Syracuse transfer guard's social media reveals familiar faces will join Gerry McNamara's coaching staff

It looks like two more familiar names to Orange Nation will join G-Mac's first staff, in addition to the previously announced four assistant coaches.

Feb 9, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Temple Owls guard Aiden Tobiason (25) looks to pass the ball against the Memphis Tigers during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

The Syracuse coaching staff continues to blaze down the transfer portal path of building out the 2026-27 roster, with Monday's news that Temple junior guard Aiden Tobiason has committed to transferring into the Orange program.

Tobiason made an official visit to Syracuse over the weekend, and the Orange staff obviously made it clear there was immediate playing time for the 6-5 junior who averaged 15.3 points and 3.7 rebounds, while shooting 48.0 percent from the floor for the Owls in the 2025-26 season. 

A "picture speaks a thousand words" (sort of) applies

What made Tobiason's news a little more interesting Monday was the video and the video snapshot he attached to his IG account announcing his commitment to the 'Cuse.

It showed familiar faces Ryan Blackwell and Peter Corasaniti standing with Tobiason in his new Syracuse uniform, along with McNamara and four other 'Cuse assistant coaches who have already been formally announced by the school.

McNamara has said from his introductory press conference on March 30 that his first staff would be comprised of both familiar names and new names, as we have seen with the addition of former Orange center Arinze Onuaku who came with McNamara from his Siena staff, and the likes of Ryan Daly (VCU) and Jamal Brunt (Penn State).

Likewise, we know now that Blackwell, another G-Mac Siena assistant and former SU player, is joining the staff, although his official hiring and specific job title have not yet been revealed.

Working for his third Syracuse basketball head coach

By retaining Corasaniti as presumably the director of basketball operations amidst his assistant coaching duties, McNamara has the luxury of a coach in which he has a long relationship, and who brings a dose of continuity to the the new staff from the Adrian Autry era.

Corasaniti was the head manager and a graduate assistant for six years under Jim Boeheim while a student beginning in 2012, and returned to work under Boeheim as director of operations in 2019.

He continued in that role under Autry in 2023, and even after Autry and his three primary assistants were dismissed on March 11, Corasaniti's remained as an administrative staff member holding down the fort until the McNamara hiring.

Considering that since the 1968-69 season Syracuse basketball has only had four head coaches (Roy Danforth added to the three aforementioned), it is a unique angle to think that Corasaniti will now have served under three of those four coaches that spans of period of 57 years.

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