Syracuse University fires Shafer as football head coach

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University athletic director Mark Coyle this morning announced the firing of Scott Shafer as football head coach after three seasons at the helm.

Shafer will coach the Syracuse Orange in its final 2015 regular season game this Saturday at home vs. Boston College at 12:30 p.m.

Shafer has posted a 13-23 record, including 6-17 in ACC games. He was the defensive coordinator of the Orange for four seasons under then-head coach Doug Marrone. Syracuse promoted Shafer to the top spot after Marrone left to become head coach of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, following the 2012 season.

Shafer led the Orange to a 7-6 record and a victory in the Texas Bowl over Minnesota in his first season as head coach in 2013. But Syracuse then lost 17 of 23 games in 2014 and this season.

“I want to thank Scott, his wife Missy, and their family for their seven years of dedication and service to SU Athletics and Syracuse University. Scott has worked tirelessly to educate our students on and off the field and to build our program. However, I feel a change in leadership is needed at this time. A national search will begin immediately,” Coyle said in a statement.

Syracuse has lost 8 games in a row after a 3-0 start to this season.

Shafer recently said he had one year remaining on his contract.

Finding a replacement

Syracuse will face plenty of competition from other Power 5 conference schools in the East and Midwest in the search for a new coach. Miami, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa State, and Missouri are all in the market for a new football coach.

And, Purdue, Boston College, Indiana, Rutgers, and Virginia are other schools that could soon join them.

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