Wildhack discusses Syverud’s athletics support, football schedule at presser
Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack touched on Chancellor Syverud’s tenure and SU football’s season at his press conference Tuesday. Joe Zhao | Senior Staff Photographer
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College sports have evolved into a new world. With the approval of the House v. NCAA settlement in June, universities can now pay athletes directly. As a result, Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack will be the first in SU history to run the athletic department under the fresh circumstances.
Wildhack is one of over 60 Power Four athletic directors, and he addressed the media for the first time since the passing of the house settlement Tuesday alongside SU Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer Peter Sala.
Here are the top points Wildhack and Sala made at the press conference Tuesday:
Wildhack’s contract, chancellor change
Wildhack’s last contract, announced by SU, extended through the 2024-25 school year. Despite no formal announcement of an additional extension, Wildhack remains in his position to begin the 2025-26 academic calendar.
When asked how much longer Wildhack plans to lead the Orange’s athletic department, especially in the NCAA’s tumultuous period, he pointed to the positives. He has the passion. He has commitment. His health and energy are in good condition. Wildhack said he looks at the everyday process rather than the long term.
“I really don’t have mile markers or milestones or this or that,” Wildhack said. “I look at things in the short term. Again, I have the energy, I have the passion and commitment. I love the university. I’m an alum. I love the community. So I’m incredibly thankful to do what I do.”
If Wildhack remains with SU past the 2025-26 school year, he’ll serve under a new chancellor.
Kent Syverud announced on Aug. 26 that he’ll step down after the 2025-26 school year, following 12 years of leadership. Syverud was in office when Syracuse hired Wildhack in 2016. Wildhack expressed gratitude for Syverud’s service and spoke toward dissenters who believe Syverud wasn’t as committed to athletics as other chancellors around the country.
“If there are those who think he’s not supportive of athletics, that is 100% inaccurate,” Wildhack said. “Kent Syverud has been incredibly supportive of athletics. We don’t do (the JMA Wireless Dome renovation) without the support of Chancellor Syverud. We don’t do the Lally Athletics Complex without the support of Chancellor Syverud.”
Football’s new era
Syracuse football’s first 10-win season since 2018 has generated buzz on how to keep the success churning. Fran Brown’s first season as the Orange’s head coach prompted what Wildhack described as an increase in ticket sales. He said the mark is over 3,600 new season tickets and credits it to Brown.
With Brown’s rapid success, the modern-day landscape of college sports could result in Brown being poached for more money by an SEC or Big Ten university. When asked about a possible extension in April, Wildhack dismissed the question and joked about focusing on the present.
The Daily Orange asked Wildhack on Tuesday if there’s a set benchmark that would prompt a Brown extension. He notably set a 7-5 benchmark for Dino Babers in 2023, which resulted in the head coach’s firing. Wildhack again dismissed specific talks of a benchmark.
“I don’t get into one loss, X wins equals this. It’s continued progression and improvement in all phases of the program,” Wildhack said. “What Fran has done here in 21 months, I think, is remarkable. He’s transformed this program from top to bottom, and I’m optimistic about what lies ahead, not only for 2025 but well beyond 2025.”
SU’s 2025 campaign began on a national stage against then-No. 24 Tennessee out of the Southeastern Conference. Its overall schedule is regarded as one of the most difficult in the country, according to ESPN. He credits the Orange’s squad for buying into their culture, which he thinks can be rare in today’s “transactional” era and helps against high-powered opponents. Wildhack described the schedule, which features five teams in the AP’s Week 2 Poll, as a measuring stick.
“If you want to be the best, and that’s our goal, to compete for ACC Championships and College Football Playoff spots, then you’ve got to play high-quality competition,” Wildhack said. “To me, it’s a challenge, yes, but every challenge presents opportunity.”
When speaking on both Syracuse’s current and future schedules, Wildhack pointed to scheduling Colgate on a Friday as an advantage for the following week. SU will have an extra day to prepare for Clemson, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s defending champions.
Facing Bill Belichick on Halloween, a stand-alone Friday night game, brings a bigger audience and ultimately larger shares of a new ACC revenue distribution model. It plays into a ‘Cuse Click initiative, which Wildhack called a priority. As the Atlantic Coast Conference mulls over a nine-game conference schedule, Wildhack could play a role as he’s on the ACC Football Scheduling Subcommittee.
He said he spoke with Atlantic Coast Conference Senior Associate Commissioner for Football Michael Strickland on Tuesday morning about new data on what a nine-conference schedule could do for CFP bids compared to eight or even 10.
Outside the conference, Wildhack spoke on the planning of a future matchup with a Big Ten opponent. Though he wouldn’t get into the exact opponent until things are finalized, the Orange are slated to play Penn State in 2027 and 2028.
“We need to be very strategic about it. But the days of eight conference games and four easy wins, that’s not good,” Wildhack said. “That’s not going to fly.”
Traffic patterns, additional renovation notes
With SU’s home opener versus UConn coming up Saturday, Sala gave updates on the JMA Wireless Dome renovation, which has been ongoing since 2018. He said the university has made it through its three phases on time and within budget, adding that it was about a $200 million project.
Sala noted there are a few details left to be completed in the Dome, including changes to Club 44 premium seating. As part of the Miron Victory Court renovations, a new turf sits near the Ernie Davis statue, named the Sala Family Plaza.
Local I-81 renovations could cause issues with traffic heading to the JMA Wireless Dome. Sala said the university has worked with the I-81 group and the city police throughout the summer to avoid congestion. They’ll continue with physical parking passes but hope to get to fully mobile parking passes once the I-81 project is complete. Sala advises fans to follow the cuse.com/dome instructions and use the Waze navigation app for a better experience.
As attention builds toward football through the revenue sharing, Wildhack remains focused on advancing resources for Olympic sports. Wildhack said Olympic sports teams are using the past football facility now that the squad has moved into the brand new facility. The football kitchen is now accessible to all Olympic athletes, and a new recovery and rehab area was created. More is in the works to support Olympic sports.
“We’re making progress there. Not all the way done yet. I got to get one more big gift, and we’re going to get,” Wildhack said.
