SU's new offensive coordinator Brian Pariani greets the Syracuse community and the media for the first time.
Robinson Names Pariani as Orange Offensive Coordinator
1/21/2005 9:33:48 AM | Football
Syracuse University head football coach Greg Robinson has named long-time NFL assistant Brian Pariani as the Orange’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. Pariani, who has been in the NFL since 1990 and has been the tight ends coach of the Denver Broncos for the past 10 seasons, has been on the staff of three Super Bowl Champions.
“Brian is as bright as any coach I have worked with who has prepared himself for this position for a long time,” Robinson said. “His knowledge, experience and success will be hard to match. He is a great teacher and family man.”
Pariani (pronounced PEAR-ee-ah-nee) has been a key member of the Broncos’ offensive staff since 1995, the same season Robinson joined the organization as defensive coordinator. Pariani earned two Super Bowl rings, helping Denver to back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998. Denver was ranked in the top five in total offense in seven of Pariani’s 10 seasons, including a number-five ranking last season. In the last 10 years, Broncos’ tight ends caught more passes (851) for more yards (9,875) than any other team in the NFL. Pariani’s tight ends were also crucial to the Denver running game, which ranked in the NFL’s top five in eight of his 10 seasons, including number one in 1996 and number two in 2003. Pariani helped the Broncos to playoff appearances six times in his tenure.
“My family and I are excited to be part of the University and the plan that Greg has for the program,” Pariani said. “When we visited here we could sense the strong community feel, and the values and traditions of the program. The people here are very supportive and that was important in our decision to come to Syracuse. I am thankful for the opportunity to coach with Greg again and be part of the future of this program.”
Prior to his arrival in Denver, Pariani spent five seasons in the San Francisco 49ers organization, earning a Super Bowl title in 1994. He is one of only 15 NFL coaches ever to win a World Championship with two different organizations, and one of just nine ever to win a title with a team from each conference.
“Brian has been an integral part of what we have done on offense for 10 years,” said Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. “He one of the hardest working coaches I have ever worked with. He understands the game and how to teach it. It will be hard for us to lose him. He is a better person than he is a coach. One of his biggest strengths is dealing with people and teaching. I always thought he had the capability to be a coordinator in the NFL. This was an opportunity he really wanted.”
Pariani began his NFL career in 1990 as a scouting assistant with the 49ers. From there he moved to the position of offensive coaches’ assistant for the next four years. His duties included working directly with the offensive coaches and quarterbacks, and assisting in daily practices and game plans. During his time in San Francisco, the 49ers offense led the league in total yards in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, the team scored a team-record 505 points and 62 touchdowns in 1994 on its way to the Super Bowl championship.
“Brian is an extremely bright guy who is very smart and well-trained,” said Terry Donahue, former San Francisco 49ers general manager and UCLA head coach. “He brings a wealth of NFL experience with arguably one of the best two or three coaches in the NFL in Mike Shanahan. Brian will bring an offensive system that is one of the best two or three in all of football. He knows the offense inside and out and will be able to teach the fundamentals of it to the Syracuse players very well. As a result, Syracuse will have a very powerful, diverse, attacking style offense.”
While in Denver, Pariani coached Shannon Sharpe to four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (1995-98) and three straight first-team All-NFL selections (1996-98). Sharpe was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1990s. Pariani also mentored Dwayne Carswell to a Pro Bowl selection in 2001.
“Brian has been around some great offensive minds and some great offensive players,” Sharpe said. “He knows what type of player he wants for the type of system he wants to run. Brian will leave no stone unturned. He goes over everything until you're comfortable with it and know what you're supposed to do and where you're supposed to be.
It was great for me to work with him. When he got there I was already a three-time Pro Bowler and an all-pro tight end, but I learned a lot from him, such as how to watch film and what to look for. Even after I went to Baltimore we still had conversations a few times a month, so that shows you what type of friendship we have that still goes way beyond football.”
Pariani was a member of the 1993 and 1994 NFL Pro Bowl coaching staffs. In addition to his experience in the NFL, Pariani has one season of collegiate coaching under his belt. He served as an offensive graduate assistant at UCLA after earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from that institution in 1989. He served as an undergraduate assistant/administrative assistant in 1987-88.
A native of San Francisco, Pariani played football, baseball and basketball at Marin Catholic High School. He and his wife, Stephanie, have two daughters, Jessica and Gianna.
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