Fran Brown on whether he will coach with Georgia football in Orange Bowl
Defensive backs coach Fran Brown won’t coach in the Orange Bowl with Georgia football.
The just-hired Syracuse head coach, who flew from Athens to New York Sunday. said at an introductory press conference Monday morning at the ACC school that he’s full go in his new job.
“I’m the head coach of Syracuse,” Brown said, speaking after Georgia’s SEC championship game loss to Alabama. “I won’t go back. I’m here to support my guys, I’m here to do everything possible. I hope he still gives me my check because we did help make the game. I’m completely here. I’m locked in here. We’re recruiting. We’re trying to have official visits coming up this weekend. We’re full tilt, man.”
More: Kirby Smart says Georgia football will 'be up' for Orange Bowl after playoff snub
More: Georgia football vs. Florida State in Orange Bowl matches top two teams left out of playoff
Brown mentioned some Georgia coaches by name he worked with in his two years that helped get him to his first head coaching job including defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.
“I really grew a relationship with Muschamp, which I’m trying trying to do some things with Muschamp,” Brown said without elaborating if he was referring to a possible staff role for him with Syracuse.
Brown and Muschamp split duties in coaching Georgia defensive backs.
Brown said he reached out to Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack to let him know he was interested in the job and they spoke on the phone again on Thanksgiving night.
Wildchuck spoke to Georgia coach Kirby Smart for about 25 minutes the day before the Georgia Tech game, he said. By Monday, Brown finalized a deal with Syracuse.
“I was still obligated to help us go out and win the SEC championship,” Brown said. “I owed it to those guys to give it everything I had. It was tough to do two things.”
Smart told him to stay back in Athens last Friday to do interviews for staff positions for the Orange before rejoining the team at the hotel Friday night.
Texas A&M’s Elijah Robinson is joining Brown as his defensive coordinator, Brown confirmed.
Brown said Schumann reached out to him to come to Georgia in 2021.
“Kirby Smart is one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever been around,” Brown said. “He’s taught me so much in two years. This dude, when I first got there, I tried to sit as far away from him as possible. He said no Fran, you told me you were going to get the best players and I told you, I was going to help you become a head coach. Sit right here, buddy. So I had to sit literally right next to him for two straight years.”
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Syracuse's Fran Brown on plans with Georgia football for Orange Bowl
