Former Syracuse head coach Frank Maloney has died, the football team announced on Tuesday. He was 79 years old. 

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Coach Maloney,”  Director of Athletics John Wildhack said in the news release. “Our hearts go out to his family, friends and former players.” 

Maloney coached SU from 1974 to 1980, leading the Orange to their final win in Archbold Stadium and their first win in the Carrier Dome. 

Syracuse.com reported that Maloney died on Monday night at his home in Chicago from complications of metastatic brain melanoma. 

Maloney took over the program in 1974 after Ben Schwartzwalder, the winningest coach in program history, retired. In Maloney’s seven-year tenure, Syracuse had three winning seasons. He coached 19 future NFL Draft picks during that time, including 10 All-Americans, according to the team’s release. 

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In 1979, Maloney led Syracuse to a 31-7 victory over McNeese State in the Independence Bowl — SU’s first bowl game win since 1961. Syracuse didn’t play a single home game that year because of ongoing construction to the Carrier Dome.

In total, Maloney went 32-46 in seven seasons at SU. Assistant coaches that joined his staff include Tom Coughlin, Nick Saban and Jerry Angelo. 

Maloney resigned after a 5-6 season in 1980, the team’s first in the Carrier Dome, and was succeeded by Hall of Famer Dick MacPherson. After leaving Syracuse, Maloney moved home to Chicago, where he joined the Chicago Cubs’ ticket sales operation, working as its director for 27 years. 

Published on March 31, 2020 at 7:01 pm

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