Fran Brown, the head coach of Syracuse and former defensive backs coach for Georgia, might unexpectedly succeed Kirby Smart as the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs if Smart ever departs from Athens.
When the Syracuse Orange hired Georgia defensive backs coach Fran Brown as their head coach this past offseason, it was reminiscent of a scene from NBC’s The Office, as he could be described as “the assistant manager to the assistant manager.”
Fran Brown’s performance in recruiting at Syracuse has been impressive. Within just a few months, he has elevated the Orange to the 44th best recruiting class in the country for 2025 and currently holds the seventh spot for the 2026 class, according to On3. For 2025, Brown has secured 24 three-star commits, the highest number in the nation. Additionally, he managed to recruit former Ohio State starting quarterback Kyle McCord to lead the team in the 2024 season.
Brown is also establishing a recruiting pipeline in the South, particularly in Georgia. He successfully retained and signed four three-star players: tight end Jamie Tremble, edge rusher KingJoseph Edwards, cornerback Marcus Washington, and quarterback Jakhari Williams. Williams, in particular, is Syracuse’s most significant quarterback recruit since Donovan McNabb, who is arguably the best quarterback in the school’s history.
The fact that Brown achieved all this in a short period is remarkable, especially considering he put together the 2024 class in just a few weeks before the early signing period began.
Before Fran Brown’s arrival, Syracuse had an average recruiting class ranking of 66th in the country since 2004. Brown’s impact has been significant, with his current and projected classes for 2024, 2025, and 2026 all ranking well above this historical average.
In fact, none of Syracuse’s recruiting classes since 2004 have ranked higher than the 38th projected best class for 2025 that Brown is aiming to bring in. While Brown still needs to demonstrate success on the field, his recruiting achievements are promising for both Syracuse and the potential future of the Georgia Bulldogs.
Other potential successors to Kirby Smart at Georgia include former Bulldogs defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, who is currently the head coach of the Oregon Ducks, and current Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann.
Schumann is likely to land his first head coaching job at another major program before potentially returning to Georgia unless Smart leaves after the 2024 season. As for Lanning, luring him away from Oregon might be challenging. Oregon’s recent move to the Big 10 conference, combined with substantial revenue and the backing of Nike founder and Oregon alumnus Phil Knight, makes it a less likely scenario.
If Fran Brown continues to excel on the field at Syracuse, he could become a strong candidate for the Georgia job. His recruiting prowess and ability to build successful teams in upstate New York suggest he could thrive in the SEC, where talent is abundant and closer to his roots.