Syracuse University football coach Fran Brown gave a brutally honest answer when asked on local radio about the team's stance at quarterback heading into Friday night's contest with Bill Belichick and North Carolina.

Brown said that the quarterback situation would be different than the last month, where Rickie Collins has played nearly every snap.

He wouldn't come out and say if Collins has been replaced as the starter, opting to let practice competition this week play out, but he did say that other quarterbacks would play against the Tar Heels.

Per Syracuse.com:

“It depends how he practices today,” Brown said when asked whether Collins would start on Friday night. “I can’t do that no more. I love Rickie but he had a month straight with me sticking by him. ... He had a month of running the program. We were 3-1 (with Steve Angeli at quarterback). Under Rickie’s time we went 0-4. You have to open that competition up and make sure you’re giving an opportunity for us to go out and win.”

About Collins

The sophomore is a Louisiana native who spent two years at LSU before transferring. He's completed 54.5 percent of his passes this season for 957 yards, throwing six touchdowns against eight interceptions. He's taken over for Steve Angeli, who tore his Achilles against Clemson on Sept. 20.

Syracuse has lost to Duke, SMU, Pitt and No. 7 Georgia Tech with him at the helm. They've been outscored by 90 points in those four losses.

Other Qbs on the roster

Luke Carney, FR - Mesquite, TX (2-for-3 for 10 yards, four carries for 18 yards and a touchdown)

Rich Belin, FR - Harlem, N.Y. 

Joseph Filardi, FR - Dix Hills, N.Y.

Jakhari Williams, FR - Macon, Ga.

Why this QB plan could make sense

North Carolina comes to town at 2-5 and 0-3 in conference play. After this game? Syracuse plays nationally ranked Miami and Notre Dame in consecutive weeks.

Those are two brutal matchups and they are both on the road. Those contests are not the environment for a freshman to get their first real playing time, so if Brown wants to make a full switch in the near future, he would be wise to get someone some exposure in this contest.

Did Brown have to be so honest? 

On one hand? No. These are college athletes, and Collins is the quarterback at a non-traditional football school. It's not necessarily fair for Brown to be so blunt on Collins' record, especially considering he's seeing basically his first action in three years.

On the other hand? This is college football in 2025. It's big business, and Collins is a part of that. He's been through the transfer portal, he's playing in the NIL-era. He knows that with that big business comes big expectations and the hope for big results that aren't being met.

Furthermore, Brown was publicly supportive of Collins throughout the last month. As college football moves toward a professional model, this is what happens in professional football. You can be publicly supported one week and then not the next.

Syracuse will play North Carolina on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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