After just three seasons, Syracuse announced Wednesday that it would be moving on from men’s basketball head coach Adrian Autry and that a nationwide search would commence to find his replacement.
Autry finished his tenure as Syracuse head coach with a 49-48 record, including back-to-back losing seasons from 2024-26. Autry departs with no NCAA Tournament bids in his three years at the helm, and his staff will follow him out the door as the Orange look for a full reset on the hardwood.
As conference championships are underway and the road to the Final Four in Indianapolis is in full swing, speculation has already begun regarding who will tasked with rebuilding one of college basketball’s most revered brands. With a rich history and the 7th-most wins in college basketball history, the Syracuse job will be one of the most sought-after positions in the sport.
Here are some names to watch as a potential replacement:
Bryan Hodgson, USF
USF Bulls head coach Bryan Hodgson is one of the biggest head coach names in the mid majors. A member of the Nate Oats coaching tree at Alabama before a successful stint at Arkansas State, Hodgson has continued to showcase his ability to build winning programs in Tampa.
Hodgson replaced Amir Abdur-Rahim as head coach in 2025 after Abdur-Rahim unexpectedly passed away due to complications related to a surgical procedure, a crushing blow to the USF community. Brian Fletcher was named the interim head coach for the 2024-25 season before Hodgson took over. The Bulls amassed a 23-8 record in Hodgson’s first year, including a 15-3 conference record, to secure the 1-seed in the American Conference Championship—as well as American Conference Coach of the Year honors for Hodgson.
In just three years as a head coach for two different mid major programs, Hodgson has gone 68-36 and has won two regular season crowns. He has shown that he can win—and win quickly. If Syracuse wants to rebuild and be competitive in the next two seasons, Hodgson is a strong candidate.
Gerry McNamara, Siena
Speaking of assistants for big-name head coaches, Gerry McNamara has a long and storied history with the Orange.
As a player, McNamara played alongside Carmelo Anthony and played a key role in Syracuse’s 2003 National Championship season. Following his brief professional career overseas, he rejoined Jim Boeheim as a graduate assistant in 2009 and spent the next 15 years on the sideline at the JMA Wireless Dome. When Boeheim retired, Autry was promoted to head coach and McNamara spent the 2023-24 season as associate head coach before taking the Siena job in March 2024.
In just two seasons at Siena, McNamara has completely turned around the Saints’ basketball program. This season’s 23-11 record (13-7 MAAC) was enough to secure the 3-seed in the MAAC Championship, which Siena went on to win with a 64-54 victory over 1-seed Merrimack. It is the program’s first conference championship since 2010, as well as its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in that span.
Many people will argue that McNamara’s success concludes that Syracuse made the wrong decision by handing the keys to Autry post-Boeheim. The difference was the level of expectations—no one expected McNamara to succeed immediately at his first stop with a mid major program with recent struggles. Everyone expected Autry to follow Boeheim with Boeheim-like success, which ultimately may have led to his firing.
Three years after that decision and two years of head coaching experience, however, McNamara finds himself as a prime candidate to return home to his alma mater.
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State
Okay, this one is a bit of a stretch—but an intriguing possibility nonetheless.
Otzelberger has established himself as one of the premiere names in college basketball. His Iowa State Cyclones have been a national contender since he arrived in Ames, with Otzelberger leading them to two Sweet Sixteen appearances in four NCAA Tournament appearances (this year he will be 5-for-5). Smothering defense and elite 3-point shooting have become qualities that characterize a T.J. Otzelberger-led squad.
It’s easy to insert any big-name head coach in this spot and just assume that Syracuse would be inclined to poach them (sure, it would be great to get Dan Hurley or Mark Few up to Central New York). But what makes Otzelberger the most likely for a move—to any school—is a restructured buyout in his contract that went into effect in December 2024. Otzelberger’s approximate $18 million buyout went down to just $4 million, meaning that it just became a whole lot more affordable to obtain one of the sport’s biggest names.
It is important to note that Otzelberger reportedly has a great relationship with Iowa State athletic director Jaime Pollard, so this is an unlikely scenario. But if the Lally family and other donors attached to the Syracuse athletic program decide that they would rather see Otzelberger in orange, there is no telling what lengths they would be willing to go.
Scott Cross, Troy
Another big name to watch in this offseason’s coaching carousel is Troy’s Scott Cross.
Cross has made a living by dominating the Sun Belt Conference with UT Arlington and, currently, the Troy Trojans. Coming off of his fifth-straight 20+ win season, Cross led Troy to its second-straight SBC Championship and, in turn, its second-straight berth to the NCAA Tournament.
It is clear that Cross is ready for a jump, should he decide that he’s ready to move on from Troy. This would be an “out-of-the-box” hire for Syracuse, but it wouldn’t be one without merit. Cross is a very strong candidate for any high major program this offseason, especially with his ability to navigate the transfer portal. With experience in the Big 12 Conference as an assistant as well, Cross brings a ton of experience to wherever he decides to call home next.
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