Syracuse’s Fran Brown brushes off Greg Olsen criticism over postgame sprints

Syracuse coach Fran Brown defended his decision to make players run postgame sprints after the Orange’s 27-20 overtime win over UConn, saying criticism from former NFL tight end Greg Olsen missed key context and that certain disciplinary measures were limited by fans still in the stadium.

Brown addressed Olsen’s comments Wednesday on Syracuse Athletics’ "Cuse Sports Talk," saying he did not know Olsen personally and that the situation during the Sept. 6 postgame session changed what he could reasonably enforce. "I don’t really know Greg Olsen, so I don’t want to talk about him at all, to be honest," Brown said. "He was a good football player. To me, I told the players we were going to do something. And if you know me, you’ll understand what happened. But once I saw all those people still out there, there are certain things that you can’t do. It becomes a different situation."

Olsen, speaking earlier in the week on the "Wake Up Barstool" show, called the punishment "performative," saying he supports accountability but wondered about the timing and optics. "It does feel performative," Olsen said. "I have no problem with accountability. I have no problem with getting in guy’s faces. Especially if you feel like they aren’t playing up to the standard. ... But I just think there is a time and a place."

Brown said that while he planned to take disciplinary action after a game in which Syracuse allowed 154 rushing yards, fumbled while trailing 7-0 before the half and did not score a touchdown until the fourth quarter, the presence of fans changed how far he could go immediately after the contest. "So it’s not like I could go one up and do the things that we would do to make sure guys are running after practice and getting it done. So I said, just come in. We play Friday, so we have the opportunity to do other stuff," Brown said.

Brown, in his second season as Syracuse’s head coach, has drawn attention for unconventional methods and a distinctive approach to team culture. He coached the Orange to a 10-3 record in his first year and a Holiday Bowl win over Washington State. Brown has also been noted for idiosyncrasies such as saying he does not shower after losses as part of his routines.

Syracuse opened the 2025 season with a 45-26 loss at Tennessee and improved to 1-1 with the narrow UConn victory. The Orange are scheduled to host Colgate Friday at 7 p.m.

Brown said he wished Olsen well and that his focus remained on preparing the team for upcoming games rather than engaging in public disputes. "I don’t know Greg Olsen. I think he had a really good career. Wish him the best. I haven’t spoken about him, how he played, or anything he does. So I’m just focused on me and our football team," Brown said.

Syracuse officials have not announced additional disciplinary actions tied to the postgame incident, and Brown suggested the coaching staff would use the available practice days before Friday’s game to address performance and accountability.