Syracuse HC Fran Brown Admits To Tennessee Fandom That Dates Back 27 Years

The wait is over. Tonight in Atlanta, Syracuse opens its 2025 season against Tennessee, and the anticipation couldn’t be higher. Fran Brown’s Orange are coming off a 10-3 debut campaign that reignited belief in the program, and now the second-year HC has his sights set on another statement season. The Vols and Orange may not be historic rivals, but make no mistake, the Tennessee Volunteers have long been stitched into Brown’s own history.

“It’s fun to get a chance to play against Tennessee, though, just to be honest. The tradition… it’s a blue-blooded college football. Been doing well for a long time,” he admitted in a conversation with Syracuse Orange. Brown also remembers the Vols in their golden days, when stars like Peyton Manning and Tee Martin, who won the National Championship in 1998, left behind a robust impression with their powerful snaps.

He went on,

“I remember when I kind of started to first watch Tennessee Peyton Manning were 16, and I remember them getting a chance to go and play…And then the next year, if it was T Martin, if I’m not mistaken, won a national championship,” he added. But his connection goes deeper than childhood fandom. Blood ties cemented it. “I had a cousin named Rashad Baker, he started safety there for four years.” Baker played for the Vols from 2000 to 2003. Although recruited as a wide receiver, he shifted to safety as a freshman. During his time, he made the second-team All-SEC honors as a sophomore and first-team All-SEC honors as a junior in 2002.

Brown’s coaching journey has carried him through Temple, Baylor, and eventually Georgia, where he was part of Kirby Smart’s defensive staff that won the National Championship in 2023. His reputation as one of the nation’s top recruits was forged there, but so too were lessons from facing the very team he’ll see tonight, per the SBNation. “Got a chance to compete against him when I was at Georgia two times, and it was actually the hardest week of being able to prepare for them.” 

The respect is mutual. Brown sees in Heupel a coach who has reshaped the Vols’ identity with relentless pace and creativity. “So, always been somewhat of a fan but extremely excited for the opportunity to go and compete against him (Tennessee).” All of it sets the stage for tonight. For Syracuse, it’s a chance to prove that last year’s 10 wins were just the beginning. Two teams, two visions, one stage. Kickoff is just hours away. So, is Brown ready for an explosive season against Josh Heupel’s T?

Fran Brown’s weakest link against Tennessee

Last season, the Orange cheered 10+ winning streaks, but it certainly wasn’t a cake walk, and more concerns have piled up this upcoming season. Last campaign, the defense buckled, ranking 78th overall in total defense. And the offense? It fared well, ranking No. 10th in rushing offense, but after the season concluded, that offensive talent bled to the NFL and the transfer portal. As per FanDuel, Tennessee is favored to win the match (+440), so the concerns are already pressing hard.

Having said that, Fan’s appreciation for Heupel peaks through his tough exterior. “I think Coach Heupel has stepped in and done an amazing job….He’s just got a lot of good players. He’s an intelligent coach.” Having lost Kyle McCord and their three stalwart receivers, Trebor Pena, Jackson Meeks, and Oronde Gadsden II. Fran Brown’s squad has transfers TJ Ferguson, Austin Collins, and Zach Rice, along with Yasin Willis (limited action). So, the run game is coming along as an issue. And Vol’s defense is robust.

“If you look at Tennessee’s defensive front led by Joshua Josephs and Bryson Eason, I think they could potentially dominate the line of scrimmage, which would lead to Syracuse becoming a little one-dimensional and potentially ineffective,” Greg McElroy said. “They (Vols) want to utilize tempo; I think Syracuse’s best path to victory might be to kind of slow things down, turn this into a bit of a methodical, grind-it-out, keep-away style of attack,” he added. Now, back to the need of the hour, can the offense get past the Vols’ defense?