Dick MacPherson: Carrying on the Orange Tradition

When we think about legendary football coaches, one name that might be in the shadows is Dick MacPherson. Coach MacPherson had a brilliant career guiding players to new heights and taking his teams to the field, ready to battle any opponent.

Football Bio

Richard MacPherson was born on November 4, 1930, in Old Town, Maine. He played for the Old Town High basketball and football teams and was a better-than-average athlete. He graduated and then attended Maine Maritime Academy before serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1950 to 1954 during the Korean War.

Football Career

MacPherson’s football journey began at Springfield College in Massachusetts, where he enrolled after serving four years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. A standout center and linebacker, he captained the undefeated 1956 Springfield squad, absorbing the fundamentals of leadership and physical interior play. After graduating in 1958, he began a lengthy apprenticeship across collegiate and professional ranks. He honed his craft as a graduate assistant at Illinois, coached first-year students at UMass, coordinated defenses at Cincinnati, and worked under Lou Saban at Maryland. When Saban jumped to the Denver Broncos in 1967, MacPherson followed, coaching linebackers and defensive backs in the AFL and NFL for four seasons.

In 1971, MacPherson earned his first collegiate head coaching post at the University of Massachusetts. Over seven seasons in Amherst, he turned the Minutemen into the dominant power of the Yankee Conference, capturing four league championships, winning the 1972 Boardwalk Bowl, and compiling a 45–27–1 record. After a brief return to the NFL from 1978 to 1980—coaching linebackers for Sam Rutigliano’s famous Cleveland Browns “Kardiac Kids”—MacPherson accepted the challenge that defined his legacy: the Syracuse Orangemen. [National Football Foundation]

Taking over a proud independent program in 1981 that had endured eight consecutive non-winning seasons, MacPherson rebuilt Syracuse through gritty regional recruiting, relentless conditioning, and infectious enthusiasm. His first breakthrough came on September 29, 1984, when his heavy-underdog Orangemen stunned Tom Osborne‘s No. 1-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers, 17–9, inside the Carrier Dome.

The program reached its zenith in 1987. Behind unanimous All-American quarterback Don McPherson, a punishing rushing attack led by fullback Daryl Johnston, and an aggressive, ball-hawking defense, McPherson guided Syracuse to an undefeated 11–0 regular season and the Lambert Trophy. Syracuse finished 11–0–1 after a controversial 16–16 tie with Auburn in the Sugar Bowl, capping a No. 4 national ranking. For his masterclass in program building, MacPherson earned consensus National Coach of the Year honors, sweeping the Paul “Bear” Bryant, Eddie Robinson, and Walter Camp awards.

MacPherson concluded his Syracuse tenure with four consecutive bowl victories and a 66–46–4 record before answering the NFL call in 1991 as head coach of the New England Patriots. After inheriting a team that finished 1–15, he engineered an immediate five-game improvement to 6–10 in his debut season, revitalizing a fractured locker room. Following an injury-plagued 1992 campaign that ended his coaching tenure, MacPherson returned to Syracuse, spending two decades as a charismatic color analyst on the university’s radio network. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009, Coach Mac left an enduring blueprint for program building rooted in passion, discipline, and unwavering belief.

Playing Career and Early Life

• Military Service (1950–1954): Served four years in the United States Air Force during the Korean War era before enrolling in college.
• Springfield College (1954–1958): Played center and linebacker for Springfield College under coach Edward Bilik; served as team captain and was a key contributor on the undefeated 1956 squad.

Assistant Coaching Career (1958–1970, 1978–1980)

• University of Illinois (1958–1959): Began coaching career as a graduate assistant and freshman team coach.
• University of Massachusetts (1959–1960): Served as freshman football coach and wrestling coach.
• University of Cincinnati (1961–1965): Worked as a defensive assistant under head coach Chuck Studley.
• University of Maryland (1966): Coached defensive backs for head coach Lou Saban.
• Denver Broncos (1967–1970): Followed Lou Saban to the AFL/NFL ranks, serving four seasons as linebackers and defensive backs coach.
• Cleveland Browns (1978–1980): Coached linebackers under Sam Rutigliano during the “Kardiac Kids” era, helping Cleveland capture the 1980 AFC Central title.

Head Coach: UMass Minutemen (1971–1977)

• Record: 45–27–1 (.623) overall; 28–8–1 (.770) in Yankee Conference play.
• Championships: Captured four Yankee Conference titles (1971, 1972, 1974, 1977).
• Postseason: Won the 1972 Boardwalk Bowl, defeating UC Davis 35–14 to cap a 9–2 season.
• Milestones: First coach in UMass history to achieve eight or more wins in three separate seasons; twice named New England Coach of the Year.

Head Coach: Syracuse Orangemen (1981–1990)

• Record: 66–46–4 (.586) over 10 seasons; 36–10–3 across his final four years.
• Program Turnaround: Rebuilt an independent program that had endured eight consecutive non-winning campaigns prior to his arrival.
• Signature Early Win (1984): Orchestrated a 17–9 Carrier Dome upset over Tom Osborne’s No. 1 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers.
• Undefeated 1987 Campaign: Guided Syracuse to an 11–0 regular season, the Lambert Trophy, a No. 4 national ranking, and a 16–16 tie with Auburn in the 1988 Sugar Bowl to finish 11–0–1.
• Bowl Success: Led Syracuse to five bowl appearances (3–1–1 record), including postseason victories in the 1989 Hall of Fame Bowl (LSU), 1989 Peach Bowl (Georgia), and 1990 Aloha Bowl (Arizona).
• Key Players Developed: Quarterback Don McPherson (1987 Heisman runner-up, Davey O’Brien & Maxwell Award winner), fullback Daryl Johnston, wide receiver Rob Moore, safety Markus Paul, and defensive tackle Tim Green.

Head Coach: New England Patriots (1991–1992)

• Record: 8–24 (.250) across two NFL seasons.
• 1991 Season: Took over a franchise that went 1–15 in 1990 and guided them to a five-game improvement (6–10), earning widespread praise for revitalizing team morale.
• 1992 Season: Finished 2–14 amid severe roster turnover, key injuries, and personal health complications that sidelined him for part of the season.

Broadcasting and Post-Coaching Contributions (1994–2013)

• Syracuse Radio Color Analyst: Served two decades as the color commentator for Syracuse football radio broadcasts on the Syracuse IMG Sports Network, partnering with play-by-play voices Doug Logan and Matt Park.
• Ambassador of Central New York Athletics: Remained an active civic leader in Syracuse, establishing fundraising initiatives for local charities and serving as a mentor to Syracuse football coaching staffs.

Major Accolades and Honors

• College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2009 as a head coach.
• National Coach of the Year (1987): Unanimous selection, winning the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (FWAA), Walter Camp Coach of the Year, Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year, AFCA Coach of the Year, and The Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year.
• Lambert Meadowlands Trophy: 1987 (Eastern Major College Champions).
• George C. Carens Award: Awarded by the New England Football Writers for outstanding contributions to New England football.
• Hall of Fame Inductions:
  • Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame (1996)
  • Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame (1988)
  • Maine Sports Hall of Fame (1985)
  • University of Massachusetts Athletics Hall of Fame (2004)
  • Syracuse University Athletics Hall of Fame

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