It's not because he played for the Orange, it's because you have to wonder what happens if something goes wrong.
On Thursday, Siena University head coach Gerry McNamara gave the best job interview he ever could: His No. 16 Saints nearly topped No. 1 Duke in the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament.
The Saints led by 11 at the half, as many as 13 in the game, and with as late as six minutes to go. After the game, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said that McNamara outcoached him, another ringing endorsement.
I made my thoughts known the other day: I believe McNamara should be the hire for Syracuse University at this point, especially if Bryan Hodgson and Joshua Schertz are out of the mix, as is being reported.
McNamara checks every box at this point: He's young (42), relatable, has a good relationship with alumni, was on staff already for 15 years before leaving for Siena, has proven he can win and has shown at Siena that he can win with less resources.
However, there is one understandable concern to think about when it comes to hiring McNamara.
Siena Saints head coach Gerry McNamara calls a play Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the Duke Blue Devils at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesAnd that is?
Some fans are worried that because of McNamara's connection to former Jim Boeheim that he'll just be an extension of Boeheim and will keep SU 'stuck in the past.'
That's not it.
The worry is, what if it doesn't go well? Look, you never enter a marriage expecting it not to work, but the reality is that some of them don't work. Syracuse was just in the unenviable position of having to fire Adrian Autry, a lifelong Syracuse man.
Does the school really want to have to fire McNamara also someday? He's one of the most decorated players in program history and his number hangs in the rafters. He's a program legend, and do the powers that be want to risk tarnishing his legacy - or being the ones who have to tarnish it?
That should really be only your concern at this point because McNamara is a logical hire on many, many fronts.
His team's effort against Duke only proves that. For instance, Syracuse was beaten by Duke by 37 this season. The fact that McNamara had the Saints in a position to win is the exact kind of credibility that this program needs moving forward.
On the Syracuse front
Syracuse was just 15-17 this season and finished 14th in the ACC. The Orange were eliminated in the first round of the conference tournament by SMU. The team fired Autry and his entire staff the next day.
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