Syracuse head coach Fran Brown appeared on the local Cuse Sports Talk and spoke extensively about slot receiver Trebor Pena entering the transfer portal after they were unable to match his name, image and likeness salary demands. Miami is a major target for Brown in the transfer portal.
Brown spoke at length about how he initially connected with Pena, the improvement he made, that Syracuse was going to give him a raise and that there were some numbers asked of them that were not enough. Ultimately, Brown told Pena, You have to go.
Brown added, "Why would I try to convince somebody to be somewhere when I know the offense works." Pena was worrying about things coaches should be concerned with, per Brown. Peña wants to make sure he has another season like he did in 2024 and that he can "get to the league."
Brown said of Pena, "It ain't a money thing so that's for everybody out there. Some of the players, when I told him, I said, "Yo, he leaving, he was getting paid a little bit." A few Syracuse players have texted Brown this week asking him if they could receive a few extra dollars with Pena transferring.
"“With all due respect to everybody in the country...if you’re going to make $2 million at wide receiver, that’s the homie at Ohio State [Jeremiah Smith]. Ain’t nobody else making that money. I ain’t giving no wide receiver $2 million in college, man...Unless somebody tells me that we have the chance to have Travis Hunter, he can come here and play for us, then he’ll get some of my check."Syracuse head coach Fran Brown via On3
In his first four seasons at Syracuse, Peña had 25 receptions for 271 yards and one TD, which included missing all but one game during the 2023 season because of injury. In Brown's first season in 2024, Pena had a breakout year with 84 receptions for 941 yards and nine TDs. That included six catches for 128 yards and a TD versus Miami.
Miami is extemely inexperienced and young at slot receiver. Junior RayRay Joseph who has 12 career receptions for 110 yards and freshman Malachi Toney received most of the snaps at slot receiver this spring. Pena would provide Miami with an experienced and proven slot receiver with a history of production.