Syracuse Football: Following tough 2025 season, major staff changes were necessary

Syracuse football's offseason overhaul has begun.

The Orange wrapped up its disappointing 2025 campaign this past Saturday, when the 'Cuse got crushed by Boston College to finish at 3-9 overall and 1-7 in Atlantic Coast Conference competition. Syracuse football ended 2025 on an eight-game setback streak.

This offseason, the Orange's roster will likely see many changes. The transfer portal will be open from January 2 to January 16. The 'Cuse is also getting a massive makeover of its assistant coaching staff.

On Tuesday, head coach Fran Brown announced that those assistants who will not be retained for the 2026 season include special teams coordinator Ricky Brumfield, offensive line coach Dale Williams, defensive backs coach Joe Schaefer and co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Robert Wright.

Additionally, defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, who is a childhood friend of Brown's when they grew up in Camden, N.J., has a "new role" as the Orange's co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. This move likely means that Brown will bring on board another defensive coordinator who will handle play-calling duties on this side of the field.

"The results this season were not reflective of the high standards I have for our program," Brown said in a statement released by SU Athletics. "After carefully evaluating our entire organization, I made the difficult decision to seek new leadership for some units of our football team. These are the changes needed for our goals of competing for championships at Syracuse."

While I feel for those who were impacted by these decisions, and I wish the coaches not retained by the 'Cuse nothing but great success moving forward, these changes were needed after a dismal 2025 term in which the Orange mightily struggled on both offense and defense.

Syracuse football also had staff changes last month.

In early November, Brown noted another shake-up among his assistant coaches. First-year wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Myles White was no longer with the program. Taking over as the Orange's wide receivers coach would be Josh Gattis, who joined the team this past April as a quality control/offensive specialist.

Also last month, offensive associate head coach Nunzio Campanile was moved from coaching the quarterbacks to coaching the tight ends. Co-offensive coordinator Michael Johnson went from tight ends coach to quarterbacks coach.

In 2025, Syracuse football started at 3-1 after beating Clemson on the road in September. But then starting quarterback Steve Angeli went down, the QB room became dysfunctional, and the team as a whole performed poorly in virtually all facets.

Within the ACC, the Orange was No. 15 overall in scoring offense and No. 17 (i.e., dead last) in scoring defense. In offensive yards per game, the 'Cuse was No. 15, while in yards allowed per contest on defense, Syracuse football checked in at No. 16 out of 17 league members.

The early signing period for 2026 high school prospects runs this Wednesday until Friday. The Orange is eyeing its highest-ranked prep class in the modern recruiting rankings era. The future looks bright.

Oh, and a huge congrats to Syracuse football redshirt senior punter Jack Stonehouse, who on Tuesday was named to the 2025 All-ACC first team. Heck. Yeah.