Fran Brown

[HRE Otto IV]

I think a bad recruiter at SU will be at the bottom of the ACC. A mediocre will be in the 12-15 range. A decent in the 9-12 range. And an elite guy 6-9 range.

So just having an elite recruiter alone IMO will not get us routinely into the Top 25.

I think with Brown year 1 he can get us into that 6-9 range. He can go purely off of recruiting chops. After that his on field results will matter. The good news is we have a soft schedule next year, but the bad news is we have a brutal schedule the year after. Even a good HC can easily go 5-7.

We really need a high flying 8-4 season next year. Just making a Bowl won't help get the 2nd class into that 6-9 range. Neither will having a boring O. Year 2 we really need to make a Bowl. Going 5-7 will make it very difficult to get into that 6-9 range. Year 3 we will need a winning season. Another 6-6 won't bring the kids in.

If we start winning, things can really take off. But we aren't going to simply win games with the type of talent we will have in years 1-3. We need to be coached up.

 

[Comstock44]

Who was your top choice?

Someone with more experience than being a position coach. Someone preferably who has experience running a program.

 

[DocFlanders]

When he is hired can we create a "Welcome to Fransville" section in the JMA?

I like that...but I'm pretty sure the JMA dome was officially renamed last night to the Sam Elliot Bourbon Dome.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

Heck, if this flames out we’ll probably know in two years and Chesney might still be available.

The more I think about it the more I like the swing. Really excited to see this come together and have a feeling the roster is going to rally around it.

The best way to be good at hiring is to be good at firing. By that I mean you can have multiple interviews and check references and never know if someone will work out. If they don’t you will know soon, don’t be afraid to cut bait right then.
If Brown isn’t winning or improving don’t wait 8 years.

 

[Newhouser]

Been looking at Mr. Brown's life and career a little bit. I'm pretty much sold on him as the choice now. The Mullen thread was fun but the glibness of him and Barrie towards the Syracuse job put me off a lot. Chesney, probably a good coach, not ready for this level of football.

See that is what I don't get - Brown has his positives and some question marks but Chesney had positives too. What does not ready for this level of football mean? Can't the same question be that Brown is not ready for this kind of step up to build a program?

I like the outside the box hire - I think it was forced on us because nobody was really interested - but anyone we get is going to have question marks.

Also I heard from a Patriot league rival that Chesney opted out of consideration.

 

[Finwad32]

Say goodbye to the team and get yourself up here Fran. Let’s go.

 

[elimunelson]

so was the Georgia to Syracuse flight tracker a legit plane track now that we know this? Do we shuffle blood and coaching candidates?

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

Say goodbye to the team and get yourself up here Fran. Let’s go.

And feel free to bring a few friends.

 

[illi3]

See that is what I don't get - Brown has his positives and some question marks but Chesney had positives too. What does not ready for this level of football mean? Can't the same question be that Brown is not ready for this kind of step up to build a program?

I like the outside the box hire - I think it was forced on us because nobody was really interested - but anyone we get is going to have question marks.

Also I heard from a Patriot league rival that Chesney opted out of consideration.

Was curious of this as well. As time goes on and things leak out, I was wondering if we'd find that all the names we were excited about said no to Cuse and not the other way around. Not predicting that is the case in any way; just curious about the evolution of the hiring process.

 

[mark79]

Fran Brown would be a strong choice if this comes to fruition. He would be Syracuse’s best recruiter at head coach EVER, at least in my lifetime. Recruiting is his lifeblood, and he has done it well at Rutgers, Baylor, and Temple, not exactly the Easiest places to recruit at.

He is a key reason why Rutgers is going bowling this year. We also went bowling in ‘21, but that was because Texas A&M backed out due to Covid. Nevertheless, Going bowling two out of Schiano’s first four years is a huge accomplishment, especially considering we hadn’t gone bowling since ‘14. And Chris Ash ran the program right into the ground, and we had very little talent. Thanks in large part to Fran, that talent base was replenished quickly. That’s why Georgia hired him. He work’s exceptionally hard to bring in talent.

Browns signature recruits at Rutgers were Max Melton, Tyreem Powell, and Robert Longerbeam. All three starters, and future NFLers and Powell was playing at an All American level before his season was cut short due to injury. While at Rutgers, Fran Brown excelled at recruiting the 3 star recruit with 5 star impact. This is the skillset that will be especially relevant to Syracuse. I would expect him him to focus his recruiting in South Jersey, North Jersey, Philadelphia, DC, and VA.

The million dollar question is how well can he coach. The jury will be out on that question. I can tell you he has the attributes to be a successful head coach. When you meet him and shake his hand, I couldn’t help but think that he will be going places and doing big things. I can’t really explain it, but to me he has an aura and a presence about him.

He’s been working his entire career for this opportunity, and will make the most of it, imo.
I think this hire is similar to Oregon hiring Mario Cristobal, who also had not had coordinator experience, but was a huge success, which is why he was subsequently hired by Miami. Surround Brown with strong coordinators and strong assistants and y’all will be set.

Nothing but love for Fran Brown.

Man, the families of recruits will love Fran Brown. I see why he is an excellent recruiter. Humble confidence off the charts.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Don’t love it. Like Robinson we’ll know quickly if we really screwed up though so I’ll be on board for the first year just don’t give me the needs time and rebuild bs this is a 7-8 win ACC team he’ll be getting.

At least there is plenty of upside to the hire.

 

[sutomcat]

Fran Brown would be a strong choice if this comes to fruition. He would be Syracuse’s best recruiter at head coach EVER, at least in my lifetime. Recruiting is his lifeblood, and he has done it well at Rutgers, Baylor, and Temple, not exactly the Easiest places to recruit at.

He is a key reason why Rutgers is going bowling this year. We also went bowling in ‘21, but that was because Texas A&M backed out due to Covid. Nevertheless, Going bowling two out of Schiano’s first four years is a huge accomplishment, especially considering we hadn’t gone bowling since ‘14. And Chris Ash ran the program right into the ground, and we had very little talent. Thanks in large part to Fran, that talent base was replenished quickly. That’s why Georgia hired him. He work’s exceptionally hard to bring in talent.

Browns signature recruits at Rutgers were Max Melton, Tyreem Powell, and Robert Longerbeam. All three starters, and future NFLers and Powell was playing at an All American level before his season was cut short due to injury. While at Rutgers, Fran Brown excelled at recruiting the 3 star recruit with 5 star impact. This is the skillset that will be especially relevant to Syracuse. I would expect him him to focus his recruiting in South Jersey, North Jersey, Philadelphia, DC, and VA.

The million dollar question is how well can he coach. The jury will be out on that question. I can tell you he has the attributes to be a successful head coach. When you meet him and shake his hand, I couldn’t help but think that he will be going places and doing big things. I can’t really explain it, but to me he has an aura and a presence about him.

He’s been working his entire career for this opportunity, and will make the most of it, imo.
I think this hire is similar to Oregon hiring Mario Cristobal, who also had not had coordinator experience, but was a huge success, which is why he was subsequently hired by Miami. Surround Brown with strong coordinators and strong assistants and y’all will be set.

Nothing but love for Fran Brown.

Thanks for the insider perspective Al.

Good to hear from you. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Congrats on making a bowl game.

Hopefully SU and Rutgers can schedule a home and home again soon and we can attend each other's tailgates!

 

[Whitey23]

January 9, 2024 start date? Going to be interesting to see how he is able to handle the transition. He needs to be full steam ahead.

 

[cusefan88]

Geoff Collins seems like an obvious fit as DC.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Hope he’s here like today or tomorrow, this is his team right now. No longer a Bulldog.

Maybe that was the play all along. We should've paid more attention to the poster's name Bulldog04 and not the name he was saying. It looks like we've got our Bulldog.

 

[Yeti]

100% Brown will be a lot more fun from at least now until labor day. Then he will have to prove himself on the field. Huge test but he has a ton of work to do the next 9 months.

I mean I am so use to being horrible when it comes to syracuse football I am happy to roll the dice. If it bombs so be it. I mean we can wax poetic about 5 win seasons, a couple good wins with Dino, Marrone's last 5-6 games in 2012 and 1 great year over the last 22 years.

Man that great year though. I miss Dungey

 

[CuseOnly]

Fran Brown would be a fantastic hire if we were looking for a recruiting coordinator and closer but not as a HC. If he were accompanied by a fantastic OC and DC that weren't going to be lured away by others in 1-2 years after they find success and will be paid more.

The reality of recruiting is that you can build all the great relationships with the kids but if you aren't backed by a ton of $$ to get them or keep them, you will eventually lose them to another suitor. I just don't think SU has the $$, willingness or intestinal fortitude to pay the kids what others are and that has already proven itself out.

When all it takes is for another program to add a zero to what you are offering a kid, it kind of makes your recruiting and NIL budget more important than the guy slinging the bags around.

If Fran gets hired, do I think recruiting will improve? Yes, the question is for how long. When the results on the field start to falter, the folks at SU will question the strategy and so will the "money" folks.

I am happy that the kids are now getting paid but it is sad what College Athletics has turned into. It is going to be the wild west for recruiting.

If we REALLY want to play big boy football, why aren't we poaching another P5 coach like the big boys do?

Side note, the CNS coach is available, I am sure he can hire some great coordinators to help him for a few years.

 

[Killdozer]

You may be in the minority on this.

Hiring Fran Brown is NOT going to get people excited about SU football. Hoping for the best for the guy, but this isn't a hire that will pump juice into the fanbase. Maybe it does with people here on this website who are the die-hards of the die-hards, but for the rest of Onondaga County it won't.

I am actually shocked this is the hire they are making. Praying for the best and for this to work out. We will see.

Good lord, you are talking about getting the casual fan excited. Well, these casual fans don't even know who Dan Mullens is and they don't care. The casual fans will go to games when the team starts winning. So hiring a "named coach" doesn't mean anything to to the rest of Onondaga County.

 

[CooperCuse]

See that is what I don't get - Brown has his positives and some question marks but Chesney had positives too. What does not ready for this level of football mean? Can't the same question be that Brown is not ready for this kind of step up to build a program?

I like the outside the box hire - I think it was forced on us because nobody was really interested - but anyone we get is going to have question marks.

Also I heard from a Patriot league rival that Chesney opted out of consideration.

It means that Chesney has never held a P5 job and I wasn't sold on him being ready for one now, especially at Syracuse. Nothing against the guy. Brown is ready for this, just ask Rhule and Smart.

 

[Killdozer]

Fran Brown would be a fantastic hire if we were looking for a recruiting coordinator and closer but not as a HC. If he were accompanied by a fantastic OC and DC that weren't going to be lured away by others in 1-2 years after they find success and will be paid more.

The reality of recruiting is that you can build all the great relationships with the kids but if you aren't backed by a ton of $$ to get them or keep them, you will eventually lose them to another suitor. I just don't think SU has the $$, willingness or intestinal fortitude to pay the kids what others are and that has already proven itself out.

When all it takes is for another program to add a zero to what you are offering a kid, it kind of makes your recruiting and NIL budget more important than the guy slinging the bags around.

If Fran gets hired, do I think recruiting will improve? Yes, the question is for how long. When the results on the field start to falter, the folks at SU will question the strategy and so will the "money" folks.

I am happy that the kids are now getting paid but it is sad what College Athletics has turned into. It is going to be the wild west for recruiting.

If we REALLY want to play big boy football, why aren't we poaching another P5 coach like the big boys do?

Side note, the CNS coach is available, I am sure he can hire some great coordinators to help him for a few years.

Ahhh, the "Debbie Downer" view. Thanks for the input.

 

[Yeti]

This is so true. In my opinion Dino did nothing to energize the fan base or the community.

Eh, the first couple years were exciting. Talked a big game. 2018 happened. Started 2019 ranked. I honestly think everything fell apart with Maryland and then covid.

 

[orangezen]

Maybe he will hire Chesney as OC .. a step up financially and he gets P5 experience

 

[BomberOrange]

Looks pretty official, if syracuse.com has it.

I thought it couldn’t be official until Thames tweets it?

 

[illi3]

If we REALLY want to play big boy football, why aren't we poaching another P5 coach like the big boys do?

Those coaches view Syracuse as a step down and wouldn't come. Listen, I love this place. I have season tickets and have been going to games since I was 4 (so 39 years). I'm all in no matter what, but I just keep feeling like some of you don't have a full realization of how poor the national perception of the Syracuse football program is.

 

[City of Cuse]

All the negative comments are from severely uninformed people.

I remember Fran from the twitter wars while he was at Temple/Rutgers. Also I’m a long time season tix holder and hope he succeeds. I don’t think I’m uninformed on the topic of football in our geography.

The talent pool for Syracuse hires is certainly sobering, no question there. Out of the names that are left, this probably is the only one with some juice to it.

This is how I see this going though. He brings in some better than normal recruits for cuse his first two years. Game day issues persist. Cuse makes it to a bowl game next season or very close, but struggles the following year. New coordinators year three and no juice left with recruits. Then it’s time to search for a new head coach after year 4.

I hope I can come back to this post and be able to say how stupid this was.

I feel like the best chance Cuse has is to get a guy that can out coach on game day and build up kids from our talent pool. Again, I want to be wrong as I love Cuse sports.