Fran Brown just won the tug of war for his 4-star wide receiver recruit, pulling the rope decisively, creating a huge buzz around Syracuse. Building on a 10-3 season—their first 10-win season since 2018—the Orange are surging, fueled by Brown’s strong leadership. He’s not just generating buzz; he’s revolutionizing recruiting. With 17 transfers and a 2025 class already at 35 commits, Syracuse’s ascent is meteoric. Brown’s not slowing down either, and this 6’2″, 182 lb. wideout for 2026 is a major example of his power move. This man beat out major in-conference competition. Looks like for Orange fans, it’s finally blue skies ahead.
Now this 182 lbs freak joining Fran Brown’s impressive explosive weapons, BJ Garrett, Phoenix Henriquez, and Darnell Stokes in the 2026 class? It’s Thomas Jefferson’s high-priced wideout, Amare Gough. And Syracuse publisher Mike McAllister confirms it on his X handle. Getting him wasn’t that easy, as multiple ACC programs were pushing for a commitment from the highly touted wideout. But Syracuse won his commitment, pushing out Virginia, Boston College, NC State, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest. They even had to fight against out-of-conference teams like West Virginia, Indiana, and Maryland. But Gough chose the orange. What makes him a catch?
For starters, he knows what he is capable of. Amare Gough isn’t just a WR but a two-way sports star who clocked 4.4 in a 40M run while also being a 55M dash state champion, and in football, he plays for the offense. And his subtle faith in himself feels more like a threat to other teams. “I am more of a press man, DB,” Gough said. “For WR, I am a deep threat kind of guy.”
Fran Brown team was always in the picture, as they had already given him an offer in January. And on top of that, Gough loved how Fran Brown took Syracuse to a 10-3 record after an exceptional performance in the Holiday Bowl. “They had a great season,” Gough said. “I look forward to being a part of the team.” So, it was always in the woods.
But things locked in stronger when Fran Brown got Amare Gough to campus for an April 11 weekend visit. Following this, on May 1st, the Orange joined Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia Tech in showing interest in him at the Richmond Showcase. Nine days later, Gough closed the door on three programs, committing to Syracuse and Myles White’s wide receivers.
BREAKING: 4-star #Top247 WR Amare Gough (@AmareGough) has committed to Syracuse football. He becomes the highest rated player in the Orange’s 10th ranked 2026 class. Details in the link below
: https://t.co/fdhkAtPY0Z pic.twitter.com/2KkhQi1Y2W
— Mike McAllister (@McAllisterMike1) May 10, 2025
Let’s be frank; you can’t afford to miss out on a player of Gough’s caliber who could be the go-to guy for your prized quarterback. During his junior season (2024), he put up impressive numbers: 39 catches, 839 receiving yards, and 12 receiving touchdowns, along with 90 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Entering his senior year, Gough is ranked as the state’s 34th-best receiver and ninth-best overall player by 247Sports, boasting 14 scholarship offers. But in the end, it was only Syracuse. And he’s not the only win for Fran Brown’s program.
Fran Brown makes history with the Syracuse
Since the start of the NIL era, college athletes have used agents to build their brands. Now, Syracuse football coach Fran Brown is doing the same, becoming the first NCAA coach to sign with the NIL agency Network. He aims to boost his profile and recruiting efforts. “I figure there’s no better time to do it than right now,” Brown said. Coaches now need strong public images, not just wins.
This network primarily represents athletes like Florida QB DJ Lagway, but Brown’s enthusiasm led them to expand into coaching, an idea from agent David Falk. Chief Strategy Officer Doug Scott explained, “When we started Network, we weren’t pretending to, nor considering to get into the coaching world.” But Brown’s energy changed that….
“It really was the energy and essence of who Fran was, to where we decided that, yes, this is somebody that we really want to see be successful. And we think there’s a little bit of a void in the marketplace right now,” Scott added.
Fran Brown is already building his brand at Syracuse. Since his late 2023 hiring, he’s led the team to a 10-3 record in 2024, creating the “DART” slogan (Detailed, Accountable, Relentless, Tough) that embodies his coaching style. With Network’s help, DART became a logo, debuted during the spring game, and will soon appear on merchandise—an apparel line is already underway. But Brown aims beyond merchandise; he wants to be a prominent voice in college sports. He’s increasingly vocal on issues like NIL and the transfer portal, even proposing reforms like a single December transfer window and urging players to save 40-60% of their NIL earnings.
Now, switching gears a bit, Fran Brown also has a take on college timelines. “I think that you should do three years at a school,” Brown said. “In three years you should be able to get your degree or be very close to that being done. In three years you have an opportunity of going to the National Football League.” As per Brown’s blueprint, this way players can focus better on both their studies and football careers.
Looking ahead, Brown plans to significantly expand his off-field activities. “Gonna do everything,” he said, encompassing potential endorsements, product lines, and events—such as a golf tournament in June. Scott also added that community service will remain a cornerstone of Brown’s platform. Ultimately, Brown aims to inspire others by showcasing his resilience. “Adversity’s going to hit,” Brown said. “I want you to be able to look at Fran and say, ‘He did it.’” Sounds like Fran’s just getting started.
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