Syracuse Football: Top 5 long-term replacements at DC for Brian Ward

Scott Shafer (Middle Tennessee State, defensive coordinator)

Now let’s expand out of the current regime and go to an old one. Why not Scott Shafer?

Would it be weird? Of course, Scott was the head coach at Syracuse why would he come back to have a lesser role? It’s actually quite simple.

Some coaches like to be the head dog and some coaches don’t. There’s nothing wrong with that, people thrive in different roles.

Shafer has been coaching college football since 1991, so he’s got a ton of tread on the tires. In that time he was only a head coach once, from 2013-2015, and didn’t thrive in that role with the Orange. He was forced into that position when Doug Marrone just up and left to the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. Although Scott thrived when he focused solely on the defensive side of the ball.

This would be a really good hire on a lot of levels. Scott Shafer isn’t just a coach, he’s a former player. Shafer was a quarterback in high school/college and understands how a passer thinks, which gives him a unique perspective as a defensive mastermind.

Currently, he’s in the midst of his second season with the Blue Raiders. In 2018 he got Middle Tennessee ranked in several national categories (sixth in defensive TDs, 16th in INTs, 40th in sacks, 12th in fourth-down conversion percentage, 29th in red zone defense and 20th in turnovers gained, per the team’s website).

Scott could step back up in competition in the ACC, could have a homecoming of sorts returning to the Orange, and Dino Babers can have a trusted veteran option that has been there and done that.