mobile Rickie Collins, a decision that has the college football world buzzing. 

When Fran Brown announced Angeli as his starter, the internet immediately split into two camps. One faction supported the decision based on Angeli’s proven pocket passing ability, pointing to his composed performance in Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Penn State. The other side argued that Collins brought more upside as a dual-threat quarterback who could add unpredictability to Syracuse’s offense with his rushing ability. The debate essentially boiled down to Angeli’s higher floor versus Collins’ higher ceiling, with Brown ultimately choosing the steadier hand who could “run the operation the best”.

This is where On3’s JD Pickell’s analysis becomes crucial to understanding Fran Brown’s decision. Pickell explained the reality Syracuse faces. “Tennessee? They recruit a better roster year in and year out than Syracuse. They will have more talent on the field than Syracuse. However, in spots like this, sometimes it’s not about having all the matchups when it comes to 11-11. You just got to have that one that you can go to till it’s out of business.”

That “one” player Pickell identified is Johntay Cook, the five-star transfer from Texas who has been making waves in fall camp. Pickell emphasized that for Syracuse to pull off the upset, “Johntay Cook was balling out of his mind. Steve Angeli was dropping dimes left and right. The scoreboard was lit up in this game by Johntay Cook.” Since Angeli relies more heavily on his receivers than the more mobile Collins would, Cook becomes absolutely essential to validating Brown’s quarterback choice.

The early reports on Cook have been exactly what Syracuse needs to hear. The former Texas receiver, who left the Longhorns program for unspecified reasons after catching eight passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, has been making spectacular catches throughout fall camp. One report specifically mentioned “a catch by Syracuse transfer WR Johntay Cook II that was ridiculous” during practice, with Angeli delivering the ball perfectly.

Cook’s combination of size at 6-foot, 185 pounds, and five-star talent gives Syracuse a legitimate weapon that Tennessee will have to account for. Beyond Cook, Syracuse’s receiving corps includes returning players like Darrell Gill, but Cook represents the X-factor who can single-handedly change the complexion of this game if he performs at his ceiling.

This matchup promises to be a genuine nail-biter because both teams are essentially starting over at quarterback, making it impossible to predict how the offenses will function. Josh Heupel’s uptempo system at Tennessee has been incredibly successful, but integrating Aguilar into that fast-paced scheme after missing spring practice creates some uncertainty.

Meanwhile, Brown is betting that Angeli’s pocket presence and decision-making will be enough to keep Syracuse competitive against a more talented Tennessee roster. The beauty of Week 1 games like this is that preparation only goes so far. Execution and individual performances matter most. If Cook lives up to Pickell’s prediction and becomes the best player on the field that day, Brown’s controversial quarterback decision will look like pure genius.

Living with pressure

For most, quirky superstitions are just part of college football’s colorful world, but for Fran Brown, they reveal something deeper about the stress he’s carrying in his $4 million job. When he says “winners get washed,” he means it literally; after a loss, Brown refuses to shower, explaining, “I just be mad. I just brush my teeth. It’s like I don’t deserve soap. I don’t deserve to do all that”. That raw response is the mark of a coach who feels every win and loss personally, letting the sting of defeat persist until he can deliver a victory. Even his home life isn’t immune. Brown admits his wife won’t let him sleep in their bed after a loss because, well, he’s not going for the postgame rinse.

Brown’s admission in a recent video that the job leaves him sleepless brings the reality of coaching into sharper focus. “I listen to our players. I listen to the team… I think all night; I don’t sleep to be honest, so I’m just always thinking and listening and watching and just trying to replace stuff, and want to make sure I make the right decision because these are young men’s lives on the line,” he confessed. There’s a sense of responsibility here that’s hard to overstate. Brown’s every choice, especially in closely watched competitions like Syracuse’s QB battle between Steve Angeli and Rickie Collins, feels enormous, rippling out to affect careers and futures.

All this makes Brown’s selection of Angeli over Collins even more significant. It’s a decision that determines which competitor gets the biggest stage and ultimately which young man might launch a career with that opportunity. When Brown says, “it’s important that we build the right relationship so they know the information they get from me is 100 percent the truth,” he’s showing the level of honesty he brings, even if it costs him sleep and comfort.