Hour 2: NFL Week 4 Power Rankings, Syracuse Head Coach Fran Brown

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0:43Rich Eisen:and with multi-view and real-time 4K Xfinity will deliver the most innovative and immersive sports viewing experience for fans watching on Telemundo, Peacock, Fox and FS1 Learn more at ComcastCorporation.com This is the Rich Eisen Show Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show.

1:26Rich Eisen:Initiated startup sequence. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Ready, TJ Jefferson? You ready? Micah Parsons is coming to town. It's going to be painful. I wish him well, except this weekend. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Earlier on the show, pro football hall of famer, Kurt Warner. Coming up, Syracuse head coach, Fran Brown. Grammy award winning artist, Zach Brown. And now, it's Rich Eisen. ah yes our number two the rich hasn't shows on the air we already said uh farewell to kurt warner uh in our number one great chat with him about what we saw in week number three what to expect in week number four of the nfl season that kicks off tomorrow night between the cardinals at two and one hosting the two and one seattle seahawks on prime video our number three zach brown stops by our studio um 844-204-rich is the number to dial happy to talk with you because i'm a giver um and just to also to prove a point uh there may be an i in rich and an i in eisen an i in my first and last names but i'm a team player so christopher brockman yes sir syracuse class uh 2002 okay when i hear that fran brown of syracuse football head coach uh could come on this program after dispatching of clemson it is my gift to you sir he's a newsmaker the heart thing he's a newsmaker, a national figure.

2:52Rich Eisen:Yes, sir. And also your football coach. Oh, we are back. And the pride of Camden, New Jersey. Ladies and gentlemen, the 31st football coach in the history of Syracuse football, Fran Brown. Yes. Good to see you, Coach. How are you, sir? I'm great. How you doing, Rich? Well, better for seeing you. Chris, do you want to say something to your coach, sir? Coach, you are the man. I just want to thank you on behalf of Orange alum across the country. Thank you for bringing the football program back, making us proud every single Saturday. Never been more excited to watch our team than I have the last couple of seasons, and that's because of you.

3:26Rich Eisen:Thank you, sir. It's because of the staff, but I appreciate you, Chris. I know you, 2002 class. I know you've seen some good football when you was here, football and basketball, so I'm just happy to be able to come and try and help bring it back to what it was before. I also echo those sentiments on behalf of my brother-in-law and his two sons, my nephews, Everybody in Syracuse football country is kind of ecstatic. And I imagine you're hearing that a lot, Coach. Yeah, trying to, but, you know, I just try to focus on everything inside these walls to make sure that we're consistently growing and getting better, becoming a closer team, locked in on our core values, just dart, whatever, just trying to move on, you know.

4:07A lot of guys try to focus on our last win, but we got a good team in Duke coming in here, so we're pretty much moved on and on to the next.

4:15Rich Eisen:I have, I have, I have joined you joining this program and having already turned a page is what you're saying. You've page turned already. Yeah, pretty, pretty much. I'm, I'm on a different page. I understand that I may have to explain the last page a little bit. I'm comfortable doing that. Okay. I understand. But I, but I, um, no, I kind of buried that and moved on. No, I understand. You've got, uh, you've got 18 year olds, you got 19 year olds, you got other grown ass men in that locker room that you want to lead by example to not live in the past or glorify. one victory when the next one is uh uh equally as if not more important but what are you what are you seeing out of your program right now that you're you're enjoying like this is you mentioned core values uh what are you what are you seeing here about these seeds uh sprouting coach i'm enjoying seeing them uh just receive some of the benefit from working hard they've worked really hard since January.

5:11And to get an opportunity to go out, our first game, national television, didn't end up the way we wanted. I believe that I didn't have them as prepared as they should have been when the game started. And then for them to get another opportunity to do that over the past few weeks, and they've answered it, it's paid off for them. They've done a really good job. So just them having a chance to see it. And then them finally truly believing that they are a championship football team. And that's why we practice as hard as we practice. That's why you know everything's about being detailed accountable relentless and tough and not just on the football field it's an academic thing right it's a faith thing it's it's just how you live and everybody holding every each other accountable but it's not fake you know and it's finally like like rich you know when you was doing something and at first you was just doing it because that's what they said do but now you're doing it because like that's what we do and that's kind of you

6:02Rich Eisen:know it's kind of where we are right now and uh what what um what have you placed down that you believe uh is a core value that you can point out to us that we're seeing um the accountability you'll see the accountability with guys like uh all right the first week of school that first week there was about 12 guys who missed a class in one day like oh dude just missing classes missing classes yesterday it was two guys that missed nobody missed study all nobody was late everybody's on time, just kind of doing it the right way. You got the older guys telling the young guys, make sure you're there on time.

6:37They're holding each other accountable. We're able to see it in things that aren't on the football field. So, of course, you know when you get to the football field, that's easy. Everybody wants to do that. But then it's the effort that they're giving on the football field that you'll be able to see. A guy may know you'll see a D tackle who will turn and run, and he knows that receiver is 34 yards down the field. There's no way I'm catching him. but I'm going to give everything I got because I'm doing it for the guy next to me. And that's where you start to see and understand that.

7:06Rich Eisen:Who have you heard from the alumni fan base in the football world that you've brought in or you've had talk to the team or you're thinking about doing that? Who from, like, Franey might be a name that I'm throwing out here. Yeah, Franey's always here. Franey's there. He worked with us. Like, Franey's on the staff. So Franey's watching film every night. He's up every other week, four weeks straight or whatever. But he's always here. Keith Bullock is a huge conversation with Keith. He's always just talking and doing things with us. I mean, it's a lot of guys, right? Donovan Darius hit me up, doing different things, talking to Donovan Darius.

7:44I mean, the list goes on when you just start to think about it. Like, they're all involved, right? And that's the cool thing. Justin Pugh's involved. Jones is involved. It's just so many guys that are involved that I've talked to. And then even older guys, right? like Morris that used to play here. Running back is really cool. I got in touch with him. We got David Jacobs, who's on our staff, who was a kicker here for a long time, NFL player who's on our staff that's helping our specialists. So everybody's involved, right? Even to the just regular students that went here that are trying to be involved and want to come back and want to help, everybody's involved, and I think the players see it, and they feed off of that, right?

8:23Because this is their team. This is their team, and they want to be involved with it. I'm very thankful that they are. Open doors if you play here. Come out. Come check us out. We played Duke this weekend. It'll be a sold-out crowd. They're a great football team. Manny Diaz done an amazing job. So we get an opportunity to compete against this weekend.

8:41Rich Eisen:Pardon me for not being fully buttoned up, not knowing that Dwight Freeney is on player development for your program. When did you connect with him, if you don't mind me asking? I connected when I first got the job. I called him. You did? So, like, when I first got the job, I wanted to talk to all of the former players. I called him, and he was just like, yeah, I got so much knowledge I'd be able to give to you guys, right? I can only just keep it trapped in my head. So, a lot of knowledge, anything you need, call me. So, I took him up on that, called him, had him come out one weekend. He came out for the weekend, and then he ended up coming back.

9:15And then he was out at practice, and he just went in and started coaching the drill. Like, you know, he was in the mix. Like, yeah, cleats on and everything. And then from there, I'm like, you need to come be on the staff with us, right? These guys, they need to be talking to you. Then Keith Bullock did the same thing. He comes up. And then all of a sudden, he got cleats on. That's the only thing. They still want to play a little bit, right? So they was all just here. And the dudes come up. Kevin Johnson had come up. We had come up just – they're here pregame. They're different times. But Dwight Franey just – his was like his love for the game.

9:48Can't go. He just got those little daughters. You know, he got that beautiful family and he's really good at golf. So if he didn't have to play golf, he'll be here every day. But he got to be down there with his family and he's raising those little daughters that he has.

10:01Rich Eisen:I mean, if Michael Jordan needs a fourth coach, right? I mean, like that's free. And he's going to say yes to that, I guess, on occasion, you know. If he doesn't, then I'm going to get rid of him because he must have bumped his head. I love that. And then just one last quick one on that front. Carmelo, any of the hoops players of Syracuse fame hitting you up? Anything like that? Yeah, me and Melo have been cool. Like, Melo played a part of me wanting to come here and communicate here ever since I've got the job. He's been like a dude with open arms. But, like, we've talked since AU basketball younger, right?

10:39You know, Melo for a long, long time, him getting a chance to compete against DeJuan Wagner and stuff like that. So we've been cool from Baltimore, Camden. That's something that goes back pretty deep. So Melo's definitely good. We're so excited about his son. Our basketball team this year will be really good. We got a lot of players that I can't wait to watch basketball. See, I'm excited about our season. God willing, we win. We keep doing everything we need to get to the conference championship and so forth and so on. But make sure you come watch our basketball team this year. Men's and women's will be really good.

11:11Coach Artry and them are doing a good job. But I can't wait to watch Kayan out there on the court.

11:15Rich Eisen:So Fran Brown here of Syracuse on the Rich Eisen show. Your quarterback went down with an Achilles injury. What can you tell me about moving forward here at this position and your level of expectation, Coach? That's why we paid for two. That's why we paid for two. So, yeah, Steve went down, retired four, was a really good player, was leading the country and passing and everything at the time. But Ricky would be ready to step in. You know, we had a heated battle. Yeah. Ricky will be ready to go. Next man up mentality. I believe in Ricky. I think he's a great kid. And you know the best thing about this kid, Doug Albert, Rich, regardless of what he does when he gets to the field, I think he'll do well.

11:58But he stayed ready. He worked. There's so many kids that when they don't win that spot, they quit. They mope. They sit back and they complain. And we got someone on our team that was doing that. But he wasn't one of those guys. He was in there every night watching tape with Steve and pushing Steve. And those guys got so close. They became real good friends. And I'm excited to see him get this opportunity. I got a feeling that he's going to do really well. He has a big boy on, right? And him having Steve there with him, these guys are going to be well, man. So we're excited about Ricky, man. They call him Slick Rick.

12:34So we're happy about Slick Rick. Good to know that.

12:36Rich Eisen:Listen, I'm maybe a little old school. I get thrown when I hear college head coaches say that's why we pay for two. You know what I mean? Like it's a different world in which we live right now. Coach, your philosophy on NIL transfer portal and things of that nature, the rules surrounding it. I know I just asked you a macro question that could fill up the rest of our time, but I asked it anyway. What's your opinion on where things are in college football on that? I like it. I like it. I like where it's at. It's a part of what it is. you know I like it because it makes everyone have to adjust and you got to be able to evolve with the time like everyone wants it to just be the same and be the same but everything in our world is changing like our whole country is constantly changing daily so for that to just stay the same when all of this stuff is going on on social media I mean the amount of money that people are making in the world I mean just got to be able to evolve you got to be able to adapt and I think the people that adapt and are open to the change and are excited about the change they'll keep evolving and becoming better and the guys that don't want to do it and think you're going to stick to it and do it your own way and this is how it should be done I mean that's just not the the era of it anymore right there's so many good football players and these kids a lot of some of the kids come from less fortunate so it's really cool that they get opportunity to help out their families as long as like for us we put up at least 40 percent of our pay so these guys will still be good when they leave college but if they could help all that home or do different things and i'd rather them mess the money up now rich and mess it up when they get to the league we'll have less of those stories of nfl players going broke and things happening because guys are starting to do it a little bit earlier so now that they may mess it up between 18 and 22 we don't have to read about such and such who had 65 million dollars who has nothing now because he was able to go through it as a kid now and teach him the ropes and show him the way right and i think it's up to us as coaches to put down those um individualized financial plans for every kid like make sure you're involved with it show them they're our kids right there these are my little brothers um i've learned about the financial literacy it's our job to teach him that it's our job to be able to show them that not just score touchdowns for us so there's so much that they're doing to help me and my family, when you're seeing that picture behind me, that I'm going to make sure that I give them the game.

15:01It's important that they understand and they get the game. So I'm happy for, to be honest with you, Rich.

15:06Rich Eisen:Yeah, I mean, I remember in the early parts of NFL Network, maybe when you were on a practice squad with the Bengals back in the day, coach, you know, that I was at a rookie symposium for the NFLPA, and I was taken aback that there was a breakout session on how to balance a checkbook. And there were a bunch of grown men taking notes. And you're right that maybe there wouldn't have been a need for such a breakout session if they were in a position that so many of your players and collegiate players are in right now at age 18 to 20. We were able to help them now. You give them a kickstart on it.

15:46Let's show this and see it. You could teach them about Roth IRAs and just think. It's so much stuff that I didn't know about that I didn't learn until you gradually grow up because you think you don't need it. I don't need it right now. I don't make that much money. You can make$40 ,000 and have these things and set yourself up. So that way you'll be later when it's time to retire. And I'm just happy we get to do that with them now. I think it's a great deal. And whatever we do in our country, I'm just going to follow it, right? I mean, or else they're going to kick my ass off.

16:18Rich Eisen:Who are those beautiful people behind you? Walk me through it. Who are those people? So, we got my daughter, Ivy, and she's four years old. That's my wife, Tiara. Me and my wife have been together now rich for 26 years, married 21. Wow. That's my son, Babs. He got a lot taller. He's actually my height now. This is when I first got the job. He's a 12-year-old. He's actually a good player. He got a couple different offers already from colleges and stuff like that. And then that oldest one, that's Frank Jr., he starts a long snapper on field goal here. He's on punt return and on kickoff. Like he plays here.

16:55He transferred in to come play with us. He's done a good job. He'll be the best version of me as a coach when it's time for him to go coach.

17:03Rich Eisen:Okay. I like it. How much money would a kid, let's just say, if he had 47 touchdown passes at Camden High School and set a record, ask for to come out of college? So basically how much would you have asked? How much would you, the high school player, I'd be asking you, the head coach of Syracuse football, for. I need at least, me going to my mental now, I need at least$5 ,000 a month. I'm going to get$5 ,000. That way, that way, that way I would get the$2 ,500 I deserve. Okay. That's the answer I was looking for. Man, I love it. Chris, you've got to be out of your skull happy right now. Yeah, just talking with, you know, Andrew Siciliano, coach, and, you know, just the text chains with all my Q's buddies and all the guys I went to school with.

17:52Rich Eisen:Dwight was in my class, class of 02. We're just beyond geeked out of our mind. Like last year with Will Howard and the offense, I was at the UNLV game in Vegas, and just being excited for Saturdays now. It's been a long time since we've been able to do that and get hype. It's been awesome. Chris, one thing I got to tell you, last year was with Kyle McCoy. Don't ever get Will Howard and Kyle McCoy mixed up. Oh, that's my bad. Oh, I can't believe I just did that. Oh, yeah, yeah. We got to take it back. Oh, that is so embarrassing. It started all over. Kyle McCord. Kyle. Yeah, the great Kyle McCord.

18:25I know. He was awesome. That's my bad. It's all good. It's all good. I knew you were thinking of coming from Ohio State. Yeah. Oh, God. I couldn't let that go. That is so humiliating.

18:36Rich Eisen:That's a foul with the hosts, too. Tell me you've got it. So humiliating. You know? But yeah, I know. I knew when you were saying it as well. But listen. You're excited. I was caught up. I'm excited. They're all jacked up. I'm excited. They're all jacked up. Listen, I'm very thankful that you guys are involved in the program, though, Chris. It means a lot to us. I mean, you see, you come to Syracuse, you're going to get a great degree. You're going to go on and do special things in life, not just athletically, but also outside of that. There's so many entrepreneurs. There's so many people working on television that came, and everything starts there at Syracuse.

19:06So this is a great place. Rich, I really appreciate you having me on the show. I'm just watching you year and year drop that 40 times. that meant a lot to be able to do it at your age not many guys understand how hard that is thank you um and just what you're running for though like everybody's just paying attention to that but it's what you're doing it for thank you um that means a lot man thank you since being younger you guys you showed us a lot and i appreciate what you do on television right back at you coach

19:33Rich Eisen:as you know you got your babies and your your uh frame behind you there you know they're for the grace of god go any of us if they get a phone call for for saint jude or anything like that So I appreciate you pointing that out for the run. But I also have to push back. My 40 time is not dropping. But I can't wait to attempt it. I'm going to keep doing it. I'm going to keep trying. You got to run more sprints, though. You got to run more sprints now. Oh, that would require training. Now you sound like Dion. Dion always said, don't jog. You got to sprint. He goes, I've never seen a fat sprinter.

20:04Rich Eisen:That's what Dion once upon a time told me. Think of this. The people who jog and do those marathons and all that, Do any of them look ripped up? That's what he said. So then when you look at the sprinters and you look at all of them, they're right. That's what I said. Just go do 30-yard sprints. A lot of those. Oh, man. Speaking of prom, weren't you guys talking about doing some sort of an off-season game against each other, like in the pros or anything like that? Was that you? Yeah, we were trying to get a spring game to play against each other. I think it's going to go through next year, possibly, to be a chance.

20:40I'm just, Prime is one tough guy, man. Just all the stuff that he's dealing with and that he's dealt with. And he just overcomes it because of his Lord and Savior. But he's been a huge guy in my corner that I could just call and talk to and just ask some different questions. And he just tells you the truth, right? And tells you when you're right, tells you when you're wrong. But he always lets you know he's praying for you and makes sure he tells you he loves you before you hang up. But I think he's doing an amazing job down there. He's developing young men. he's teaching them everything they're supposed to and who could you learn the game from more than arguably the best athlete to ever walk this earth one of them so I'm very thankful to have him in my corner and to be able to talk to him.

21:21Rich Eisen:Plus one on that and again I'm a Michigan guy so words like good luck against Duke are in my DNA so that's the hoops in me also coming out. Coach thanks for the time what a pleasure I hope we get to do this again Yeah, we'll do. Y 'all be safe. God bless y 'all. You bet. Ladies and gentlemen, that's Fran Brown, head coach of Syracuse football, right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Camden, New Jersey's finest. All right. Like, do you know that commercial, Want to Get Away? I can't believe I said middle. I can't believe you. God, that is so embarrassing. You never do that either. Oh, no. Oh, that's up there now.

21:56Rich Eisen:I was sort of like caught up in the moment. It's up there now in the annals of the Rich Eisen Show. I said that. It happens. It does happen. Just not to your... I know. I know. It's one of those things, though. That you'll never bring up again, Rich. At one point, we'll stop talking about it. But today is not that day. Just like you and Micah. Let's take a break. You know me, I'm not a SKUs fan, but I really like him, man. I like his vibes. Oh, my gosh. It's going to haunt me the rest of the week. I've been sending Chris little clips, like Instagram clips of his press conferences the last few weeks.

22:36Rich Eisen:Dude, Fran is the man. I'm like, I really dig this cat, man. Like, I've run through a wall for this dude. I mean, I still have eligibility. I wish I had legs at work. But, like, man, ah, dude, he's awesome. Well, you got yourself a winner there. Yeah, for sure. That's for sure. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial. Don't worry, you'll get your mojo back next segment, Chris. Thanks. It's my power rankings.