There are many things that both fans and teams look forward to once training camp. Usually, you want to see units finding their footing and looking primed for big things. This training camp though for Fran Brown, the biggest storyline for the Orange has been their health.
The majority of the time when health is brought up in football, it’s not a good thing. This was the case last week, as Fran Brown announced that defensive lineman Braylen Ingraham will miss the 2024 campaign from a torn Achilles tendon. This loss ends the senior’s career after four seasons with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game, and new defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson will have to mix and match his front seven without a starter from last season.
But for all that is bad, the more important thing is for the roster to be in good health, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The most important person to have a clean bill of health at the moment is all-ACC tight end Oronde Gadsden II. Coming off missing almost all of 2023 with a Lisfranc injury, the senior returned to the program with aspirations of slotting into this year’s NFL Draft. There has been a lot of worry about if Gadsden can return to his peak form. So far in training camp, the Oronde Gadsden II of days past is back, making acrobatic catches from his new quarterback Kyle McCord.
So yes, health has been one of those things that continue to be talked about as we approach week one against Ohio. Knock on wood, but assuming the Orange go into the 2024 campaign with its current injury report, SU should be in good shape to turn some heads with its highly touted inaugural season under coach Brown.
