The news broke just before midnight Tuesday. Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 reported that South Florida head coach Bryan Hodgson had turned down the Syracuse basketball job. Adam Zagoria confirmed it shortly after.
That was the second name to fall off the board in eight days. The Syracuse coaching search now has one name left on the board.
How Syracuse Got Here
When Adrian Autry was fired on March 10, no one in college basketball was surprise. Autry compiled a 49-48 record and failed to reach the NCAA Tournament in three seasons at his alma mater.
Shortly after, Syracuse announced a national search for its next coach. The first domino fell quietly: Josh Schertz signed a contract extension at Saint Louis, turning down interview invitations from multiple power conference programs along the way.
Then came Bryan Hodgson. A mentee of Alabama’s Nate Oats with Western New York roots and ties to key Syracuse donors, he was the Orange’s primary target. He reportedly turned down the job and is currently deciding between staying at South Florida or jumping ship to Providence.
Syracuse’s NIL Problem
The reasoning behind Hodgson decision wasn’t complicated.
Syracuse reportedly had around $8 million available for its 2025-26 roster, which is a number that ranked in the middle-of-the-pack within the ACC.
Goodman was direct: “Syracuse’s resources clearly not where they need to be. If they want to compete for top 5-6 spots in the ACC, they will need to improve their financial package.”
The Orange used to be considered among college basketball’s most elite programs. Five Final Fours and a national championship have been overshadowed by five straight seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Syracuse job simply isn’t as prestigious as it used to be, but the expectations are still sky-high. In order to build a roster that can compete in the ACC, the administration is going to have to come up with a number that matches those expectations.
New AD Bryan Blair has been on the job less than a week, but closing that gap has to be priority one.
GMac Suddenly Has Leverage
With Schertz locked in St. Louis and Hodgson elsewhere, Gerry McNamara is now the focal point of Syracuse’s coaching search. Reporter Jason Dumas was unequivocal: “I’ve been told the job is likely Gerry McNamara’s if he wants it.”
McNamara’s résumé backs it up. In his first season at Siena, McNamara went 14-18 — a ten-win improvement over the previous year’s 4-28 mark. This season the Saints went 23-11, a clear sign that McNamara is on the verge of building something special. Last week in Atlantic City, Siena won the MAAC Tournament title, punching their first NCAA bid since 2010.
Jim Boeheim called it “coaching malpractice” to overlook him and dismissed the notion that Syracuse needs an outsider: “Gerry McNamara is outside.” He left the staff in 2024.
The comparison to Autry, another beloved former player who was promoted from within, is understandable. McNamara spent fifteen years on staff and was widely regarded as one of the program’s best recruiters.
When asked about the Syracuse opening, McNamara gave the answer his situation required: “I’m not worried about anything other than what I’m focused on. We’ve got a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. I’m not worried about outside noise.” Notably not a denial.
A Decision Could Come Soon
McNamara has already been contacted by Boston College and Georgia Tech, so there’s already competition among major programs.
Siena plays No. 1 seed Duke on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and has +20000 odds to win. If the season ends Thursday, Blair could have his answer by the weekend and an announcement by early next week is entirely plausible.
The transfer portal opens April 7. For Syracuse, every day without a coach is ground lost in roster building. Blair needs to move, and other programs have already noticed McNamara’s ability to build a program from the ground up.
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