Syracuse, NY – Syracuse football is expected to hire former Toledo assistant coach Perry Eliano as defensive backs coach, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports.
Eliano coached Toledo’s cornerbacks last season and worked with new Orange defensive coordinator Vince Kehres.
Toledo’s defense ranked fourth in the nation in points allowed last season, prompting Syracuse coach Fran Brown to bring in Kehres this offseason.
Eliano is the first assistant coach Kehres brought to Syracuse to work for him with the Rockets. A number of Toledo’s top defensive players have already said they plan to transfer, and Syracuse seems like a natural fit for some.
Before his season at Toledo, Eliano coached safeties for Ohio State for two years. He was not retained for a third year despite the Buckeyes leading the nation in total defense and finishing third in pass defense during his final season in 2024.
Among the most notable players Eliano has coached during his career is current Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner, whom he coached in Cincinnati under Luke Fickell. He spent two years as the defensive coordinator at Bowling Green in 2016 and 2017.
While Eliano has always focused primarily on defense, he has worked as a special teams coordinator at several schools, including stints at Texas-San Antonio (2011 to 2015) and New Mexico (2018 and 2019).
Eliano played football for Stephen F. Austin and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the school in 2001.
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