Defensive Coordinator Hot Board 1.0

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Thursday was certainly a drama filled day for Syracuse football. The Orange lost its offensive and defensive coordinators, but promoted from within to replace the offensive coordinator on a permanent basis. The defensive coordinator position was tabbed on an interim basis.

Who could Syracuse look at in order to run the defense permanently moving forward? Here are five candidates that make sense.

Nick Monroe (Defensive Passing Game Coordinator - Syracuse)

Monroe was named the Interim Defensive Coordinator and will call plays for the bowl game. He is extremely deserving of a chance to run the defense full time. Monroe has been with Dino Babers since the Bowling Green days and has been loyal to Babers during his career at Syracuse. He is known as an ace recruiter and has done an excellent job developing defensive backs. If Monroe is going to be a defensive coordinator for Babers, now is the perfect time. When Garrett Williams gets drafted, that will make four Orange defensive backs that have been selected in the NFL Draft that were coached by Monroe. He has the coaching track record, he has bided his time, he has been loyal to Dino and he is one of the best recruiters on staff.

In fact, if I'm Syracuse, I remove the interim tag and give him a crack at it moving forward. Not doing so hurts recruiting as currently committed defensive players could elect not to sign and explore their options. In addition, Syracuse is trying to recruit transfer portal defensive players. Not having a defensive coordinator in place makes that much more difficult. Monroe would also mean continuity, which could help stem the tide of current players electing to leave. This move would make a ton of sense.

Travis Williams (Defensive Coordinator - UCF)

Williams is an up and coming coach who has done well at UCF. Why would he leave? Perhaps he wants the opportunity to run a defense at the power five level. Williams runs the 3-3-5 at Central Florida, which is what Babers wants to continue to run at Syracuse. This would allow for that to continue. No scheme change helps with recruiting and player retention. Williams also has experience coaching linebackers, as Tony White did at Syracuse. This would fill both holes.

Tyson Veidt (Linebackers Coach - Iowa State)

Viedt has coached in the 3-3-5 scheme for several years at Iowa State. The Cyclones have had very good defensive teams during that time, and Veidt seems to be ready for that next step in his career. Veidt would be able to fill the role of coaching linebackers like Williams. Another feather in his cap is that Veidt has been the defensive coordinator at lower levels of football, meaning he has experience calling plays. Of course it is different at this level, but he is another coach that seems ready to make that jump.

Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay (Nickels Coach - NC State)

Another 3-3-5 assistant, Aughtry-Lindsay has experience coaching linebackers and has been a defensive coordinator at lower levels as well. He is a well respected coach, has been part of excellent defenses, knows the ACC and believes in the 3-3-5 scheme. It would be a good fit for a variety of reasons.

Jeremiah Johnson (Defensive Coordinator - Kent State)

Kent State has lost its head coach in Sean Lewis (former Syracuse offensive coordinator) to Colorado as Lewis is joining Deion Sanders' staff. Because of that departure, current assistants are in flux. That means Jeremiah Johnson, who came to Kent State this past season to run the defense, is looking for a job. He runs the 3-3-5, has a long track record of being a defensive coordinator (one year at Kent State, nine years at Northern Iowa) and has been successful everywhere he has been. During his one season with the Golden Flashes, he lowered the points allowed per game by more than a touchdown and yards per game allowed by nearly 40.