It’s been a whirlwind week on the Hill, and the reverberations are just getting started.
Let’s start with the headline: Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack is stepping down. After nearly a decade at the helm, Wildhack announced he’ll retire at the end of June. A national search is already underway to find his successor, with a search committee featuring some notable names unveiled on Thursday.
Now, that news alone would be big. But it came on the same night that the Orange men’s basketball team delivered one of the wildest wins in recent memory-outlasting California 107-100 in a double-overtime slugfest, all while a snowstorm raged outside and the lights flickered inside the Dome. It was chaotic, dramatic, and just the kind of night that reminds you why we love college basketball.
After the game, head coach Adrian Autry took a moment to reflect on Wildhack’s legacy.
“First, I want to congratulate John on his retirement. Well-deserved,” Autry said.
“He's done a phenomenal job in his time here with a lot of change. You know, there’s been a lot of change in college athletics.
And he showed up every day and did the job to the best of his ability. So, well deserved for him-proud of him.”
It was a classy nod from Autry, but it also left one big question hanging in the air: What does Wildhack’s departure mean for Autry’s future?
That’s the question everyone around Syracuse basketball is quietly (or not-so-quietly) asking.
The Orange are 14-11 overall, but just 5-7 in ACC play. That puts them squarely on the outside looking in when it comes to the NCAA Tournament picture. If they miss the Big Dance again, it would mark five straight years without an appearance-an unthinkable stretch for a program that once defined March.
So, where does that leave Autry?
Let’s break it down.
**Scenario 1: Wildhack rides it out with Autry. **
Wildhack is the one who handed Autry the keys. If he believes in his guy, he may choose to let him finish the season and leave the decision to the next athletic director.
That would give Autry one more offseason to prove he can turn things around, and it would give the new AD a clean slate to assess the program on their terms.
**Scenario 2: Wildhack makes the call himself. **
If Wildhack doesn’t believe Autry is the long-term answer, he could decide to make a coaching change before he exits. That would likely mean overseeing the hiring process for a new head coach-unless the university brings in his replacement quickly and hands that responsibility over.
Either way, there’s no easy path forward.
Let’s say Wildhack keeps Autry. Does the new athletic director want to inherit a coach he didn’t hire, who’s already on the hot seat? That’s a tough position to walk into-especially for a program as high-profile as Syracuse men’s basketball.
But flip the script: if Wildhack fires Autry and hires the next coach himself, the new AD is still inheriting someone they didn’t choose. That’s not ideal either, especially if the hire doesn’t pan out.
And if Wildhack makes the firing but leaves the hiring to his successor? That’s a big-time decision to hand over to someone who’s just getting their bearings in a brand-new job.
So yeah-it’s complicated.
There’s no perfect solution here, which is why the next few months in Central New York are going to be so fascinating. The Orange are at a crossroads, both on the court and in the front office. How Syracuse navigates this transition will shape not just the basketball program, but the entire athletic department for years to come.
Elsewhere on campus:
- The No. 2-ranked Syracuse men’s lacrosse team is gearing up for a heavyweight showdown with No. 1 Maryland on Friday night.
Face-off is set for 6 p.m. ET, and it’s already being billed as one of the must-watch matchups of the college lacrosse season.
- Former Syracuse offensive lineman Justin Outten is making moves off the field. He’s reportedly interviewing for the offensive coordinator job with the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Outten played at SU from 2003 to 2006 and was a two-year starter in the trenches. Now, he’s on the brink of a major step in his coaching career.
The spotlight is squarely on Syracuse right now-and not just for what’s happening on the court. The next chapter is being written in real time.