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Syracuse head football coach Fran Brown has been recognized with two prestigious national awards for his outstanding performance in his first season with the Orange. Brown received the Paul "Bear" Bryant Newcomer Coach of the Year Award on Tuesday (January 14) and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach Award from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Wednesday (January 15).
Brown took over the Syracuse program after the firing of Dino Babers and led the team to an impressive 10-3 record. This marked only the third time since 2000 that Syracuse has achieved 10 or more wins in a season. The team finished ranked twenty-first in the College Football Playoff poll and secured a victory in the Holiday Bowl against Washington State, winning 52-35.
Before joining Syracuse, Brown was the defensive backs coach at the University of Georgia, where he was part of the 2022 national championship team. His transition to head coach at Syracuse has been marked by a successful season, including three top-25 wins and nine victories over bowl game schools.
Brown's leadership transformed Syracuse into one of the most high-powered offenses in the country, with quarterback Kyle McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, leading the nation in total passing yards with 4,779. McCord set records for passing yards, pass completions, and total offense in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and at Syracuse.
Brown is only the second Syracuse coach since the mid-1940s to win 10 games in his first year, following Paul Pasqualoni in 1991. He will receive the Bear Bryant Award on January 22, and the Steve Spurrier Award in February in Gainesville.