Syracuse Football: Justin Lustig promoted to Assistant Head Coach

The Syracuse football squad has made a change on their coaching staff promoting Justin Lustig to Assistant Head Coach, here are the details.

Good things happen to good people and that’s the case for Justin Lustig special teams coordinator and outside receivers coach for the Syracuse football squad.

It was announced Thursday afternoon that Lustig was being promoted to assistant head coach. A well-deserved honor for one of the most underrated coaches in all of college football.

Lustig was Syracuse’s special teams coordinator last season. Special teams truly were the secret sauce behind the record-breaking 10-3 campaign for the Orange. Some of the highlights of this past season include (per the official press release):

"“His special teams units led the ACC in net punting average (39.3) for the second year in a row and topped the conference in kickoff return yardage defense (18.3 ypr). Additionally, the Orange ranked among the top three in the conference in four more special teams categories.”"

Despite the promotion, he will continue his roles as the special teams coordinator and outside receiver coach. That’s a great thing actually and here’s why.

We know how good SU’s special teams were last year. Sterling Hofrichter was really good and Andre Szmyt (who no one knew before the season) exploded and had the best season in Syracuse history and one of the best in college football history garnering “unanimous All-America honors and winning the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s best kicker.” In his two years in total Justin has coached five All-ACC selections.

In addition to his incredible work with special teams, he also coached the outside receivers and the lone receiver that is leaving the program and chasing his NFL dreams is Jamal Custis.

Custis owes a lot of his senior success to Lustig who helped Jamal realize his best season in an Orange uniform. Jamal tripled his yardage, voted All-ACC second team, participated in the annual East-West Shrine game, and was invited to the annual NFL Scouting Combine.

Dino Babers provided a statement through the official press release:

"“Justin has been instrumental to the success we’ve had here,” Babers said via the Syracuse press release. “His special teams units are outstanding and he’s an excellent teacher and mentor for our student-athletes. We’re fortunate to have him as part of our football family.”"

This isn’t the first time Lustig has turned a program around. Before joining Syracuse Justin was the head coach of Edinboro University where he inherited an 0-11 team and in his lone season at the top led the Fighting Scots to a 9-2 record.

Justin has earned this promotion through his work with Syracuse and his dedication as an assistant for 15 years at five different schools from Villanova to Ball State. Congratulations coach a well-deserved honor! Per Stephen Bailey of Syracuse.com, Orange cornerbacks coach Kim McCloud held the role of “assistant head coach” for the last three seasons. On Cuse.com Kim McCloud is listed solely as the cornerbacks coach for the Orange.  Syracuse opens spring practice Sunday, March 3, per Cuse.com.