The Syracuse football coaching staff lost only one coach to another school this off-season. But the vacancy left by defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Jerry Azzinaro’s departure for Duke set off a whirlwind of changes within the staff.

n Special teams and tight ends coach Chris White has relinquished his special teams coach responsibilities and is the new recruiting coordinator. He will also continue to coach tight ends.

n Chris Rippon gave up his defensive coordinator position to become special teams coordinator, a position he held at Syracuse from 1995-98. Rippon also gained the title of assistant head coach and will continue to coach safeties.

n Steve Dunlap, the linebackers coach for the past three seasons, takes over for Rippon as the defensive coordinator. He will continue to oversee linebackers and dropped his title of assistant head coach.

n George DeLeone, SU’s offensive coordinator since 2000, was stripped of that title as part of Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel’s request that head coach Paul Pasqualoni call the plays this season. DeLeone retains his job as offensive line coach and associate head coach. He’ll play a larger role in recruiting, too.

n Jim Reid, after spending nine years as Richmond’s head coach, resigned and will take Azzinaro’s spot as defensive line coach.

In a statement released prior to the start of spring practice, Pasqualoni attributed the changes to Azzinaro’s departure and as a way of maximizing his staff’s strength.

‘I’m still a part of (the defense),’ Rippon said. ‘The thing I found out here in my 11 years at Syracuse and knowing this coming in having worked with Paul before, you’re a coach and a member of a staff. When I was the defensive coordinator, the people I worked with were as involved in the game plan and structure as I was. I think that carries through the same with the special teams. It’s never been something where you are the guy. That isn’t the structure here.’

Dunlap, Rippon and White are all arguably better suited for their new roles. Dunlap spent 10 seasons as West Virginia’s defensive coordinator before coming to Syracuse as a linebacker’s coach in 2001. In 1996, the Mountaineers’ defense ranked tops in all of Division I-A.

During Rippon’s previous tenure running special teams, it ranked as one of the premier units in the nation. Three kick returners – Kevin Johnson, Marvin Harrison and Quinton Spotwood – earned All-America honors under Rippon. He now has a task of rejuvenating a unit that has lost some of its prestige to schools like Virginia Tech in its special teams department.

White has been one of SU’s top recruiters over the last few years. Ten of the Orangemen’s recruits for this season were inked by White, who recruits the Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland area. In the past years, Syracuse has been criticized on missing out on recruits like local-star Mike Hart, who instead opted for Michigan. White said one of his biggest goals was to have greater success in the New York area.

‘If we can get a kid from New York who’s similar to a kid from Florida, we’ll take the kid from New York,’ White said. ‘But you gotta understand it’s different where this is not a state school, it’s a private school. You can’t just say keep the New York kid home. It’s not New York University. The other thing is, can you blame a kid who’s from New York, who’s lived in New York all these years to leave New York and go somewhere else? I can’t blame that kid.’

Dunlap said that he plans on making no major changes to Syracuse’s current defensive sets. He doesn’t view his new position much differently because so many people contribute to the game plan. But unlike offense, where Pasqualoni gets the final say on play-calling, Dunlap will make the calls on defense.

Dunlap, though, explained that the defensive game plan is made by several coaches. Rippon, Reid and secondary and cornerbacks coach R. Todd Littlejohn all contribute. Dunlap just makes the final call based on the situation.

‘Sometimes (the position) is overrated,’ Dunlap said. ‘I used to think that the only reason they give somebody the coordinator title is so the fans have somebody to blame.’

The new coaching arrangement comes on the heels of Syracuse’s second straight season without a bowl game. Pasqualoni’s job status was up in the air following the season, but Crouthamel’s only request was for Pasqualoni to take over play-calling duties.

All of the coaches said they had no problem with the position change, and none viewed the moves as demotions. The coaches, though, have only worked in their new positions with players for three practices. Yesterday, for the first time this spring, the Orangemen practiced in full pads.

‘You can’t ask a player to do something that’s positive for the team, and then come back and be hypocritical and say, ‘That’s not good for you,” Rippon said. ‘I’ve proved I can be a defensive coordinator. We’ve been in the top 10 in the country in every defensive statistical category you can be in. I’ve coached All-Americans, we’ve won bowl games. (Coaching) titles are not a factor in anything.’

Published on March 29, 2004 at 12:00 pm