Football
Brown, Fran
Fran Brown
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- 4791
Fran Brown was hired as Syracuse’s 31st head coach on Nov. 28, 2023 and in one year instilled a culture of success that has paid immediate dividends for the Syracuse football program.
Brown delivered a 10-win season in his first year at the helm, tying Paul Pasqualoni (1991) for the most victories by a coach in their first season at Syracuse. The 10 wins tie for the third-most victories in a season in program history and was just the third double-digit win campaign for Syracuse since the start of this century.
Buoyed by the culture of D.A.R.T. (Detailed. Accountable. Relentless. Tough.), Brown’s Orange won three games against top-25 opponents, the most since 1998 for Syracuse, tallied nine wins over bowl teams, finished the season ranked in every poll for the first time since 2018 and boasted a 7-2 mark in one-score games. ‘Cuse capped the season with a win over Washington State in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl, the program’s third-straight bowl appearance.
Syracuse had 12 players earn All-ACC honors, the most since joining the conference, despite the league now having the most teams in conference history (17), including First Team All-ACC selection Oronde Gadsden II, who also earned AP All-America honors.
The Orange’s passing attack led the nation and set numerous records in Brown’s first season. Led by standout Kyle McCord, who became the first Syracuse player to finish in the top-10 of Heisman Trophy voting since 2001. McCord set new program records for passing yards (4,779), completions (391), passing attempts (592), passing touchdowns (34), yards per game (367.6) and total offense (4,714).
‘Cuse had four players with 60+ receptions, the only school in the nation to do so, and had five players have over 500 yards receiving. Trebor Pena (84), Jackson Meeks (78), Oronde Gadsden II (73) and LeQuint Allen Jr. (64), all finished in the top-11 of single-season receptions at Syracuse.
Allen also had over 1,000 yards on the ground, making him the first running back in school history to have over 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the same season. Allen set new program records for receptions (64) and receiving yards (521) by a running back. He was one-of-two running backs nationally to go over 1,000 rushing and 500 receiving yards on the season.
With Allen’s 1,021 rushing yards and Jackson Meeks’ 1,021 receiving yards, it was the first time since 2012 that ‘Cuse had a 1,000+ yard rusher and receiver.
In addition to Allen’s records by a running back, Gadsden broke his own record for receptions by a tight end (73) on the season.
The Orange offense set over 20 individual or team single-season or career records on the season.
Defensively, 10 different Syracuse players recorded an interception on the season, a hallmark of Brown’s experience in the secondary and development of defensive backs.
The nation’s top recruiter, a member of the 2022 College Football National Championship coaching staff and a New Jersey native, Brown has invigorated Syracuse’s recruiting efforts in just one season at Syracuse. The 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes – Brown’s first two classes – are the two highest-ranked recruiting classes since the advent of national recruiting services. His first transfer portal class ranked No. 9 nationally, another program best.
A proven winner, Brown is 37-4 over his last three seasons between his first season as a head coach and last two as an assistant.
Brown came to Syracuse from Georgia, where he joined the staff in early 2022. The Bulldogs were 27-1 in his time there and he was part of the coaching staff that led the team to an undefeated season and victory in the 2022 College Football National Championship. Under the leadership of the defensive coaching staff, the Georgia defense finished the season ranked among the nation’s leaders in rushing defense, scoring defense, red zone defense and total defense. The defense also finished the season with two first team All-Americans and finalists for awards, including the Butkus Award, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.
According to 247Sports, Brown was the No. 1 recruiter in the nation for the 2024 recruiting class and played a critical role in attracting top talent to Georgia. This designation follows his recruitment of two five-star prospects, both of whom were ranked No. 1 in their respective positions.
Brown’s extensive resume also includes stops at Rutgers, Temple (2011-16, 2019), Baylor (2017-18) and Paul VI High School (2010).
Prior to joining the Georgia staff, Brown was defensive backs coach at Rutgers for two seasons. In his first year with the program, his secondary helped create 19 turnovers in 2020, 10 more than the previous season and the most since 2012 for the Scarlet Knights.
Before Rutgers, Brown was co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach at Temple. While there, the defensive unit was nationally ranked in red zone defense, sacks, defensive touchdowns, tackles-for-loss and fumbles recovered. At Temple, Brown recruited or coached five players who went on to play in the NFL, including three draft picks: Harrison Hand (fifth round, Minnesota Vikings), Shaun Bradley (sixth round, Philadelphia Eagles) and Chapelle Russell (seventh round, Tampa Bay).
Brown has also recruited and worked with future NFL players, such as Sean Chandler, P.J. Walker, Hasson Reddick, Jullian Taylor, Sharif Finch, Jacob Martin and Raquell Armstead.
At Baylor, Brown served as the assistant head coach/defensive backs coach. While in Waco, he helped turn the program around from a 1-11 season in 2017 to a 7-6 mark the following year, which culminated in a Texas Bowl victory.
A former student-athlete, Brown played football at Western Carolina University, where he was named a team captain and earned First Team All-SoCon selection at cornerback for the Catamounts. He went on to play two seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Brown grew up in Camden, New Jersey, and began his collegiate career at Hudson Valley Community College, before
Brown and his wife, Teara, have two sons, Fran Jr. and Brayden, and a daughter, Ivy Ann.
Brown delivered a 10-win season in his first year at the helm, tying Paul Pasqualoni (1991) for the most victories by a coach in their first season at Syracuse. The 10 wins tie for the third-most victories in a season in program history and was just the third double-digit win campaign for Syracuse since the start of this century.
Buoyed by the culture of D.A.R.T. (Detailed. Accountable. Relentless. Tough.), Brown’s Orange won three games against top-25 opponents, the most since 1998 for Syracuse, tallied nine wins over bowl teams, finished the season ranked in every poll for the first time since 2018 and boasted a 7-2 mark in one-score games. ‘Cuse capped the season with a win over Washington State in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl, the program’s third-straight bowl appearance.
Syracuse had 12 players earn All-ACC honors, the most since joining the conference, despite the league now having the most teams in conference history (17), including First Team All-ACC selection Oronde Gadsden II, who also earned AP All-America honors.
The Orange’s passing attack led the nation and set numerous records in Brown’s first season. Led by standout Kyle McCord, who became the first Syracuse player to finish in the top-10 of Heisman Trophy voting since 2001. McCord set new program records for passing yards (4,779), completions (391), passing attempts (592), passing touchdowns (34), yards per game (367.6) and total offense (4,714).
‘Cuse had four players with 60+ receptions, the only school in the nation to do so, and had five players have over 500 yards receiving. Trebor Pena (84), Jackson Meeks (78), Oronde Gadsden II (73) and LeQuint Allen Jr. (64), all finished in the top-11 of single-season receptions at Syracuse.
Allen also had over 1,000 yards on the ground, making him the first running back in school history to have over 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the same season. Allen set new program records for receptions (64) and receiving yards (521) by a running back. He was one-of-two running backs nationally to go over 1,000 rushing and 500 receiving yards on the season.
With Allen’s 1,021 rushing yards and Jackson Meeks’ 1,021 receiving yards, it was the first time since 2012 that ‘Cuse had a 1,000+ yard rusher and receiver.
In addition to Allen’s records by a running back, Gadsden broke his own record for receptions by a tight end (73) on the season.
The Orange offense set over 20 individual or team single-season or career records on the season.
Defensively, 10 different Syracuse players recorded an interception on the season, a hallmark of Brown’s experience in the secondary and development of defensive backs.
The nation’s top recruiter, a member of the 2022 College Football National Championship coaching staff and a New Jersey native, Brown has invigorated Syracuse’s recruiting efforts in just one season at Syracuse. The 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes – Brown’s first two classes – are the two highest-ranked recruiting classes since the advent of national recruiting services. His first transfer portal class ranked No. 9 nationally, another program best.
A proven winner, Brown is 37-4 over his last three seasons between his first season as a head coach and last two as an assistant.
Brown came to Syracuse from Georgia, where he joined the staff in early 2022. The Bulldogs were 27-1 in his time there and he was part of the coaching staff that led the team to an undefeated season and victory in the 2022 College Football National Championship. Under the leadership of the defensive coaching staff, the Georgia defense finished the season ranked among the nation’s leaders in rushing defense, scoring defense, red zone defense and total defense. The defense also finished the season with two first team All-Americans and finalists for awards, including the Butkus Award, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.
According to 247Sports, Brown was the No. 1 recruiter in the nation for the 2024 recruiting class and played a critical role in attracting top talent to Georgia. This designation follows his recruitment of two five-star prospects, both of whom were ranked No. 1 in their respective positions.
Brown’s extensive resume also includes stops at Rutgers, Temple (2011-16, 2019), Baylor (2017-18) and Paul VI High School (2010).
Prior to joining the Georgia staff, Brown was defensive backs coach at Rutgers for two seasons. In his first year with the program, his secondary helped create 19 turnovers in 2020, 10 more than the previous season and the most since 2012 for the Scarlet Knights.
Before Rutgers, Brown was co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach at Temple. While there, the defensive unit was nationally ranked in red zone defense, sacks, defensive touchdowns, tackles-for-loss and fumbles recovered. At Temple, Brown recruited or coached five players who went on to play in the NFL, including three draft picks: Harrison Hand (fifth round, Minnesota Vikings), Shaun Bradley (sixth round, Philadelphia Eagles) and Chapelle Russell (seventh round, Tampa Bay).
Brown has also recruited and worked with future NFL players, such as Sean Chandler, P.J. Walker, Hasson Reddick, Jullian Taylor, Sharif Finch, Jacob Martin and Raquell Armstead.
At Baylor, Brown served as the assistant head coach/defensive backs coach. While in Waco, he helped turn the program around from a 1-11 season in 2017 to a 7-6 mark the following year, which culminated in a Texas Bowl victory.
A former student-athlete, Brown played football at Western Carolina University, where he was named a team captain and earned First Team All-SoCon selection at cornerback for the Catamounts. He went on to play two seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Brown grew up in Camden, New Jersey, and began his collegiate career at Hudson Valley Community College, before
Brown and his wife, Teara, have two sons, Fran Jr. and Brayden, and a daughter, Ivy Ann.
Fran Brown Press Conference | Week 3 vs. Colgate
Monday, September 08
Fran Brown Press Conference
Monday, September 08
Fran Brown Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, September 06
Players Postgame vs. UConn
Saturday, September 06
