Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Syracuse is expected to fill its tight ends coaching vacancy by hiring former Rutgers assistant coach Nunzio Campanile, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Monday afternoon.

Campanile had spent the previous five seasons at Rutgers, where he served as running backs coach for one season, tight ends coach for the past three seasons and interim head coach and offensive coordinator in 2019. Campanile was also the Scarlet Knights offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after Sean Gleeson’s dismissal in October. He was the only holdover on Rutgers’ coaching staff after Greg Schiano became head coach in 2020.

The coach had tweeted on January 11 that he was moving on from coaching at Rutgers. Campanile previously was the head coach at Bergen Catholic (N.J.) High School from 2010-17, and offensive coordinator at Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) from 2000-09.

Campanile comes from a family of football coaches, with one article even describing them as the “first family of New Jersey football.” Campanile’s dad, Mike, and brother, Vito, coach at Bergen Catholic, and another brother, Anthony, is the Miami Dolphins linebackers coach. Campanile’s older brother, Nicky, coaches at DePaul (N.J.) High School.

Head coach Dino Babers has said New Jersey is one of SU’s most important recruiting states. Syracuse has signed Duce Chestnut, LeQuint Allen and others out of the state in recent years. But the Orange assistants that recruited in the state over recent years, including Nick Monroe, Reno Ferri and Vince Reynolds, have all departed the school. SU assistants have told New Jersey high school coaches the state is important for them. Campanile will likely take over recruiting the Northern New Jersey area, which Monroe had handled over the past year.

Offensive coordinator Jason Beck said in December that he planned to maintain his role as quarterbacks coach while Syracuse would look to add a tight ends coach. Last season’s offensive coordinator, Robert Anae, also coached tight ends. Anae departed for NC State in December. The Orange, who have lost five assistants this offseason, still have one vacancy to fill after Campanile’s hiring.

Published on January 23, 2023 at 5:48 pm

Contact Connor: csmith49@syr.edu | @csmith17_