Fran Brown got his first head coaching opportunity last season with the Syracuse Orange. He had an immediate impact on the team as it jumped from a 6-7 record in 2023 to 10-3. While the Orange did not qualify for the college football playoff, they stayed competitive in the ACC all season long and won the Holiday Bowl against Washington State to finish the year.
Now that Brown is heading into his second season, there are big expectations on the Orange to improve and possibly compete for a college football playoff spot. On Wednesday, Brown appeared for ACC media day.
In an interview, he praised the Georgia Bulldogs’ two-time national champion head coach, Kirby Smart. Brown was a defensive backs coach at Georgia under Smart for two seasons before taking the job at Syracuse.
“The number one thing I’m gonna do though coach, I’m gonna be myself,” Brown said. “Cuz I see so many people leave from a program as prestigious and as well as Kirby Smart did and then they try to go there and be Kirby, and I never will be able to be him.” (2:30)
“I can only be myself, but I can implement some of the things that he did. The models and things of that nature. God has blessed me with the ability to be myself, so I’m just gonna be myself. Humble confidence. I’m humble enough to know he’s given me this chance and this opportunity and the talent, but I walk with a little sense of confidence because I’m gonna put that work in every day,” he added.
Fran Brown Expresses Excitement to Play Tennessee at the Start of the Season
Getting to the college football playoff is often dependent on a strong start and that could be difficult for Fran Brown and the Syracuse Orange. Their season starts with a matchup against one of the SEC’s best teams, the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Despite the possibly challenging matchup, Brown expressed excitement at the ACC media days on Wednesday about playing the Vols.
“We’re extremely happy to get a chance to go and play against Tennessee,” Brown said. They do a real good job. Our team is excited and thankful.”
Brown went on to talk about how strong a program Tennessee has. As a result, he wants to approach the game like an opportunity. He is focused on ensuring his team uses the game as an opportunity to learn how to play against other top opponents.
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