Football
Lustig, Justin
Justin Lustig
- Title:
- Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Receivers
- Email:
- jelustig@syr.edu
- Phone:
- 6731
A 2018 Broyles Award nominee as the nation’s top assistant coach, Justin Lustig was promoted to assistant head coach by Dino Babers in February 2019. He is in his fourth season with the Orange and his third season as the program’s special teams coordinator and outside receivers coach. Lustig served as Syracuse’s special teams coordinator and running backs coach in 2017.
Lustig has developed 47 all-conference players during his career. He has worked on the staffs of five teams that reached the NCAA playoffs and coached in three bowl games. He also spent one season as a head coach, winning Division II national coach of the year honors at Edinboro (Pa.) University in 2016.
Since arriving at Syracuse, Lustig’s kicking and coverage teams have ranked among the best in college football. The Orange have led the ACC in net punting every year under Lustig and finished in the top 10 nationally in 2019 (3rd - 43.03) and 2017 (10th - 41.3). His 2017 punt team was No. 4 in the country in punt return defense (2.67 ypr) and set the school season record for fewest opponent punt returns (9). Additionally, Syracuse was No. 1 in the conference in kickoff coverage (42.7 net avg.). In 2019, Syracuse ranked fifth in the FBS in punt return defense (1.7 ypr) and surrendered just 17 punt return yards, the fewest in program history.
Lustig’s dominant special teams helped propel the Orange to a 10-3 record in 2018. His units contributed two touchdowns (1 punt return, 1 blocked punt return) and the Orange finished sixth overall (No. 2 among Power-Five teams) in ESPN’s special teams efficiency ratings.
Lustig has coached five All-ACC players at Syracuse, including four specialists. Chief among them is Andre Szmyt, who captured the 2018 Lou Groza Award as the nation’s best placekicker. The third freshman to ever win the award and a unanimous All-American, Szmyt made an ACC-record 30 field goals and became the second kicker to lead the FBS in scoring (11.6 ppg).
Punter Sterling Hofrichter and return man Sean Riley also excelled under Lustig’s guidance. The Syracuse career leader in punting yardage, Hofrichter capped his stellar career in 2019 by becoming the first Ray Guy Award finalist in school history and earning All-America honors from seven different selectors. Riley ended his Orange career as the program’s all-time leader in kickoff returns (115), kickoff return yardage (2,433) and finished third all-time with 4,358 all-purpose yards. Both players are now in the NFL. Hofrichter was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and Riley signed a free-agent contract with the New England Patriots.
Specialists aren’t the only ones who have benefited from Lustig’s teaching. In his first year as Syracuse’s outside receivers coach, Lustig oversaw the development of Jamal Custis. Custis was named to the 2018 All-ACC Second Team and signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs following a breakout campaign in which he more than tripled his career receiving totals. In 2019, Lustig pupil Trishton Jackson, who is now a member of the Los Angeles Rams, was voted to the All-ACC Second Team after he became the first junior in Syracuse history to record a 1,000-yard receiving season.
Before joining the Orange, Lustig was the head coach at Edinboro University where he was named the 2016 D2Football.com Coach of the Year. Lustig inherited an 0-11 team and led the Fighting Scots to a 9-2 record in his only year at the helm. The turnaround was the best in Division II football history. Along with his national coach of the year award, Lustig was voted the Don Hansen Football Gazette Super Region One co-Coach of the Year and the Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference (PSAC) West Coach of the Year.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Edinboro, Lustig made assistant coaching stops at five schools, including four Division I institutions. His most notable achievements came at Ball State where he was the special teams coordinator and running backs coach from 2011-15. The Cardinals played in the 2012 Beef O’Brady’s Bowl and the 2014 GoDaddy Bowl during Lustig’s time in Muncie.
After starting his coaching career as an assistant at Christopher Newport from 2001-02, Lustig spent the 2003 season as the cornerbacks coach at Villanova. He returned to Christopher Newport for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, working as special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach. His four-year tenure with the Captains featured a USA South Atlantic Conference co-championship and three NCAA Division III playoff berths.
Lustig served as special teams coordinator and running backs coach at Eastern Illinois from 2006-09. He helped EIU to two FCS playoff appearances and coached three 1,000-yard rushers.
Following his stint at Eastern Illinois, Lustig worked for two seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette as the special teams coordinator and running backs coach.
A 1996 graduate of Pennsylvania’s Cathedral Prep, Lustig played collegiately at Bucknell. He was a four-year starter at defensive back for the Bison and captained the team as a senior.
Lustig earned his bachelor’s degree in English and history from Bucknell in 2000. He received his master’s degree in human resource management from George Washington University in 2005.
Lustig and his wife, Beth Ann, have two sons, Samuel and Henry.
THE LUSTIG FILE
Experience: 20th season/4th at Syracuse
Hometown: Erie, Pa.
Alma Mater: Bucknell '00
Family: wife, Beth Ann; sons, Samuel and Henry
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Bucknell (1997-2000)
POSTSEASON COACHING EXPERIENCE
2001 Division III Playoffs (First Round)
2002 Division III Playoffs (First Round)
2004 Division III Playoffs (Second Round)
2006 FCS Playoffs (First Round)
2007 FCS Playoffs (First Round)
2012 Beef O'Brady's Bowl
2014 GoDaddy Bowl
2018 Camping World Bowl
PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
Ball State
Jahwan Edwards (San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns)
Jamill Smith (Ottawa Redblacks - CFL, Edmonton Eskimos - CFL, Montreal Alouettes - CFL)
Scott Secor (2014 MAC Special Teams Player of the Year, 2014 Lou Groza Award Semifinalist)
Steve Schott (2012 All-MAC First Team, 2012 Lou Groza Award Semifinalist)
Scott Kovanda (Cincinnati Bengals)
Edinboro
Ta'Nauz Gregory (2016 Division II Freshman of the Year)
Vic Hudson (2016 All-American)
Syracuse
Jamal Custis (Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Sterling Hofrichter (Atlanta Falcons)
Trishton Jackson (Los Angeles Rams)
Sean Riley (New England Patriots)
Andre Szmyt (2018 Lou Groza Award Winner, 2018 Unanimous All-American)
Lustig has developed 47 all-conference players during his career. He has worked on the staffs of five teams that reached the NCAA playoffs and coached in three bowl games. He also spent one season as a head coach, winning Division II national coach of the year honors at Edinboro (Pa.) University in 2016.
Since arriving at Syracuse, Lustig’s kicking and coverage teams have ranked among the best in college football. The Orange have led the ACC in net punting every year under Lustig and finished in the top 10 nationally in 2019 (3rd - 43.03) and 2017 (10th - 41.3). His 2017 punt team was No. 4 in the country in punt return defense (2.67 ypr) and set the school season record for fewest opponent punt returns (9). Additionally, Syracuse was No. 1 in the conference in kickoff coverage (42.7 net avg.). In 2019, Syracuse ranked fifth in the FBS in punt return defense (1.7 ypr) and surrendered just 17 punt return yards, the fewest in program history.
Lustig’s dominant special teams helped propel the Orange to a 10-3 record in 2018. His units contributed two touchdowns (1 punt return, 1 blocked punt return) and the Orange finished sixth overall (No. 2 among Power-Five teams) in ESPN’s special teams efficiency ratings.
Lustig has coached five All-ACC players at Syracuse, including four specialists. Chief among them is Andre Szmyt, who captured the 2018 Lou Groza Award as the nation’s best placekicker. The third freshman to ever win the award and a unanimous All-American, Szmyt made an ACC-record 30 field goals and became the second kicker to lead the FBS in scoring (11.6 ppg).
Punter Sterling Hofrichter and return man Sean Riley also excelled under Lustig’s guidance. The Syracuse career leader in punting yardage, Hofrichter capped his stellar career in 2019 by becoming the first Ray Guy Award finalist in school history and earning All-America honors from seven different selectors. Riley ended his Orange career as the program’s all-time leader in kickoff returns (115), kickoff return yardage (2,433) and finished third all-time with 4,358 all-purpose yards. Both players are now in the NFL. Hofrichter was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and Riley signed a free-agent contract with the New England Patriots.
Specialists aren’t the only ones who have benefited from Lustig’s teaching. In his first year as Syracuse’s outside receivers coach, Lustig oversaw the development of Jamal Custis. Custis was named to the 2018 All-ACC Second Team and signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs following a breakout campaign in which he more than tripled his career receiving totals. In 2019, Lustig pupil Trishton Jackson, who is now a member of the Los Angeles Rams, was voted to the All-ACC Second Team after he became the first junior in Syracuse history to record a 1,000-yard receiving season.
Before joining the Orange, Lustig was the head coach at Edinboro University where he was named the 2016 D2Football.com Coach of the Year. Lustig inherited an 0-11 team and led the Fighting Scots to a 9-2 record in his only year at the helm. The turnaround was the best in Division II football history. Along with his national coach of the year award, Lustig was voted the Don Hansen Football Gazette Super Region One co-Coach of the Year and the Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference (PSAC) West Coach of the Year.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Edinboro, Lustig made assistant coaching stops at five schools, including four Division I institutions. His most notable achievements came at Ball State where he was the special teams coordinator and running backs coach from 2011-15. The Cardinals played in the 2012 Beef O’Brady’s Bowl and the 2014 GoDaddy Bowl during Lustig’s time in Muncie.
After starting his coaching career as an assistant at Christopher Newport from 2001-02, Lustig spent the 2003 season as the cornerbacks coach at Villanova. He returned to Christopher Newport for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, working as special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach. His four-year tenure with the Captains featured a USA South Atlantic Conference co-championship and three NCAA Division III playoff berths.
Lustig served as special teams coordinator and running backs coach at Eastern Illinois from 2006-09. He helped EIU to two FCS playoff appearances and coached three 1,000-yard rushers.
Following his stint at Eastern Illinois, Lustig worked for two seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette as the special teams coordinator and running backs coach.
A 1996 graduate of Pennsylvania’s Cathedral Prep, Lustig played collegiately at Bucknell. He was a four-year starter at defensive back for the Bison and captained the team as a senior.
Lustig earned his bachelor’s degree in English and history from Bucknell in 2000. He received his master’s degree in human resource management from George Washington University in 2005.
Lustig and his wife, Beth Ann, have two sons, Samuel and Henry.
THE LUSTIG FILE
Experience: 20th season/4th at Syracuse
Hometown: Erie, Pa.
Alma Mater: Bucknell '00
Family: wife, Beth Ann; sons, Samuel and Henry
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Bucknell (1997-2000)
| COACHING LEDGER | ||
| Years | School | Position |
| 2001-02 | Christopher Newport | Defensive Backs |
| 2003 | Villanova | Cornerbacks |
| 2004-05 | Christopher Newport | Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs/Recruiting Coordinator |
| 2006-08 | Eastern Illinois | Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs |
| 2009-10 | Louisiana-Lafayette | Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs |
| 2011-14 | Ball State | Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs |
| 2015 | Ball State | Asst. Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs |
| 2016 | Edinboro | Head Coach |
| 2017 | Syracuse | Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs |
| 2018 | Syracuse | Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Receivers |
| 2019-present | Syracuse | Asst. Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Receivers |
POSTSEASON COACHING EXPERIENCE
2001 Division III Playoffs (First Round)
2002 Division III Playoffs (First Round)
2004 Division III Playoffs (Second Round)
2006 FCS Playoffs (First Round)
2007 FCS Playoffs (First Round)
2012 Beef O'Brady's Bowl
2014 GoDaddy Bowl
2018 Camping World Bowl
PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
Ball State
Jahwan Edwards (San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns)
Jamill Smith (Ottawa Redblacks - CFL, Edmonton Eskimos - CFL, Montreal Alouettes - CFL)
Scott Secor (2014 MAC Special Teams Player of the Year, 2014 Lou Groza Award Semifinalist)
Steve Schott (2012 All-MAC First Team, 2012 Lou Groza Award Semifinalist)
Scott Kovanda (Cincinnati Bengals)
Edinboro
Ta'Nauz Gregory (2016 Division II Freshman of the Year)
Vic Hudson (2016 All-American)
Syracuse
Jamal Custis (Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Sterling Hofrichter (Atlanta Falcons)
Trishton Jackson (Los Angeles Rams)
Sean Riley (New England Patriots)
Andre Szmyt (2018 Lou Groza Award Winner, 2018 Unanimous All-American)
Players presser conference at Clemson
Sunday, September 21
Players postgame press conference at Clemson
Saturday, September 20
Fran Brown postgame press conference
Saturday, September 20
Highlights | Syracuse at Clemson
Saturday, September 20
