Syracuse-UNC Football (Oct 31 2025)
Being reported locally that Joe Filardi, a freshman who also plays on the lacrosse team, will be the starting quarterback tonight. Filardi was the last quarterback to play in the spring game, completing 2-of-4 passes for 25 yards with an interception on the final play. My notes have that one of the completions was a 20-yarder to Tyshawn Russell into a tight window.
Pete Thamel just confirmed it.
The kid is a zero star recruit from my understanding. I vaguely remember this because of the lacrosse angle. Chris Carlson nailed it in his article today. You have to assume Rickie will be in the portal again soon. I don't know what to think other than I'm guessing they'll go run heavy and have the kid manage the game. A gambler friend of mine thinks it helps UNC but he hasn't had the Rickie "experience" either.
I don't think switching QBs helps the ground game. UNC has been good against the run this season (6th in yards per game allowed, 5th in yards per carry allowed).
Pretty sure Collins was going to hit the portal well before this decision. Transferred here, lost job in fall camp, things went completely sideways when he got put in. Can't redshirt, so no reason to declare for portal before the end of the year.
Sorry, I don't think it will help the ground game either. I just think that will be done to minimize pressure on a true freshman QB. I figured Rickie would bolt at this point but it probably serves him better long term to say nothing until the season's over.
Hopefully, it works out. At the same time, Filardi was the fifth QB to take a snap (I stand corrected, I missed the last one the first time I checked my notes).
Michael Johnson Jr., Jakhari Williams, Rich Belin, Luke Carney, Joe Filardi, and someone whose last name is Miller.
If what the receiver's uncle said on the radio was true, it probably isn't hard to look better than Rickie in practice. I feel bad for the kid, but then again I wonder how someone so inaccurate was deemed a four star in the first place. I'm going to guess because he's big and athletic and thus "projectable" which shows why some of the recruiting grading is really unreliable. Seems most reliable in the trenches and goes downhill from there.
Two drives in for Filardi and UNC simply not respecting him is stifling the run game before it even gets out of the gate. The Cook pass was in a good spot where he could try to make a play, but the second pass was behind his receiver on a short crosser. Gonna be a long night unless he settles in and they find something that works.
I will say this about the possibility of Filardi playing in the second half: He has not made any big mistakes, which is going to be the key to pulling this one out. The defense has been very much "bend, but not break" with UNC getting 71% of their yards on six plays.
Field position and defensive stops isn't exciting, but it can be very effective.
No it's not exciting but this has been the pattern in UNC's recent games. SU has to take advantage of whatever gifts UNC gives because they probably aren't done giving yet.