Miami Gardens, Florida — Syracuse head coach Fran Brown has spent the bulk of his team’s six-game losing streak talking about his team’s youth and its promising future.

Before the Orange lost 38-10 against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday four players delivered his message at midfield before the opening kickoff, with three of the Orange’s most important verbal commits sitting in attendance and in perfect position ready to receive it.

Syracuse’s four representatives for the opening coin toss were first-year players, with Demetres Samuel Jr., Antoine Deslauriers, Byron Washington and Darius Johnson all flying the flag of promise.

Brown had told the four players shortly after the North Carolina that they’d serve as game captains against Miami, along with cornerback Chris Peal.

In addition to rewarding the work of four of the team’s most promising first-year players, Brown’s decision put a focus on the program’s future.

“After the North Carolina game,” Samuel said, when asked when the group was told they’d be captains. “He’d been preaching it to use before (that) but he was like, ‘This is really your team.’ ”

True freshmen Darius Johnson, Darien Williams and Daunte Bacheyie had two receptions each against Miami, trying for tops on the team. Samuel Jr. and Kaylib Singleton had five tackles each, finishing second behind only Gary Bryant III.

“We’re building the program,” said Brown, who brought more true freshman into his program than any coach in the country last year. “I’ve been saying that since the beginning. I’m starting to think people aren’t really trying to listen to me. I think those guys are accountable. … They compete all the time. Those are guys that people look up to. I don’t really think it matters what grade they’re in. It just matters their work ethic.”

The Orange leaned heavily on players who can return to the program next season against the Hurricanes, hanging tough for a half and delivering a more feisty performance than it has managed for most of its six-game losing streak.

Despite bringing the ACC’s youngest roster to Miami to face the No. 18 team in the country, the game was scoreless until the final three minutes of the first half.

“If you looked at it for 26 minutes, you can see how good of a football team we are,” Brown said. “If you pay close attention you can see what we’re building. As I tell every coach when we go across, I’ll see you next year.

True freshman Jaylen Hornsby earned his first career start against the No. 18 team in the country.

So did former Christian Brothers Academy standout Matt Hawn, although his was a token opportunity replacing another first-year player for a single snap. Starting guard Byron Washington was late for a team meeting this week, Brown said, costing him the opportunity to start but not to serve as a captain.

Brown said that Washington may have been late, but he also turned himself in to Brown for his transgression, displaying character traits that the coaching staff values.

“The reason it was just one play is that Bryon Washington was a man and came up to me and said, ‘Coach, I apologize,’ Brown said. ”He told on himself. …That’s why we feel he’s a leader and he’s a guy that we’re going to follow on this football team.”

The decision to show off Syracuse’s freshmen in talent-rich Miami, was probably not a coincidence.

In the stands watching the loss were three Miami natives expected to be major parts of Syracuse’s future.

Five-star freshman Calvin Russell watched from the stands, along with four-star safety Tedarius Hughes and four-star edge rusher Kamron Wilson.

They are part of a recruiting class that currently ranks 23rd in the country.

Johnson, who was a captain despite being in just his third game back from a fractured fibula, was high school teammates with Russell and Hughes at Miami Northwestern.

They are three of the Orange’s 10 highest-ranked recruits in the Class of 2026.

Rather than worry about what a blowout loss says about the direction of Syracuse’s program, those in attendance on Saturday were likely more concerned about what Brown’s depth chart choices say about their future and how they’ll mesh with future teammates.

Young athletes, after all, are rarely short on confidence.

And if they are anything like Johnson they expect they will be part of the answer, starting next year.

“I know I’m built for the moment,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he was told by Syracuse coaches when he was in high school that he needed to gain weight if he wanted to play for the Orange but, if he did, he’d be capable of seeing the field immediately.

He gained 15 pounds before the season. He found himself on the two-deep during training camp.

Johnson said he communicates regularly with Russell and Hughes. Most of the time they communicate as friends, chatting about both football and routine aspect of life.

When they discuss Syracuse, Johnson said, one of the biggest selling points is the opportunity all of them will have to make an immediate impact.

He is confident, he said, that the collection of Miami stars will keep their commitments and join him in impacting the program immediately.

“Tell Syracuse fans to chill,” he said about any concerns that Russell could change his mind.

Wilson told Syracuse.com on Friday that the opportunity to play immediately was key to him picking Syracuse.

He regularly receives messages from defensive ends coach Nick Williams telling him to be ready, stressing that the team wishes it had him on the field this season.

Seeing other first-year players contribute, Wilson said, makes him certain the coaching staff will let him play a role too.

On a night when not much went right, the Orange could go home knowing at least that message had been received. Syracuse put it on display at midfield for all to see.

“I’m playing early,” Johnson said. “They see that. So they know they can play early too.”

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