Syracuse has become the latest FBS program to fire its head coach.
Two days after the Orange lost its eighth consecutive game, the school has decided to fire head coach Scott Shafer "effective at the end of this season."
Athletic director Mark Coyle announced the decision Monday morning and said Shafer would coach the team's season finale against Boston College.
"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," Coyle said in a statement. "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."
Saturday’s 42-29 loss to NC State dropped the team’s record to 3-8 after a 3-0 start. The Orange went 3-9 last season after going 7-6 and winning the Texas Bowl in Shafer’s first season on campus. Overall, Shafer’s record with the program is 13-23 and 6-17 in ACC play in his three seasons as head coach.
Shafer was promoted from defensive coordinator in January 2013 after Doug Marrone left Syracuse to take the head coaching job with the Buffalo Bills. He originally joined the program in 2009 when Marrone was hired to replace the fired Greg Robinson.
Before he arrived at Syracuse, Shafer spent time as defensive coordinator at Michigan, Stanford, Western Michigan and Northern Illinois. He also had stints as an assistant at Illinois, Rhode Island and Indiana.
With Shafer’s dismissal, there are now 13 FBS openings: Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa State, Louisiana-Monroe, Maryland, Miami, Missouri, North Texas, South Carolina, Syracuse, UCF, USC and Virginia Tech.
For more Syracuse news, visit CuseConfidential.com.
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