Chris Peal’s journey to Syracuse has come full circle. After being recruited by Fran Brown during Brown’s time at Rutgers and then later playing for him at Georgia, Peal is now reunited with the head coach who first believed in him. For the redshirt sophomore defensive back, that connection runs deep — and it’s helping him transition quickly into his new role with the Orange.
In the room, he’s leaning on veterans like Duce Chestnut and Devin Grant. “Lot of leadership,” Peal told reporters. “They definitely
take control of me amazingly. I look up to it. They may only be a year older than me, but they have way more experience than me. I learn from them every day — how they practice and how they lead a defense is something I watched very, very closely.”
Film study has been another area where the former four-star recruit has leaned on his teammates. “We do it together to talk about it and be on the same page,” he said. That attention to detail has made his adjustment smoother as he learns alongside the unit’s veterans.
Coming from Georgia, Peal knows what it’s like to play in big moments. “Don’t let the moment be too big — we’re prepared for this,” he said, adding that the SEC experience shaped the way he handles pressure. For him, the next step is sharpening the finer details. “I’m looking to elevate my technique. I’m trying to be the master technician.”
For Peal, the move to Syracuse has been meaningful in many ways. “It’s surreal to me, honestly,” he said. “It’s been a long journey, and I’m finally glad I’m somewhere I can show my abilities and be somewhere I can do best.”
Against UConn, the Charlotte native had seven solo tackles. When the game was not looking promising in the fourth quarter, Peal said the mindset never wavered. “The mentality was we cannot let up any more points at all. We have to play up to our standard.” Looking ahead, he stressed the consistency of preparation. “We’ve been working really hard this week, just as every week. We take the preparation extremely seriously — trust me when I say that.”
Peal also made sure to credit the Orange faithful for their role in last week’s win. “Thanks to the fans — they kept in with us the whole game,” he told TNIAAM. “We feed off the energy. It definitely helps us.” You can catch Peal and the Orange in the Dome tonight at 7:00 vs. Colgate.
