Syracuse is 1-2, and after another ugly loss — this time at Pitt — the calls to fire Fran Brown are getting louder.
A SportsHub TikTok post has gained traction by floating five possible replacements. But before Orange fans start dreaming about the next coach, it’s worth asking a question:
Are any of these names a clear upgrade over the guy Syracuse already has?
Brown delivered a 10-win season in his first year. Last season, he lost starting quarterback Steve Angeli to an Achilles injury in Week 4. This year, Angeli has struggled (perhaps he still isn’t 100%), and Brown’s substantially reworked staff has had just three games together. Those aren’t excuses for the turnovers, penalties or losses. They are reasons to resist declaring the entire project a failure in September.
Now, about that replacement list.
Joe Klanderman — Baylor defensive coordinator. Klanderman has built an impressive defensive résumé, but he has never been a college head coach. He led Kansas State to some of the best defenses in the Big 12. But Syracuse would be replacing someone who has already won 10 games here with another first-time head coach — and hoping Klanderman can build a recruiting operation as effectively as Brown has.
Lance Taylor — Western Michigan head coach. Taylor led the Broncos to 10 wins and a MAC championship in 2025. But his first two seasons were 4-8 and 6-7. His own success is an argument for giving a coach time to build, not for firing Brown three games into Year 3. And winning the MAC does not automatically mean he could recruit and win in the ACC.
Dan Mullen — UNLV head coach; formerly Florida and Mississippi State. Mullen is the most established head coach on this list. He won at two SEC schools and led UNLV to 10 victories last season. But his Florida tenure ended amid a 5-6 start in 2021. Hiring him would mean betting that his offensive system and experience translate to Syracuse — not guaranteeing an escape from disappointing seasons. Also, are we sure he’d leave UNLV for Syracuse? It’s a Power 4 job, but UNLV can pay well because of a few deep-pocketed boosters and Mullen has a chance to be a power in his conference, instead of a scrappy middle-tier school in the ACC.
Shiel Wood — Texas Tech defensive coordinator. Wood helped build an outstanding Red Raiders defense, but he has never been an FBS head coach. Like Klanderman, he would arrive with an impressive specialty and unanswered questions about running an entire program. Would he recruit better than Brown? Assemble a better staff? Keep Syracuse’s roster together? Those are enormous assumptions to make. For all the hand-wringing about Brown’s inexperience, why would SU fans suddenly want another first-time head coach?
Dabo Swinney — Clemson head coach. This one barely qualifies as a realistic suggestion. Swinney is still employed by Clemson and has won two national championships. Even if he became available, there’s no reason to believe he would choose Syracuse over the other opportunities a coach with that résumé could pursue. Also, one of Fran’s signature wins was over Dabo and Swinney has continually sounded like a fossil in today’s CFB world. Putting his name on a TikTok graphic is much easier than actually hiring him.
None of this means Brown gets a free pass. Syracuse is investing serious money in football, and the results need to improve. He was hired to recruit beyond the program’s financial weight class, win battles that aren’t decided solely by the biggest NIL offer and turn that talent into victories.
But “fire Fran” is a slogan that comes out of frustration. The other part is finding someone who can actually do those things better.
Brown has already shown he can produce a 10-win season at Syracuse. His quarterback situation and staff overhaul warrant context, even as the losses demand accountability.
If the Orange continue to unravel, the conversation will change. Right now, though, the names being floated illustrate just how much uncertainty comes with starting over.
Before Syracuse fans demand a new coach, they ought to remember you’re probably trading a current coach for another massive gamble.
