Syracuse, N.Y. — The college football offseason always follows a familiar pattern.
Coaches are fired. Coached are hired. Coaches are graded prematurely based on minimal information.
Grading coaching hires immediately is an exceptionally difficult task but it makes for interesting reading, shapes future storylines and provides at least some sense of how the outside world views the college football landscape and Syracuse.
Three well-known national college football reporters have taken a crack at ranking the college football coach hirings this offseason, a collection of writers that includes CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, USA Today’s Paul Myerberg and Fox Sports’ Bryan Fisher.
While the group didn’t grade Fran Brown as a flop, they all seemed less enthused about athletic director John Wildhack’s hire than Orange supporters seem to be in the early going.
All three noted Brown’s impressive recruiting credentials but pointed out the challenge of jumping from a position coach to running a program.
Fisher called it the year’s most “out-of-the-box hire.”
CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd gave Syracuse’s hiring of Brown a C+, which is better than just four of the 20 coaches he ranked. His grades were published on Thursday, following the Orange’s impressive showing on National Signing Day.
Dodd wrote: “I get that Brown has some juice as the assistant at Kirby Smart’s favorite position (defensive backs) at Georgia. I also know that jumping from position coach to Power Five head coach has its challenges — especially at a place like Syracuse. Brown will have to learn on the fly. He is armed with a national title ring (in 2022) and possibly a difference-making QB in portal acquisition Kyle McCord from Ohio State. So far so good.”
Fox Sports’ Bryan Fisher also gave the hiring of Brown a C+, which ranked better than just two of the coaches he ranked this offseason. He did publish his grades before Syracuse’s impressive effort on National Signing Day but his write-up…
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