Former Syracuse guard on Adrian Autry firing: ‘It’s sad'

Andrew Kouwe, a guard on the 2003 Syracuse national championship team, discusses his thoughts on SU dismissing Adrian Autry.

Mar 7, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange head coach Adrian Autry (center) looks on during the second half against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

On Wednesday, Syracuse dismissed head coach Adrian Autry after three uneven seasons at SU. Autry, a former player and long-time assistant coach under Jim Boeheim, struggled, posting a 49-48 record, and a 15-17 record in his final season with the Orange.

Former Syracuse guard Andrew Kouwe, a player on the Orange's 2003 national championship team, discussed his thoughts on the firing on the most recent edition of the Juice on the Cuse Podcast, presented by On SI and Bleav.

"Just sadness," Kouwe said when he heard the news. "Especially for Adrian as an alumni, obviously a great Syracuse player, and really just an overall great guy when you have a chance to talk with him. When you have a one-on-one away from the cameras and press, he's just a really great guy, great guy to talk to. It's a sadness because it just didn't work out."

What went wrong in the Autry era?

Though coaching certainly played an issue in his struggles, Kouwe also pointed out that the modern age of college basketball with the transfer portal and NIL has put SU in a tough position as a smaller school with a more limited budget.

The transfer rules have also made player development more difficult. Kouwe pointed out that the era of a four-year player developing at a school, such as Andy Rautins, Hakim Warrick, Trevor Cooney and Eric Devendorf, is no longer realistic.

"If certain big time recruits don't exactly work out, it's tough to turn it around quickly. Syracuse is just in a tough spot in this new college basketball environment.”

Who is next at Syracuse?

Kouwe also looks forward and discusses the upcoming coaching search. One name that has come up repeatedly is Kouwe's former teammate, Gerry McNamara. McNamara, in just his second season at Siena, led them to the NCAA Tournament. It is Siena's first time in the tourney in 16 years, and has vaulted McNamara's name into high-major consideration.

"The answer is yes (I would want him back at Syracuse). Look what he just did with Siena. I think that's just unbelievable. You see the way the players play for him. You see his excitement. And even listening to his interview last night after the game, talk about the joy he has found for player development."

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