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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Orgeron Names DeLeone Running Game Coordinator
5/24/2005 | Football
May 24, 2005
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss head football coach Ed Orgeron announced Tuesday he has elevated offensive line coach George DeLeone to the position of running game coordinator.
DeLeone, who joined Orgeron's staff in January of 2005 as offensive line coach, will continue working with the offensive line while taking on his new responsibilities.
"We are fortunate to have a person with the knowledge of George DeLeone on our staff," Orgeron said. "George and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone worked so well together during spring drills. This adjustment to our coaching staff responsibilities simply enhances what we are doing when it comes to offensive planning."
DeLeone, who has coached 34 years on the collegiate level and one season in the NFL (San Diego, 1997), was the associate head coach and offensive line coach last season at Syracuse. With the exception of that one season with the Chargers in 1997, he coached at Syracuse from 1985-2004.
During DeLeone's 20 seasons at Syracuse, he was SU's offensive coordinator for nine years (1987-96). DeLeone first joined the SU football program in 1985. Prior the 1999 season DeLeone moved back to the offense as SU's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, in addition to his duties as associate head coach. DeLeone was on the opposite side of the ball in 1998 as SU's associate head coach and defensive coordinator.
During his tenure as Syracuse's offensive coordinator, DeLeone built a pro-option attack that ranked as one of the most balanced and productive offenses in the country. In that span, SU earned eight bowl bids and had quarterbacks who ranked among the national leaders in passing every year and in the top six four times. In 1993, Marvin Graves re-wrote the quarterback's section of the SU record book, and DeLeone helped point former SU standout Donovan McNabb in the same direction.
DeLeone helped guide the Orange to Big East Championships in 1996, 1998 and 2004.
In 2003 DeLeone's offense produced a 1,000-yard rusher for the fourth consecutive season. Walter Reyes gained 1,347 yards, the second-best single-season rushing total in Syracuse history. Reyes accumulated 1,135 yards in 2002, while James Mungro compiled 1,170 rushing yards in 2001, one year after Dee Brown amassed 1,031 yards in 2000.
DeLeone came to Syracuse from Holy Cross, where he was the offensive coordinator for one season in 1984. He started his coaching career in 1970 at Southern Connecticut State as an offensive line coach. He was promoted to head coach in 1976, a spot DeLeone held through 1979. DeLeone moved to the Division I level in 1980, coaching under Frank Burns at Rutgers from 1980-83. At RU he served as the Scarlet Knights' defensive coordinator.
A native of New Haven, Conn., DeLeone received his bachelor's degree in physical education from Connecticut in 1970 and his master's in education from Southern Connecticut State in 1971.
DeLeone and his wife, Roberta, have two sons, Andy, a Penn graduate, and Mark, a student at the University of Iowa.
