Former Syracuse Center Macky MacPherson Starting as Graduate Assistant at Louisiana Tech

After carving out a great career at Syracuse, Orange center and grandson of Dick MacPherson, Macky MacPherson had hopes for a professional football career. Despite not making the Buffalo Bills roster, and now being two years removed from his playing days, though, he still has a shot... as a professional football coach.

MacPherson spoke to Syracuse.com's Chris Carlson yesterday about his new role as a graduate assistant on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs staff. Beyond the transition from playing to coaching, there's obvious a big one leaving Central New York for Ruston, La. As he told Carlson:

"It's tough to leave home for a state where all you know is New Orleans and the state capital. I've never really been away from home except for the three months I was in Buffalo."

MacPherson had inquired about being a grad assistant with SU first, but the position is currently filled by Pat Reilly. That led to him actually getting this job by way of some networking with current Orange wide receivers coach Bobby Acosta, who invited the former player to shadow him at the American Football Coaches Association Convention. While at the convention in Louisville, Macky met up former SU offensive line coach Greg Adkins, who made introductions for him with Louisiana Tech and Marshall. Obviously things worked out with the former.

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Overall, Macky is determined to be successful, but does not appear to be suffocated by pressure -- something that might be aided by the fact that he's so far from his CNY roots. As he told Carlson:

"I assume and believe this is what I want to do. My whole life I've been blessed to be around the game. The people I'm around are Grade A people, and it's been great from my perspective. But if I find out it's not what I want to do, then I'm still 26 years old with a graduate degree."

He also mentioned eventually wanting to coach for Syracuse, but admitted he didn't want to "do that too early and muck it up."

There's also this fun note that would make Jim Boeheim proud:

"It's hard to get good Italian food. It's close to the Arkansas border. And there's no cuisine of Arkansas."

Also, let's hope Razorback fans aren't like Clemson fans, otherwise, the above is an act of war...

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Good luck, Macky! We wish you a ton of success and hopefully see you on the Syracuse sidelines later on in your career. MacPherson is the second recent Orange player to get a college coaching job, joining Siriki Diabate, who took the linebackers coach job at Colgate this offseason.