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Syracuse football coach Fran Brown wins two coach-of-the-year awards for new coaches

Fran Brown speaking at his introductory news conference as the Syracuse University head football coach on Dec. 4, 2023. (Eric Reinhardt / CNYBJ)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University (SU) head football coach Fran Brown has received a pair of national honors for first-time head coaches after his successful inaugural season on the Hill.

First, the American Heart Association has named Brown as the winner of the 2024 Paul “Bear” Bryant Newcomer Coach of the Year Award. It celebrates the achievements of an individual who has not had any previous head-coaching experience at the NCAA Division I football sub-division (FBS) level. Coach Brown will be recognized with the honor during the 2025 Bear Bryant Awards on Jan. 22 in Houston Texas, according to the website of the Bryant Awards.

Secondly, Brown has been tabbed to receive the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach Award, awarded by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and presented by Chris Doering Mortgage. Each of the award’s finalists demonstrated excellence in their first seasons at their respective schools. Brown won the award over fellow finalists Spencer Danielson at Boise State and Manny Diaz at Duke, according to the website of the FWAA. Brown will be honored as the best first-year coach in the FBS at a special reception on Feb. 24 at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille restaurant in Gainesville, Florida.

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Brown led the Syracuse Orange to its first 10-win campaign since 2018 and its third, double-digit win season since 2000. Along the way, the Orange defeated three Associated Press (AP) Top 25 teams at the time SU played them, which was the most in a single season for SU since 1998. The season was punctuated by Syracuse’s 42-38 win over Miami in its regular-season finale and then its 52-35 victory over Washington State in the holiday Bowl.

The Orange had a program-best 12 players earn All-ACC honors in 2024, despite the conference now having 17 teams for the first time in league history, SU said in a release.

Quarterback Kyle McCord became the first Syracuse player to finish in the top-10 of Heisman Trophy voting since Dwight Freeney in 2001. McCord set a new ACC record for passing yards and school bests for completions, yards, touchdown passes, and total offense.

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