Tom Coughlin (photo
courtesy of NY Giants)
courtesy of NY Giants)
Countdown to Kickoff: Former SU Coaches in New Places
8/20/2004 8:30:35 AM | Football
SYRACUSE, NY – Head Coach Paul Pasqualoni is not the only coach to start as an assistant for the Syracuse Orange before becoming a head coach. Many head coaches in college football and the NFL have spent time on the SU coaching staff, including the head coaches of the last two NCAA champions. In 16 days, the current SU coaching staff will lead the Orange onto the field at Purdue as SU begins the 2004 season.
Jim Tressel led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a Fiesta Bowl victory against Miami and the 2002 National Championship. It may have not been possible if it were not for former SU head coach Dick MacPherson hiring Tressel as the offensive backs coach during the 1981 and 82 seasons.
Nick Saban made it two in a row for former Syracuse assistants as he led LSU to a Sugar Bowl victory against Oklahoma and the 2003 National Championship. Saban's stint at Syracuse was his first full-time coaching experience. He was the defensive ends coach in 1977 under then-head coach Frank Maloney.
A fellow assistant coach of Saban’s was current New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. After completing his playing career at SU, Coughlin served as an assistant for the Orange from 1975 to 1980. He was in charge of the offensive backs for three years before becoming offensive coordinator in 1978. Prior to being named the head coach of the Giants, Coughlin also coached Boston College and the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, where he was named the league's Coach of the Year in 1996.
An assistant under Coughlin with Boston College and Jacksonville and current Connecticut head coach, Randy Edsall, played for the Orange and served as a coach for SU. Edsall lettered at SU in 1979 and then served numerous roles on the SU coaching staff from 1982 to 1990.
Joining Coughlin as former SU coaches to become head coaches in the NFL are Dick MacPherson and Dave Campo. MacPherson, who served as SU's head coach from 1981-90, was the coach of the New England Patriots for two seasons (1991-92) and former defensive backs and secondary coach Dave Campo was the coach of the Dallas Cowboys for three seasons (2002-02).
An SU assistant coach from 1983 through 1988, Clarence Brooks is now in his 12th season in the NFL and his fifth as the Miami Dolphins defensive line coach. Former Orange assistant Bob Casullo, who was at SU from 1986-94, is in his first year with the New York Jets after coaching the Raiders in Oakland from 2000 through 2003. In addition, former SU assistant Ivan Fears, who was with the Orange from 1980 through 1990, is in his seventh year with the New England Patriots and his 13th in the NFL, and former SU strength and conditioning coach Mike Woicik is in his 14th year in the league and his fourth with the Patriots.
There are a number of former SU graduate assistant coaches working in the NFL on the field and in front offices, including New England Patriots Vice President of Player Personnel Scott Pioli, who was on SU's staff as a graduate assistant in 1988-89.
Syracuse begins the season on Sunday, September 5 at Purdue. The game kicks off at 1:30 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ABC. SU then plays at Buffalo on September 11 at 6:00 p.m. The Orange kicks off the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, September 18 against Cincinnati at 12:00 p.m. SU will also host Rutgers (Oct. 2 at 12:00 p.m.), Florida State (Oct. 9), Connecticut (Oct. 30) and Pittsburgh (Nov. 6).
For ticket information and prices, call the Carrier Dome box office at 1-888-DOMETIX. Tickets are available at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B), by telephone (888-DOMETIX) or on the Internet www.dometix.com
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