Syracuse Offensive Coordinator Hot Board

Options for the Orange to lead its offense in 2022.

Here are some names that make sense for Syracuse football's vacant offensive coordinator position. 

ANDREW SOWDER

Current Position: Offensive Coordinator at Kent State

Age: 37

Coaching Experience: 2011: West Texas A&M (Running Backs)
2012-13: Eastern Illinois (Receivers)
2014-15: Bowling Green (Receivers)
2017: San Jose State (Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends)
2018-21: Kent State (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Tight Ends)

Why it Makes Sense: Sowder coached under Dino Babers at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green. He has extensive knowledge of the offense and has contributed to Kent State's resurgence, including leading one of the most potent offenses in college football. 

DARRIN CHIAVERINI

Current Position: None

Age: 44

Coaching Experience: 2007: Mt. San Antonio College (Receivers)
2008: Mt. San Antonio College (Offensive Coordinator/Receivers)
2009: UCLA (Assistant Special Teams Coach)
2010-13: Riverside City College (Associate Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator/Special Teams Coordinator)
2014-15: Texas Tech (Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Receivers)
2016-18: Colorado (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Receivers)
2019: Colorado (Assistant Head Coach/Receivers)
2020-21: Colorado (Offensive Coordinator/Receivers)

Why it Makes Sense: Chiaverini has experience as an offensive coordinator and was even a recruiting coordinator for a few years as part of his job duties at Colorado. He is known as an extremely hard worker, especially on the recruiting trail. Special teams experience helps as well. The down side is that he was let go from Colorado due to the offense having a historically bad season in 2021. Perhaps difference circumstances, including having a player like Sean Tucker, would change those results. 

ANDREW BREINER

Current Position: None

Age: 37

Coaching Experience: 2006: Lock Haven (Receivers)
2007: Allegheny (Receivers)
2008: Allegheny (Quarterbacks)
2009-11: Connecticut (Grad Assistant/Quarterbacks)
2012-15: Fordham (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2016-17: Fordham (Head Coach)
2018-19: Mississippi State (Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator)
2020: Philadelphia Eagles (Pass Game Analyst)
2021: Florida International (Offensive Coordinator/Receivers)

Why it Makes Sense: Breiner spent time at Mississippi State as quarterbacks coach when Garrett Shrader was there. In fact, Breiner was the QB coach during Shrader's strong true freshman season. It makes sense to bring in someone with whom Shrader is familiar. He also has extensive experience as a play caller and quarterbacks coach, and has recruited in the Northeast. 

ZACH KITTLEY

Current Position: Offensive Coordinator at Western Kentucky

Age: 30

Coaching Experience: 2013-14: Texas Tech (Student Assistant/Offensive Intern) 
2015-17: Texas Tech (Graduate Assistant/Assistant Quarterbacks)
2018-20: Houston Baptist (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2021: WKU (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

Why it Makes Sense: Kitty currently oversees one of the highest scoring offenses in college football. Western Kentucky led the nation in passing yards and was second in scoring at 43.2 points per game. He is a young, up and coming offensive mind. He is relatively inexperienced, but it would certainly create some buzz. 

MATT MUMME

Current Position: Offensive Coordinator at Nevada

Age: 46

Coaching Experience: 2003-04: Southeastern Louisiana (Quarterbacks)
2005-08: New Mexico State (Co-Offensive Coordinator)
2009-10: McMurry (Offensive Coordinator)
2011-12: Davidson (Offensive Coordinator)
2013-16: LeGrange (Head Coach)
2017-21: Nevada (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

Why it Makes Sense: Everywhere Mumme has gone, the offenses have produced. Nevada had a top 15 scoring offense in 2021 at over 36 points per game. He has helped develop Carson Strong, who is considered an NFL Draft prospect at quarterback. 

FRANK PONCE

Current Position: Offensive Coordinator at Appalachian State

Age: 50

Coaching Experience: 1992: La Progresiva Presbyterian School (Offensive coordinator)
1993-96: Coral Gables H.S. (Quarterbacks/Wide receivers)
1998: Miami Northwestern H.S. (Quarterbacks)
1999-2000: Miami Central H.S. (Offensive coordinator/QBs)
2002-03: Miami Coral Reef H.S. (Head coach)
2004-06: Miami Senior H.S. (Head coach/Offensive coordinator)
2007-12: Florida International (Wide receivers)
2013-18: App State (Co-Offensive coordinator, Passing game/QBs)
2019-20: Louisville (Passing game coordinator/QBs)
2021: App State (Offensive Coordinator/QBs)

Why it Makes Sense: Ponce has experience as a play caller and developing quarterbacks. His spent more than 10 years as a high school coach in Florida, which gives him recruiting ties to one of the most talent rich states in the country. App State was a top 20 scoring offense this season. 

GRAHAM HARRELL

Current Position: None

Age: 35

Coaching Experience: 2009: Oklahoma State (Quality Control)
2014-15: Washington State (Receivers)
2016-18: North Texas (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2019-21: USC (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

Why it Makes Sense: Harrell is a young coach with experience as a play caller and coaching quarterbacks. At North Texas, he took over an offense that had been in the bottom 25 in passing, yards and points. In 2017 and 2018, North Texas was in the top 26 nationally in all three categories. 

ERIC MORRIS

Current Position: Head Coach at Incarnate Word

Age: 36

Coaching Experience: 2010-11: Houston (Grad Assistant/Quality Control)
2012: Washington State (Inside Receivers)
2013-17: Texas Tech (Offensive Coordinator)
2018-21: Incarnate Word (Head Coach)

Why it Makes Sense: Morris is very young, has experience as a play caller at the power five level and is considered a strong offensive mind. He has trained under some respected offensive minds. He led Incarnate Word to a 10-2 record in 2021. The Cardinals had been a struggling football team prior to Morris taking over in 2018, going 1-10 and 3-8 in the previous two seasons.

TIM CRAMSEY

Current Position: Marshall

Age: 46 

Coaching Experience: 2003-05: New Hampshire (Tight Ends)
2006-07: New Hampshire (Running Backs)
2008: New Hampshire (Quarterbacks)
2009-11: New Hampshire (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2012: Florida International (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2013-15: Montana State (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2016: Nevada (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2017: Sam Houston State (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2018-21: Marshall (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

Why it Makes Sense: Cramsey has a ton of experience as a play caller and developing quarterbacks. His previous coaching stops gives him a lot of recruiting ties to the Northeast. 

MIKE BOBO

Current Position: None

Age: 47

Coaching Experience: 2000: Jacksonville State (Quarterbacks)
2001-06: Georgia (Quarterbacks)
2007-14: Georgia (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2015-19: Colorado State (Head Coach)
2020: South Carolina (Offensive Coordinator/Interim Head Coach)
2021: Auburn (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

Why it Makes Sense: Another established play caller who has developed quarterbacks and coached at the power five level. Bobo is considered an excellent recruiter, though most of his coaching career has been in the south.