Running back Will Nixon, son of Syracuse’s offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, transferred from Washington to SU on Friday. He’s expected to be the backup for LeQuint Allen. While this adds depth to the running back rotation, it also adds familiarity, experience, and stability.
First, the father-son duo of Will and Jeff can be beneficial for the Orange, but they’ll both be learning at the same time. Will is in his first season with SU, adjusting to a new team after moving from the Pacific Northwest. Jeff, last year’s New York Giants running back coach, is also facing a learning curve. He hasn’t coached college football since his tenure as running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator at Baylor from 2017 to 2019. Additionally, this is Jeff’s first year as an offensive coordinator.
Jeff brings nearly 30 years of coaching experience. He started as a Penn State graduate assistant in 1997 and then was Princeton running backs coach in 1998. Jeff served as a running backs coach in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, and, most recently, the New York Giants.
Will played the past two seasons at Washington, where he averaged 6.1 yards per carry last year and scored one touchdown. He had 33 carries for 201 yards and recorded 13 receptions for 84 yards as a sophomore.
What isn’t getting talked about enough with Will’s acquisition is his experience with a College Football Playoff contender. The Huskies reached last season’s championship game, but fell to Michigan. Will contributed seven yards on two carries and caught three passes for seven yards.
This experience of being on a contending team and playing in the final college football game of the season is invaluable. Similarly, first-year head coach Fran Brown is coming from Georgia, a program that has been a national powerhouse for the last several years.
