Syracuse names Scott Shafer head coach of football program

SYRACUSE — Syracuse University (SU) today announced it has promoted defensive coordinator Scott Shafer to head coach of its football program, following the departure of Doug Marrone to become the Buffalo Bills head coach.

“I look forward to representing the hard-nosed city of Syracuse and the great state of New York as the head coach of Syracuse University,” Shafer said in a news release. “We will go to work every day to put a quality product on the field as we storm our way into the Atlantic Coast Conference.”

Shafer, who was SU’s defensive coordinator for the past four years, has 22 years of college coaching experience. “His defenses are known for blitzing schemes and a relentless pursuit of the football,” SU said in its release.

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Syracuse defenses have ranked among the nation’s best in various statistical categories during Shafer’s four-year tenure leading them. The football team posted a 25-25 record during that time, after going 10-37 in the prior four-year period.

“I know and trust Coach Shafer will enhance the momentum that has been created in the program. He is a brilliant coach, a tireless worker and a relentless recruiter who believes that we can create a sustainable championship culture. I am convinced Coach Shafer will successfully carry the torch of the Syracuse football legacy,” Syracuse Director of Athletics Daryl Gross, said in a statement.

Gross and Shafer are scheduled to host a press conference on Friday, Jan. 11 to discuss the hiring with the media.

Prior to coming to Syracuse, Shafer climbed the coaching ranks with stops at Indiana University (graduate assistant, 1991-92), the University of Rhode Island (secondary, 1993-95), Northern Illinois University (defensive coordinator/defensive backs, 1996-2003), the University of Illinois (defensive backs, 2004), Western Michigan(defensive coordinator/defensive backs, 2005-06), Stanford (assistant head coach/defensive coordinator, 2007), and the University of Michigan (defensive coordinator, 2008).

Shafer played quarterback and was a team captain at Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio from 1986 to 1989. He began his collegiate playing career at Ohio University in 1985.

A native of Painesville, Ohio, Shafer earned his undergraduate degree in education from Baldwin-Wallace in 1990 and his master’s degree from Indiana University in 1993. He and his wife, Missy, have a son, Wolfgang, and a daughter, Elsa. They reside in the Fayetteville-Manlius area.

Shafer’s Résumé At-A-Glance

Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com