Syracuse Football: Fran Brown dishes on being nervous, what he learned, fan support

In his post-game press conference after Syracuse football beat Ohio at home in the 2024 season opener on Saturday, first-year head coach Fran Brown discussed a variety of topics.

Brown, a first-time head coach who most recently served as the defensive backs coach at Southeastern Conference powerhouse Georgia, continues to demonstrate just what kind of person he is.

Competitive. Humble. Aggressive. Genuine. Loyal. Candid. Upfront. A man of faith. Community-oriented. The list of positive traits goes on and on.

Yes, I'm a big fan of Fran Brown, both as a football coach and a human being. What struck me about his post-game presser on Saturday evening is how honest and open he is. He even showed some vulnerability, in my opinion, and that's a good thing.

Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown dished on his first game as a head coach at the college level.

First and foremost, as he's done numerous times of late, Brown spoke about how thankful he is to be leading the Orange program. He genuinely means it. I love that.

Before the game on Saturday, a non-conference affair that the 'Cuse would win by a final count of 38-22, there was a new "Quad Walk" that had been detailed by SU Athletics in this recent announcement.

By all accounts, according to social media posts, this event was a home run. Brown said that everyone "did an amazing job." He gave a shout-out to the fans, the band, the cheerleaders, the dance team, family and friends who were there, and so on.

The 'Cuse head coach said that his players appreciated the "good show" that was put on for the Orange team.

This next part, to me, was the most charming part of Brown's post-game press conference. Understandably, as a first-year and a first-time head coach, he was asked if he was nervous before the Syracuse football battle with Ohio.

Brown said that, while standing in the tunnel before the Orange entered the field, "I was so scared." He said he called his wife roughly three times on Saturday. He noted that he had been "tight and nervous" for the past few days.

To reiterate, this shows the kind of character that Brown possesses. He's got integrity, he's honest, he keeps everything real. He's tough, he's demanding, and he's no-nonsense. But he's also got a big heart.

When asked about his preparation as a head coach, versus a position coach in the past, Brown said that now his focus is on an entire team, not just one specific unit. He meets with six to seven players every day. "Everyone's problems and situations come to your desk."

Brown says that he's involved in all aspects of the team, he's helping to coach all of the position groups, he's running around frenetically, and he's holding everyone accountable. "It's pretty cool," he said.

This facet was also intriguing. When asked by a reporter what he learned about himself and his new role as a head coach after the first game, Brown acknowledged that he has to "control my composure a little bit more." He has to continue to learn how to communicate with the officials, for example. Ask them questions and learn how far he can go before an official "will throw a flag."

Against, just an honest, candid response from Brown.

The Syracuse football head coach was also asked what he learned about his 2024 roster following this week-one victory. He said, rather matter-of-factly, that he learned his squad is resilient. That players have each other's back.

In the aftermath of the Orange's win over Ohio, many articles have come out noting that the 'Cuse defensive line struggled, and that Syracuse football did a poor job of containing the Bobcats' rushing attack.

Brown said that, for one, he learned that when his defense wasn't playing all that well, his offense turned it up a notch and capitalized. If the Orange can put it all together, this can be a good football team, the head coach says.

In a future contest, it may be the offense that is struggling, and the defense, hopefully, will come up big. Special teams, too.

The encouraging sign here is that despite having an overhauled roster, a new head coach, and a lot of new assistants, already the 'Cuse is competing as a cohesive unit, doing what's best for the team over individual accolades.

That, from my perspective, is excellent coaching. Brown says, over and over, that he's thankful to be the Syracuse football head coach. Conversely, I'm thankful that this fine human being is leading our beloved Orange.