Ricky Brumfield Lands at Oregon State After Strong Special Teams Turnaround at Syracuse
After a year of quietly elevating Syracuse’s special teams into one of the more efficient units in the ACC, Ricky Brumfield is heading west. The former Orange special teams coordinator has been hired by Oregon State, where he’ll take on dual responsibilities - overseeing special teams and coaching cornerbacks under first-year head coach JaMarcus Shephard.
Brumfield’s move comes just weeks after it was confirmed he wouldn’t be retained by new Syracuse head coach Fran Brown. That decision raised some eyebrows, especially considering the strides the Orange made on special teams this past season.
Let’s break it down.
Under Brumfield’s guidance, Syracuse saw a noticeable uptick in performance across multiple special teams categories. Punter Jack Stonehouse capped off his college career with an All-ACC selection, a testament to both his leg and the coverage unit’s consistency. The Orange also cracked the top 20 nationally in net punting - a stat that doesn’t get enough love, but speaks volumes about field position control and execution.
Placekicker Woody Tripp brought stability to a position that was a revolving door the year prior. After Syracuse cycled through three different kickers in 2024, Tripp’s reliability was a welcome change and a key factor in several close games.
And then there was the onside kick against Clemson - a gutsy, well-timed call that Brumfield was credited with designing. It was one of those moments where coaching meets execution, and it gave Syracuse a jolt in a high-stakes matchup.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
The return game left room for improvement. Too often, kickoff returns ended with the Orange starting drives in less-than-ideal field position, largely due to questionable decision-making by returners. And down the stretch, the punt protection unit showed cracks, with punts partially blocked in each of the final two games - the kind of miscues that can swing momentum in a heartbeat.
Still, the overall body of work was solid. Brumfield took a unit that had struggled with consistency and turned it into a reliable asset for most of the season.
Now, he brings that experience to Corvallis, where Oregon State is undergoing a major transition. With Shephard stepping into his first head coaching role, having a veteran like Brumfield on staff - someone who’s coached at Georgia Tech, FIU, Virginia, and most recently Syracuse - adds a layer of experience and versatility. Coaching both special teams and cornerbacks is no small task, but Brumfield’s track record suggests he’s up to it.
As for Syracuse, the search for a new special teams coordinator is still ongoing. Whoever takes over will inherit a unit with a solid foundation - but also a few areas that need tightening up.
For Brumfield, this is a fresh start and a new challenge in the Pac-12. And for Oregon State, it’s a chance to bring in a coach who’s shown he can elevate the often-overlooked third phase of the game - and do it quickly.