Syracuse, NY — Having started college football while he was still just 17 years old, Marcus Washington Jr. believes his biggest growth through his first two seasons has simply been in his maturity.
He appeared in just one game for two snaps on defense as a true freshman at Georgia.
For his sophomore year, Washington transferred to Louisville, where he still appeared in only two games on defense but all 14 on special teams.
“Playing special teams, it really builds the most character and it helps you mature because you’re in those pressurized situations a lot and you learn how to fight through adversity,” Washington said Wednesday.
Washington committed to Syracuse football out of the transfer portal from Louisville on Tuesday night. He said he left the Cardinals in search of a program where he could play more on defense in addition to continuing his special teams contributions.
The Orange will be his third team in three years of college ball. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
The move reunites Washington with Fran Brown, who’d been his primary recruiter to Georgia as a four-star high school prospect and then his position coach when he was rostered with the Bulldogs in 2021.
Washington said he spoke with defensive backs coach Joe Schaefer before he talked with Brown.
Schaefer called Washington two to three days after his entry into the portal on April 26, a few days before the NCAA’s second portal window for football closed.
On the call, Washington said that Schaefer told him that Brown, along with other members of the coaching staff who’d recruited Washington in high school, remembered him and knew the caliber of player he could be.
“’We would love to get our hands on you and just mold you into the best player that you can be and also the man that you can possibly be out in the world,’” Washington said Schaefer told him.
A handful of other schools contacted Washington when he hit the portal, including Sam Houston State University, Jacksonville State and Troy.
Ohio State reached out and showed interest, but it never grew serious, Washington said.
Brown called Washington later the same night Schaefer did. It was the first time they’d spoken since Washington departed Georgia in last year’s spring transfer window, he said.
Throughout his high school recruitment and during their year together at Georgia, Washington said Brown took him under his wing and taught him a lot about fighting through the challenges that can come with playing football.
Washington said what makes Brown’s relationship-building unique in the college football world is his authenticity. He said Brown’s players are never in the dark about why they’re not playing, what they could do better or similar matters.
He holds players to a high standard of work ethic while recognizing their limits, too.
“He commands the field in everything he does, and he demands the best out of you no matter what that may be,” Washington said. “If your best is you win 7 out of 8 reps, then that’s your best. If your best is winning 8 out of 8 reps, then that’s your best.”
Washington will continue the development Brown started with him two years ago at Syracuse, where he said he’ll play safety. He said he spent the back half of last season working at that position with Louisville instead of cornerback and “grew a home there.”
Washington said he was told he would have chances to play defense and will have a “vital role” on special teams.
Syracuse’s projected starters at safety — Justin Barron, Alijah Clark and Duce Chestnut — are all 3-plus year veterans, but there is room for competition behind them on the depth chart.
Washington said he did not speak with representatives from any of Syracuse’s name, image and likeness collectives while he was on campus for a visit this past weekend. He said coaching staff did not bring up NIL opportunities with him, and that his focus was on academics — he’s majoring in sports management — and football.
“I’m really a simple guy, so I just toured the campus, toured the facilities, sat down and talked with Fran and the coaching staff,” Washington said. “We broke bread of course, and it just felt like a home to me.”
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