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Syracuse coach doesn't hold back on WR who entered transfer portal over absurd NIL demands

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated Apr 17, 2025 6:38 PM ET

Syracuse Orange football coach Fran Brown delivered an incredible quote about losing wide receiver Trebor Pena to the transfer portal.

Pena had a big season for Syracuse last year and posted 84 catches for 941 yards and nine touchdowns. He was seeking more money from the Orange and decided to enter the transfer portal after being told he wouldn’t get that money.

On Wednesday, Brown joined Cuse Sports Talk to talk about the situation. He gave a great quote and said that “if you want to make two million at wide receiver, that’s the little homie at Ohio State. Ain’t nobody else making that money. Giving no wide receiver no $2 million in college? Naw.”

Brown was referencing Ohio State Buckeyes star Jeremiah Smith, who had 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman last season.

Brown then said it would have to take Travis Hunter for him to pay that kind of money.

“Unless they tell me that we get a chance to have Travis Hunter, he could come here and play for us, then he gonna get some of my check. They ain’t paying nobody two million this year,” Brown said.

“If you wanna make $2M at wide receiver, that’s the lil homie at Ohio State (Jeremiah Smith). Ain’t nobody else making that.”

-Fran Brown

( CuseSportsTalk/YT) pic.twitter.com/MOWsAQOxAf
— AJ King (@allday_ajking) April 17, 2025

Nobody can accuse Brown of not speaking his mind.

In the same interview, Brown also said beyond the money, Pena started getting his nose into areas where it didn’t belong.

“There were some numbers that were asked to me that I didn’t feel I would be able to do and move on. … Our differences were – Trebor’s not a coach, he’s a player. He was worrying about things that player don’t worry about. Players work. Trebor was worrying about his future. ‘I want to make sure I go to the league, I want to make sure I have another year like I had last year,'” Brown claimed Pena said.

Brown also said that Pena was concerned about how well quarterback Rickie Collins could perform in the fall season — something Brown said wasn’t what he should have been worried about.

“When they start trying to do your job and think too much and all, you gotta go,” Brown said.

After talking w/ Fran Brown today on "Orange Nation," it sounds like the Trebor Pena situation came down to two things. #1-Pena asked for more money and Fran wasn't going to overspend. #2-Pena was questioning Rickie Collins' ability & was worried about himself more than the team. pic.twitter.com/qHKK99EcmL
— Steve Infanti (@SteveInfantiNC9) April 16, 2025