Syracuse football loses its starting RB and adds a new assistant head coach

In what could be considered only a surprise one month after indicating he planned to return to the program, starting Syracuse tailback Yasin Willis announced Tuesday via social media his plans to add his name into the transfer portal following his sophomore season, in which he led the Orange with 583 yards rushing and scored four touchdowns.

Also Tuesday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Fran Brown is bringing aboard veteran college and NFL assistant coach John Scott Jr. to his staff with multiple titles of assistant head coach, defensive run game coordinator, and defensive line coach. Scott served as a volunteer defensive assistant coach under Dabo Swinney at Clemson the last two seasons.

Willis is the third Orange RB and 20th SU player overall to indicate their desire to enter the transfer portal

Brown admitted during his national signing day press conference that he expected to lose some 20-25 players to the portal, but he probably did not expect to see Willis' name on the list, especially after all signs pointed to him returning for his junior season.

Willis is the first front-line starting player to announce for the portal which is open from January 2-16, and he joins a duo of back-up running backs, Malachi James and Jaden Hart, who have indicated they are also moving on from the program.

Redshirt senior RB Will Nixon, who filled in for Willis when he missed several games due to injury this season, is out of eligibility but has reportedly applied for a medical hardship waiver for one extra season, which he has indicated would again be at the 'Cuse with his father Jeff the team's offensive coordinator.

The SU head coach and his new defensive coaching hire both played football at Western Carolina

Brown and Scott have a long connection in football coaching going back nearly 15 years, and they share the same football playing experience amidst the beautiful mountains surrounding the lovely college town of Cullowhee, N.C. (several years apart).

The two crossed paths briefly on the field during pregame warmups in September when the Orange ended up shocking the Tigers in Death Valley, in what ultimately, and ironically in the case of adding Scott to the staff, turned out to be the last glorious postgame celebration of the season.

Scott has coached for several other P4 programs including South Carolina and Penn State, and spent three years in the NFL with the Jets and Lions.

His hiring along with Brown's key move of luring Vince Kehres from Toledo as the new defensive coordinator, has completely reshaped how these two longtime coaches will be entrusted with resurrecting a Syracuse defense which finished 124th out of 134 FBS teams in total defense last season.

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