Syracuse football: RB Yasin Willis will enter transfer portal

Syracuse Orange running back Yasin Willis announced today that he will enter the transfer portal. He rushed for 688 yards and two touchdowns in his two seasons with the Orange. Willis will enter the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining. Like all football transfers, Willis won’t officially enter the portal until it opens on January 2. Willis had implied to reporters earlier this year that he would be returning to the Orange

Willis appeared in nine games during his freshman year as a backup to LeQuint Allen and Will Nixon. He and Nixon shared primary running back duties during the 2025 season. 

Willis is the third Syracuse running back to announce his intentions to enter the transfer portal. Malachi James and Jaden Hart are the other running backs that are set to enter the portal. Nixon is out of eligibility but is reportedly applying for a medical hardship waiver for an additional year of eligibility. Nixon stated that he would use the extra year at Syracuse.

Should Nixon not receive his extra year of eligibility, the Orange running back room would consist of Tyler Chandler, Malachi Coleman, Tylik Hill and Shavane Anderson. Of those four, Hill is the only player who featured for more than 50 snaps this season on offense last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Hill is also the only player among those three running backs with double digit carries in 2025.

According to Mike McAllister’s transfer portal tracker on 247sports, Willis becomes the 17th Syracuse player set to enter the transfer portal. New NCAA rules regarding the transfer portal are in this place this season. There is only one window where football players can enter their name into the portal, unlike previous years where there was a winter and spring window for the transfer portal. 

Players seeking to transfer can only enter their name into the portal from January 2 to January 15. Of note, teams can still talk and gain commitments from transfers after the deadline. Players just have to be in the portal for transfer consideration before the portal closing date.