Fran Brown and his Syracuse football program got some good news on Saturday, as reports came out that injured star wide receiver Johntay Cook will play in a massive ACC showdown with the SMU Mustangs.
“Syracuse standout wide receiver Johntay Cook, who has been listed as questionable heading into today’s matchup with SMU, is expected to play today, a source tells CBSSports, Matt Zenit reported ahead of the game's 3:30 p.m. kickoff. “The former top recruit leads Syracuse with 24 catches.”
There isn't much information available about Cook's injury. What we do know is that he suffered a non-specific “leg” injury during the team's opener against Tennessee. Since then, he's been on the team's injury report but has also appeared in all five games. In those games, he's caught 24 balls for 308 yards and a touchdown.
While Cook being ready to play is absolutely good news for the Orange, the questions surrounding his quarterback are the bigger issue. Starter Steve Angeli tore his Achilles tendon in an upset win over Clemson and is done for the season. LSU transfer Rickie Collins took over but could only lead the offense to a field goal in a 38-3 loss to Duke last week.
Now, the Syracuse football team comes into its ACC showdown with SMU at 3-2, with the season hanging in the balance. Getting to six wins and a bowl game might be challenging if the offense doesn't get it together soon. After SMU, the Orange faces a gauntlet of an ACC schedule, with games against No. 17 Georgia Tech, No. 3 Miami, and No. 21 Notre Dame coming in the next five contests.
Having Johntay Cook in the lineup will help. The DeSoto, TX native was a five-star recruit who committed to the Texas Longhorns in 2023. He had two underwhelming years in Austin, making 16 total catches in two seasons. He is now getting to showcase his talent in Central New York, though, and the team needs him to be a playmaker if they hope to win more games, starting with SMU.
