The mandate from SU athletics director John Wildhack was clear: He expected Syracuse basketball and its third-year head coach, former 'Cuse standout point guard Adrian Autry, to play meaningful games in March during the 2025-26 season.
That didn't happen, and Autry will be fired on Wednesday, according to multiple media reports. I feel for Red and his staff, especially assistant coach Allen Griffin, who overlapped with me for three years while I was a student at Syracuse University.
Sources: Syracuse will part ways with Adrian Autry.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 11, 2026
Official announcement expected today.
In the ACC Tournament's first round on Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C., the No. 14 seed Orange lost to No. 11 seed SMU, 86-69. That resulted in SU's final record in 2025-26 residing at 15-17 overall, which is just one win more than in 2024-25, when the program sported a 14-19 mark, its worst performance in decades.
Syracuse basketball will part ways with head coach Adrian Autry on Wednesday.
Following Syracuse basketball's setback to the Mustangs, Autry took accountability in his post-game press conference, saying in part: "I didn’t get the results that we wanted."
The writing was on the wall that Red assumed he would be fired, and those comments after the defeat to SMU echoed other similar thoughts that Autry shared in the public domain lately that suggested his tenure as the Orange's head coach would be over after the 2025-26 season.
Autry just couldn't get it done in his time as the 'Cuse boss. Granted, the landscape in college sports is so different from what it was a few years ago, given the transfer portal's explosion, third-party NIL deals and now direct revenue-sharing.
However, in his three years at the Orange's helm after replacing the legendary Jim Boeheim, Autry went a combined 49-48 overall. His best season was his first, in 2023-24, when SU went 20-12, the program's first 20-win regular season in a decade.
Syracuse's season is over. SU falls to SMU in the ACC Tournament's 1st round, 86-69. The Orange goes 15-17 in 2025-26. Adrian Autry is 49-48 in his three seasons at the helm. 'Cuse has three losing campaigns over the past five terms. Time for me to have a beer. Love you all. 🧡
— InsideTheLoudHouse (@LoudHouseFS) March 10, 2026
Syracuse basketball, unfortunately, regressed after that. Autry never led the 'Cuse to the NCAA Tournament, and the Orange hasn't reached March Madness since 2021. Plus, SU ended the 2025-26 campaign with six straight losses.
Autry bleeds Orange like it's nobody's business. So does Griff. They're both former Syracuse basketball star players, and they've been members of the team's coaching staff for years. I have a ton of respect for them, even if a head coaching change needed to occur.
Sending love to Red, Griff and the entire staff. They're part of the 'Cuse family forever.