Syracuse football broke through last season for its first 10-win season since 2018, thanks in part to the new man-in-charge, Fran Brown. Coach Brown wasted no time in his first season with his squad, nabbing former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord in the transfer portal to lead the way. The Brown/McCord pairing was sensational; the signal-caller set the Atlantic Coast Conference single-season passing yards record. However, this year some bold tests loom: the conference’s toughest schedule, via ESPN FPI, and an uncertainty at the quarterback position.
Luckily for the Orange, Brown returns a well-rounded staff to give SU a chance at competing for the conference title once agin this season.
The Big Three
Brown himself needs no introduction. After compiling a successful playing career as a defensive back for Western Carolina, he spent time in the NFL with the Bengals. Post-playing days, Brown coached at several Division I schools, most notably Georgia, where 247Sports named him the nation’s top recruiter in 2023.
Last season, Brown brought in a number of high-profile transfers, but his first recruiting class, the 2025 cycle, finished just 11th in the ACC. Two notable transfers of the class, Rickie Collins (LSU) and Steve Angeli (Notre Dame), both of whom are quarterbacks, look to thrive under the guidance of Brown, and achieve a similar relationship to what Brown had with his first-year slinger in McCord.
On the offensive end, Jeff Nixon returns for a second season as offensive coordinator and play caller. An NFL coaching veteran, Nixon placed the Orange second in the conference in total offense, and fifth in scoring. A running back in his playing days, the guru spawned the first season in program history with both a 1,000+ yard rusher (LeQuint Allen) and a 1,000+ yard receiver (Jackson Meeks) but both guys have headed to the NFL.
On defense, defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson had an equally impressive unit. Also in his second season, his inaugural defensive unit had four all-conference players and a freshman all-American. However, Robinson’s defense struggled to stop big plays, finishing worst in the ACC and sixth worst in the nation in plays of 40+ yards allowed (22).
The New Guys
With the success of last year's campaign, coaches are bound to leave for better opportunities. Despite the impressive season, Coach Fran minimized the bleeding, losing only Wide Receivers coach Ross Douglas to Oregon.
To fill the void, Fran went to a familiar place: the same spot he found his gem of an offensive coordinator. Where to, you might ask?
The NFL...
Perhaps the most important hire of the 2025 offseason is new Passing Game Coordinator and Wide Receivers coach Myles White. White spent last season on the Green Bay Packers coaching staff as an assistant. Before that, the Louisiana Tech product coached wide receivers at Miami (OH) and Stephen F. Austin, after his NFL career came to a close.
“Being an NFL player and coach is rare and I’m extremely thankful that he is part of our staff,” Brown said, “he has everything we were looking for.”
Coach Fran also brought in another impressive offensive mind in Josh Gattis who will serve as an offensive specialist. Gattis won the nation’s top honor for coordinators in 2021, taking home the Jim Broyles Award (given to honor the best assistant coach in college football.) after a stellar season as Michigan’s offensive coordinator. Gattis has also spent notable time as an offensive coordinator or wide receivers coach at Maryland, Miami, Alabama and Penn State.
"I'm privileged to be part of a staff with some great coaches and learn a new offensive system.” Gattis said, citing his 10-year relationship with Coach Brown as a reason he joined the Orange.
This could beg the question: if Nixon continues to attract NFL coordinator interest, could Gattis slide seamlessly into the OC role in the future?
Lastly, the issues were deep for the special teams unit in 2024. Just ask Fran Brown about his intentions when hiring Ricky Brumfield.
"He's been in a situation before with a program that was struggling on special teams, like we were, and flipped it around in one year,” Brown said.
Brumfield spent two years with Georgia Tech, coaching special teams in year one, and cornerbacks in year two, before an abrupt exit. As a special teams coach, Brumfield produced a freshman all-American kicker. In addition, his unit blocked four kicks, good for a tie for third in the nation.
Fran Brown and the Syracuse coaching staff get the 2025 campaign underway August 30th in Atlanta for the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game against Tennessee. Follow @WAERSports on X for more offseason coverage of Syracuse football.