Damien Alford Withdraws From Transfer Portal

Just one day after entering the transfer portal, Syracuse starting wide receiver Damien Alford has withdrawn a source confirmed. He is the second Orange player to withdraw after entering, joining defensive back Jeremiah Wilson. Alford had 20 catches for 429 yards and two touchdowns last season.

With Alford’s withdrawal, Syracuse remains at nine players in the portal. They include defensive back Ja’Had Carter, defensive back Duce Chestnut, Dom Foster, defensive lineman Josh Hough, wide receiver Courtney Jackson, defensive lineman Steve Linton, offensive lineman Tyler Magnuson, wide receiver Anthony Queeley and offensive lineman Chad Schuster.

Some of those players have already found new homes. Carter committed to Ohio State, Chestnut committed to LSU, Linton committed to Texas Tech, Schuster committed to Western Michigan, and Courtney Jackson to Arkansas State. The Orange has also added from the transfer portal including offensive lineman Joe More, defensive lineman Braylen Ingraham, punter Jack Stonehouse, defensive back Jayden Bellamy and defensive back Jaeden Gould.

It has been an offseason of change for Syracuse, which has lost both of its coordinators in the last week. Robert Anae took the offensive coordinator job at NC State while Tony White left to be Nebraska’s defensive coordinator. The Orange named Jason Beck its new offensive coordinator while Rocky Long was hired as the new defensive coordinator. This following a 7-6 2022 campaign that culminated in a Pinstripe Bowl loss to Minnesota.