Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse football program can breathe a little easier on Saturday following reports by a number of NFL reporters that the New York Giants will hire Mike Bloomgren to coach their offensive line next season.
Bloomgren’s reported hiring follows reports from The Bergan Record’s Art Stapleton that new Syracuse offensive line coach Juan Castillo was one of numerous candidates who were under consideration for the position.
Castillo is one of a number of new assistant coaches who Syracuse head coach Fran Brown is relying on heavily next season.
Syracuse’s offensive line was pedestrian last year and returns three players who saw substantial playing time. None of them earned PFF grades that placed them among the top-half of ACC regulars, making the unit a substantial question mark entering the spring.
The Orange did not make any major additions on its offensive line this offseason, choosing to bank on internal development and new leadership at the position.
Brown brought in Castillo, who has nearly three decades of NFL experience, to replace Dale Williams, who was part of the SU staff the previous two seasons.
Castillo has worked under a number of NFL coaches with strong reputations during his career including Andy Reid, John Harbaugh and Sean McDermott.
Castillo spent four seasons with Harbaugh in Baltimore from 2013 to 2016.
Harbaugh was recently fired by Baltimore and quickly hired by the New York Giants, creating a potential scenario where he could return to the NFL.
Instead, the Giants went with Bloomgren, a hiring that makes it much more likely that Brown’s vision for the Orange next season will have a chance to play out.