Fran Brown, the former Georgia defensive backs coach, wasn’t just searching for a job when Syracuse made an offer; he was searching for a place to call home. Brown, a native of Camden, New Jersey, admitted that the Syracuse performance was personal, saying, “We are going to bust our butt to bring back the great tradition of football that was here before me, before my era. We’re about to go shock the country.” Brown grew up watching Donovan McNabb light up the Dome. In a month, he made a comeback, bringing in transfer talent at a rate the Orange hasn’t seen in decades, landing a top-35 recruiting class, and flipping four-star Marcellus Barnes Jr. on national television.
In Wednesday’s episode of The Triple Opinion, it was rare for a head coach who has won a national championship to call someone “the hottest coach in college sports,” but that is exactly what Syracuse’s Fran Brown was called by Urban Meyer. The praise focused on presence rather than win-loss records or elaborate schemes. “He’s rugged. He’s tough. He says some things that you’re like, damn, he really said that, and he, you know, wind sprints after it. He’s doing his own little thing, but his thing’s working.” Far beyond Central New York, the man is suddenly attracting attention because of his pure authenticity.
After repeatedly rewatching Brown’s tapes, Urban Meyer went on to say, “I like the way he looks. I like the way he talks. I like everything about it. If I’m an athletic director, I’m all over that one. I’m all over that one.” Syracuse fans are already aware of that. The Orange had a rough start to Year 2 under Brown after finishing 10-3 with Syracuse last year, losing disappointingly to Tennessee in Week 1. Syracuse has turned their season around over the last three weeks by coming out strong rather than giving up.
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Of course, when you create a culture like that in Syracuse, people take notice. “He’s established a tremendous culture… what’s not acceptable is you not giving your best, what’s not acceptable is you coming in here asking for money,” said Mark Ingram. It is refreshing to see that tough-love approach in a time when transfer portals and NIL chatter are the norm. And the prediction came with a warning for Syracuse fans with Rob Stone saying, “Enjoy him while you got him… Bigger job coming.” In simple terms, even though Fran Brown is creating something solid at Syracuse, warning echoes loudly in Blacksburg. If Fran Brown’s rise has already put him on the national radar, Virginia Tech sits on the other side of the spectrum, desperate to get its next hire right.
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Virginia Tech reveals strict criteria for next head coach
Virginia Tech is officially back in the market, and they cannot afford another missed opportunity. With 190 million in revenue projected for 2026–2027 and a projected increase to $200 million in the following years, AD Whit Babcock is reinvesting heavily in the program after Brent Pry’s three-year run ended with just 16 victories. This financial commitment shows that the Hokies are serious about hiring a qualified head coach to bring the team back to its pre-Frank Beamer level. But as Pat McAfee stated bluntly on his show, “You pay the wrong guy, you’re s— outta luck.”
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And here comes the legendary Hokies player Bruce Arians, who is familiar with Blacksburg and the industry. Together with McAfee, Arians outlined precisely what Virginia Tech should be searching for this time. “I want to (find) a guy that can not only coach and make adjustments, but also get the folks out and raise money too. Because that’s a big part of it now. We’ve got to have a charismatic guy that can actually coach ball. Which means you need to lead on the field, in recruiting, and in the locker room; simply knowing the ins and outs is no longer sufficient”.
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That is the NIL era’s reality. As Arians himself put it, “The whole thing’s changed. It’s all business now, and you’ve got to find a businessman.” With the new revenue plan and the $20.5 million already set aside for football players through NIL, VT can now finally compete financially in the ACC. However, Arians was clear about the requirements: charisma, coaching prowess, and fundraising prowess. “I want to see Virginia Tech back, ” he said. The Hokies are now hoping that this selection process will help them get there at last. Do you think Fran Brown would fit this criteria? Share your thoughts in the comments.