VanDerzee VanHired

Yesterday I asked if this man, Kevin VanDerzee, was going to be named the next Director of Football Operations at Syracuse University.  Some little birdies were singing his praises and that he was being offered the position.  Given his Cortland and Upstate roots and his familiarity with recent SU hire and former UT assistant Greg Adkins, he would seem to fit the criteria.

A native of Ravena, N.Y., VanDerzee spent two seasons as Richmond's director of football operations after having served in the same position at Central Connecticut State and Massachusetts.

Other posts include a stint as defensive ends coach at Albany, game day operations associate with the Wilmington (N.C.) Sharks of the Coastal Plains Summer Baseball League and two turns in the New York Giants' player personnel department as a pro personnel intern.

While there's been no official announcement, my "sources" (who may or may not be my mother) tell me it's done a deal. Expect an announcement within the next couple days.  Of course, it helps add credence to the story when VanDerzee himself basically says as much in a Facebook Wall response to a Syracuse friend (not me):

Time to get our support on...

As Doug Marrone continues to reshape the staff to his liking, the big thing we're seeing on the recruiting/internal side is that he's looking for big school experience.  Say what you will about how Tennessee fared this year but you don't much bigger and more pressure-packed than working under the Tennessee football limelight.

Syracuse has yet to hire a defensive coordinator and if you follow the logic, it probably means that Doug is waiting for someone from the NFL to become available (Saints' DC Gary Gibbs? Just a guess...).  If that's the case, SU will continue to add coaches and personnel with bigtime pedigree to the staff.

On paper, at least, things are looking good for SU football.