For the first time in almost a decade, Syracuse University is looking for a new head of their football program, after relieving Dino Babers of his duties a game before the end of his eighth season at the helm.
Here is a list of potential candidates to coach the Orange moving forward:
Don McPherson
McPherson played for the Orange from 1984 through 1987, throwing for a total of 5,812 yards, tossing for over 1,000 yards in each of his final three seasons and over 2,000 in his last season (2,341 yards in 1987), accumulating 46 touchdowns and 26 interceptions.
He helped lead the Orange to their last undefeated season which was back in 1987, when the team went 11-0-1.
In that season, McPherson set over 20 school records, led the nation in passing, and reeled in over 15 national "player of the year" awards, including the Maxwell Award for the country's best player, the Davey O'Brien Award for the country's top quarterback, and the inaugural Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
So, McPherson not only remembers Syracuse's glory days, he lived them on the field.
Who better to lead the program than someone who remembers when Syracuse was a power in college football because he was an integral piece to the puzzle of becoming that power.
McPherson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and had his #9 jersey retired by Syracuse University in 2013.
When looking at Syracuse football's lack of recruiting the state of New York, McPherson can help to create a bridge once again as he is a native of Brooklyn, New York.
Off of the field, McPherson has been an advocate for positive change in our world, becoming a national leader and advocate for the prevention of sexual and domestic violence, providing lectures and workshops at over 370 college campuses, community organizations, and national sports and violence prevention organizations, reaching the eyes and ears of millions of people.
He also served as a football analyst on ESPN and SNY.
McPherson adds another element in the ties he has continued to build in the Syracuse and overall Central/Upstate New York community over the years, making his presence known in the "Salt City" to this day.
Steve Addazio
Addazio's ties with the Syracuse football program go back almost 30 years. He worked under former Syracuse Head Coach Paul Pasqualoni, a.k.a. "Coach P", from 1995-96 as the Tight End Coach and Assistant Offensive Line Coach for the Orange and 1997-98 as the team's Offensive Line Coach.
He would go on to be an assistant for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Indiana Hoosiers, and Florida Gators before becoming the Head Coach of three programs, the Temple Owls (2011-12), Boston College Eagles (2013-19), and Colorado State Rams (2020-21).
Most recently, he worked under Jimbo Fisher as the Offensive Line Coach for the Texas A&M Aggies, beginning in 2022.
Despite moving on from the team in 1999, Addazio has never lost his ties to Syracuse and Central/Upstate New York.
He loves the area and has kept his eye on the talent in Syracuse and Central/Upstate New York wherever he goes, recruiting football student-athletes as recently as within the last few seasons, including his time as the Head Coach for the Colorado State Rams as well as during his lengthy tenure with the Boston College Eagles.
Addazio has clearly seen that Syracuse and the state of New York in general has quality football student-athletes and has a consistent record of recruiting the area that was left without much response from Syracuse University during the Dino Babers' era.
Tyler Rouse of the Baldwinsville Bees, Tyler Days of the Cicero-North Syracuse (CNS) Northstars, and John Phillips of the Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) Brothers were all recruited by Addazio and his staff and went on to play for the Eagles, to name a few.
Addazio has kept his connection to "Coach P", showing respect to the man that gave him his first NCAA Division I-A (Football Bowl Subdivision, or FBS) coaching gig when he hired "Coach P" to work under him toward the end of his time at Boston College.
So, he started his coaching career at Syracuse, has recruited the area for years, appreciates and respects the talent in the area, and values the relationships he has made in the Central/Upstate New York community... that sounds like a real viable candidate to me.
It also does not hurt that Addazio has been on the staff of two Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship teams.
Jimbo Fisher
Speaking of BCS National Champions, Fisher led the Florida State Seminoles to the final BCS Title back in 2013.
He is the most recent victim of the insane pressure cooker that is the Southeastern Conference (SEC),
In his time with the Aggies, Fisher, from 2018 to now, went 9-4, 8-5, 9-1, 8-4, 5-7, and 6-4. Fisher went to three-straight bowl games in his first three seasons leading the team.
Fisher also did what so many coaches have never done, which is defeat the Alabama Crimson Tide during the Nick Saban regime, and that victory came when Alabama was ranked first in the country.
He successfully recruited under Bobby Bowden as his assistant and then as his successor for the Florida State Seminoles.
Fisher had recruits that were giving teams across the nation a fight year in and year out, and then went on to the National Football League (NFL) after aiding Fisher to records of 10-4. 9-4, 12-2, 14-0, 13-1, 10-3, 10-3, and 5-6 at Florida State.
Syracuse football, through its time in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), has tried to make ties with the state of Florida under numerous recent head coaches. Fisher does not have to build those ties. He has had them for years.
David Walker
Walker was a running back for the Syracuse Orange from 1989 through 1992,.
He would then coach for his Alma Mater from March 1995 through December 2004, leading the Syracuse running backs after being one himself.
From January 2005 to December 2010, Walker served as the Running Backs Coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers.
He would move on to the NFL as a Running Backs Coach for the Indianapolis Colts from January 2011 through January 2015, the Detroit Lions from January 2016 through January 2019, and the Chicago Bears from February 2022 through part of 2023.
His ties to coaching over decades both collegiately and professionally and his ties to fellow Syracuse football alumni can help the Orange roll forward into a hopefully more prosperous era.
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