Syracuse hires Ligashesky as special teams coordinator

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Syracuse coach Dino Babers has hired Bob Ligashesky as the Orange’s special teams coordinator, the team announced Thursday.

Ligashesky spent the 2021 season at Bowling Green in the same position and before that was Illinois' special teams coordinator from 2016-20. He spent 12 seasons as an NFL assistant and won a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008.

The hiring comes less than two weeks after Babers began revamping his staff, firing offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, tight ends coach Reno Ferri and defensive line coach Vinson Reynolds, Those positions have not been filled.

The Orange finished 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the performance of the special teams suffered without coordinator Justin Ludwig, who left for Vanderbilt last January after four seasons at Syracuse.

Babers divided special teams duties among several coaches and the unit underperformed. Kicker Andre Szmyt, who as a freshman made 30 of 34 field goals to capture the 2018 Lou Groza Award, was 9 of 14 and missed two extra points. The punting unit had a net average of 33.2 yards.

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