Report: Syracuse to start walk-on QB Joe Filardi vs. North Carolina

Syracuse will start true freshman Joseph Filardi at quarterback against North Carolina on Friday night, per CNY Central‘s Matt Mulcahy. Filardi has only logged one snap this season.

Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli began the season as Syracuse’s starting QB. He led the Orange to a 3-1 start, but suffered a season-ending injury in Syracuse’s win over Clemson in Week 4.

The team turned to backup Rickie Collins. However, Collins has struggled to deliver this season. Syracuse is 0-4 with Collins as its starting quarterback. Earlier this week on ESPN Radio Syracuse, Orange head coach Fran Brown didn’t mince words when asked if he can maintain Collins’ as the team’s unrivaled starter.

“I can’t do that no more,” Brown said. “I love Rickie, man. He’s a little brother to me. But he had a month straight of me sticking by him and doing everything the right way and being more supportive of him. I’m very, very supportive of every one of my players. 

“Everything that happens bad is on Coach Fran. I told some of the coaches that we should have catered to (Collins) more. But he had a month of running the program. We were 3-1 under Steve’s time and under Rickie we were 0-4. You’ve got to open that competition up and give us an opportunity to win.”

While Filardi will be starting for Syracuse on Friday, football isn’t his primary sport. He is attending Syracuse on a lacrosse scholarship, and is a walk-on for the football team.

Filardi was named a high school All-American by USA Lacrosse in 2024. Moreover, Inside Lacrosse ranked him as the No. 52 lacrosse recruit in the 2025 recruiting cycle. He chose Syracuse over North Carolina in the recruiting process.

Despite Filardi’s immense lacrosse talent, he skipped his final high school semester to join Syracuse’s football team early and participate in spring practice. Now, his decision appears to be paying off.

Filardi’s father is Gerald Filardi, a former Penn State linebacker and the current high school football coach at Half Hollow Hills West. According to the South Shore Press, Joseph Filardi finished his high school career with Long Island records for all-purpose yards (14,483) and touchdowns (151).

Joseph Filardi will look to make a splash in his first career start on Friday evening. The Orange will square off against Bill Belichick and North Carolina at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ESPN.