A Syracuse win on Saturday was not enough to please head coach Fran Brown.
The Orange trailed by two scores throughout most of their game against UConn at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. The home team entered the fourth quarter down 17-6 and didn’t look like they had any shot at a comeback based on their poor play to open the period.
On Syracuse’s first fourth-quarter drive, kicker Tripp Woody missed a 48-yard field goal that would have got the Orange to within eight. After Syracuse forced a three-and-out on defense, Orange quarterback Steve Angeli threw an interception two plays into the following drive.
Syracuse’s offense finally got out of its funk late by scoring two touchdowns to force overtime, where the Orange came away with a 27-20 victory.
But Brown didn’t want his team to take their pads off just yet. The veteran coach made his players run sprints as penance for their lethargic performance for most of Saturday’s game.
Fran Brown isn’t pleased with Syracuse’s effort today in its win over UConn…
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) September 6, 2025
They are running sprints after the game
pic.twitter.com/k4k4knH5b6
Brown explained the punishment after the game.
“It’s because, at certain times during the game, we weren’t running,” Brown said. “Guys not running or getting lined up. Guys not running to the ball. I want to celebrate the win with the people, but I’m so pissed. I’m mad as heck right now. I always talk to a lot of the coaches that coached me. [They tell me] you need to either coach it or you allow it, so I feel like I’m allowing it.
“I just want to hold them to the standard of who they are. These guys are excellent men. They’re going to be great fathers and husbands, and I want to make sure that I’m always holding them to that standard of who they are, and not allowing them to underachieve at anything.”
Syracuse football coach Fran Brown should be applauded for publicly making his team run sprints after a poor win, & for his excellent explanation afterwards…
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) September 7, 2025
But I wonder why he felt safe from any media/PC attacks for doing this?
It is a mystery that may never be solved.
🤔😂 pic.twitter.com/g0gneox6xk
One can only imagine what Brown would have had his players do had Syracuse lose the game against UConn.
