Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers has hired Reno Ferri take over as SU’s tight ends coach, SU Athletics announced in a release. He was formerly the fullbacks and tight ends coach as well as the recruiting coordinator at Towson.

“Reno has experience coaching multiple positions on offense and his units have always been extremely productive,” Babers said in the release. “He’s also built an extensive network of high school contacts as the recruiting coordinator at both Towson and Akron. Those connections, especially in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, will be invaluable to our #OrangeIsTheNewFast recruiting initiative.”

Ferri had coached at Towson since 2011, when he came to the staff as the Tigers’ running backs coach. In 2013, he coached Terrance West, who set the Football Championship Series record for rushing yards and touchdowns in a season. As a team, Towson ran for 3,830 yards on the ground that season.

Prior to coaching at Towson, Ferri was a graduate assistant with Akron in 2004, moving up to director of football operations in 2005,  joining the coaching staff as wide receivers coach in 2006 and settling in as running backs coach with the program in 2007. In 2009, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Ferri was placed on administrative leave with the Zips and suspended with pay, “pending an internal review of compliance requirements with NCAA rules investigation.” He eventually resigned.

In his playing days, Ferri was a running back at Army, graduating in 2000 and then immediately becoming a graduate assistant in the following season. From May 2000 until March 2002, Ferri served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army.

Ferri’s hiring rounds out SU’s new coaching staff, which, by rule, can only include nine assistants. Here’s a look at Syracuse’s other assistants.

Offense:
Sean Lewis – co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Mike Lynch – co-offensive coordinator/offensive line
Kim McCloud – assistant head coach/wide receivers
Mike Hart – running backs

Defense:
Brian Ward – defensive coordinator
Tom Kaufman – special teams coordinator/linebackers
Nick Monroe – secondary
Vinson Reynolds – defensive line

Published on January 13, 2016 at 11:18 pm

Contact Chris: cjlibona@syr.edu | @ChrisLibonati