5 Dino Babers replacements who can put Syracuse football back on the map

Count the Syracuse Orange as the next college football team looking for a new head coach in 2024. Syracuse parted ways with its longtime head coach in Dino Babers after falling on the road to Georgia Tech in a bowl-game clinching scenario for both parties. Babers went 41-55 overall in eight seasons leading SU, going 20-45 in conference play. He had one top-15 finish at Syracuse that came in 2018.

Admittedly, Syracuse is not an easy job. It is a basketball school, but one that is in a state of transition after iconic men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim stepped down. The Orange play in a competitive Power Five conference and are the only program in the State of New York with that designation. Historically, Syracuse has had incredible success on the gridiron, but most of that predates the ACC.

Could SU have rolled with Babers for another season? Sure, but it probably would have been more of the same. His struggles in conference play are well-documented. What is surprising is that Syracuse wants to make this move now ahead of what could be its final game of the season. They could still achieve bowl eligibility with a win over a 4-7 Wake Forest Demon Deacons team at home next week.

Without further ado, here are five candidates I think could be exactly what Syracuse is looking for.

5. Tony White had been Dino Babers' defensive coordinator from 2020-22

Although former Orange coach Doug Marrone is still out there, a guy with a strong Syracuse connection to monitor is Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White. He joined Matt Rhule's staff in Lincoln this past season after having served as Babers' defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022 at SU. He first got connected with Babers when they were both on Karl Dorrell's 2007 UCLA Bruins staff.

To me, Syracuse hiring White would be like getting a slight reboot of the Babers era. At times, Orange football was exciting under Babers, but things had gotten stale under him in the last few seasons. White is an up-and-coming defensive mind in the Power Five, one who has helped a rebuilding Nebraska team look strong on defense at times. It has been their offense that has been the issue.

Frankly, I would suspect that White will stay on Rhule's staff in Lincoln for at least another year or so, no matter what happens in a gotta-have-it game vs. Iowa in Cornucopia next week. However, White's familiarity with the Syracuse program could be a huge advantage in his chances of taking over for one of his football mentors. Surely, Babers would endorse White, but I think that SU could do better.

If White is able to convey what Syracuse's new identity under him will be, then he has a real shot here.