Syracuse Orange head coach Fran Brown is a hot commodity these days, based on how his team is performing on the field, the culture he’s building in Central New York, his recruiting prowess, and his matter-of-fact personality.
Media reports and comments from college football observers this week suggest that Brown could be targeted for head coaching vacancies this coming off-season, whether in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference or elsewhere.
As the Orange prepares to host the Duke Blue Devils at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday afternoon before a sell-out crowd, Syracuse sits at 3-1 in the 2025 campaign, having beaten Clemson on the road last weekend.
In his debut term with the Orange, which was also his first season as a college football head coach, Brown went 10-3 overall, had three top-25 wins and finished at No. 20 in the final Associated Press top-25 poll.
Brown, who most recently had served as the defensive backs coach at Georgia, said in his introductory press conference with Syracuse in early December of 2023 that he was “here for life. I promise you that.”
However, should Brown’s fast start at Syracuse continue trending upward, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if teams in need of a head coach reach out to him to gauge interest.
Of course, Brown could stick by his initial comment that he’s in Syracuse for life. At the same time, if a school like the Florida Gators offers him a huge contract, that may prove tough to turn down.
Then again, Brown grew up a Syracuse Orange fan, and he’s from Camden, N.J. His roots are in the Northeast, and he’s building something special on the Hill.
Observers dish on Syracuse’s Fran Brown
On Wednesday, USA Today published an article that stated Brown will be the “hottest SEC coaching target in next hiring cycle.”
Former NFL star quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner and national champion Cam Newton had high praise for Brown following the Orange’s dismantling of Clemson in Death Valley.
Urban Meyer, who won two national titles as Florida’s head coach and another at Ohio State, said this week on The Triple Option podcast that Brown is the “hottest coach in college sports.”
Meyer added, “I like the way he looks, the way he talks. I like everything about it. If I’m an athletic director, I’m all over that. One hundred percent.”
Brown is a no-nonsense kind of guy. He is extremely candid and open. But he’s also kind, generous and community-oriented. He demands that his players do well in school and represent Syracuse University well.
His #DART philosophy permeates the program and the fan base. Sure, not everything is perfect. The ACC fined the Orange after the Clemson game for faking injuries. Some have called out Brown for making his players run sprints after games, including when Syracuse wins.
Regardless, Brown in a short period of time has appeared to turn the Orange around, although Syracuse does have a daunting schedule that remains in 2025. If he leads the team to another strong season, athletics director John Wildhack must offer Brown a lucrative long-term extension, or the Orange’s head coach could be on the move.