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Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sterlin Gilbert will not return to Syracuse, a source confirmed to The Daily Orange. An SU Athletics spokesperson later confirmed the news via an email statement. The news was first reported by footballscoop.com. Gilbert’s firing follows news from earlier Sunday that defensive line coach Vinson Reynolds and tight ends coach Reno Ferri would not return to Syracuse.

“I want to thank Coach Gilbert, Coach Ferri and Coach Reynolds for everything they’ve done for Syracuse University and this program,” head coach Dino Babers said in a statement. “We wish them nothing but the best.”

Gilbert arrived at Syracuse last season after working as the head coach at McNeese State for one season in 2019. During his two seasons running the Orange’s offense, SU ranked 118th and 92nd in the Football Bowl Subdivision, respectively, in scoring offense. Syracuse’s offense struggled late in the season, averaging just over 11 points in its final three games, all resulting in losses that led to the Orange missing out on bowl eligibility for the third consecutive season.

Syracuse moved to a different offensive scheme in September after Babers named Garrett Shrader the team’s starting quarterback before the game against Liberty on Sept. 24. Gilbert had helped bring Shrader to Syracuse after the quarterback entered the transfer portal last fall, Shrader said. The two had Zoom calls where Gilbert showed Shrader what the offense could look like with him running it.

Tommy DeVito, SU’s starter the previous two seasons, transferred less than a month after being benched in favor of Shrader. While DeVito was a pro-style quarterback who favored passing overrunning, Shrader brought a more running-focused style to Syracuse’s offense that complemented running back Sean Tucker. SU was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing offense this season but ranked last in passing offense.

The Orange’s offense struggled in 2020 after DeVito suffered a season-ending leg injury against Duke. Backup quarterbacks Rex Culpepper and Jacobian Morgan were unable to manufacture enough offense for Syracuse, which finished 1-10 and last in the ACC in points per game with just 17.8 points.

Gilbert previously worked with Babers at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green from 2012-14, where Gilbert was also an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Gilbert took the same positions at Tulsa in 2015, where he coached for two years before moving to South Florida in 2017. Throughout his career, Gilbert has coached future NFL quarterbacks including Jimmy Garoppolo, Quinton Flowers and Shane Buechele.

Published on November 28, 2021 at 6:33 pm

Contact Connor: csmith49@syr.edu | @csmith17_