George DeLeone Biography

Starting the 2009 season George DeLeone has coached football for 39 seasons. His second stint in the NFL, the first with the San Diego Chargers in the 90's, finds George the tight end coach for the NFL's rapidly improving Miami Dolphins, a position he took over in January 2008.

DeLeone, in his first year on the job helped make NFL history. During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround ever in the NFL, going from a 1-15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11-5 record in 2008. Additionally, Miami won the AFC East becoming the first team in NFL history to win their division after only having one win the previous season.

Quoting from the May 27th, 2009 Bleacher Report (sports blog) "George DeLeone, whose efforts in converting Anthony Fasano from, predominantly, a blocker, into the team leader in touchdown receptions, is not hovering under the radar.

So few teams utilize the pro set nowadays (two tight ends and a flanker wide receiver) for fear of shortening the field and allowing the other team to blitz more effectively.

The job Lee and DeLeone have done to assimilate Pennington, Fasano and second tight end, David Martin, into a trio responsible for 900 yards last season (2008), is remarkable, and absolutely pertinent to the team's ongoing success.

Prior to Miami he served two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Temple University, while also tutoring the interior offensive linemen in and the quarterbacks in separate seasons. Previous to Temple he had been the run game coordinator/offensive line coach at the University of Mississippi. Prior to that was Syracuse.

A veteran of four decades as a football coach, DeLeone is one of the most widely respected coaches in the game. The major amount of his coaching career has been spent at Syracuse University. DeLeone has also served on the gridiron staffs at the NFL's San Diego Chargers, Holy Cross, Rutgers University and Southern Connecticut State. Most of his coaching expertise is on the offensive side of the ball where he has served in a variety of capacities with a four-year sojourn as Defensive Coordinator at Rutgers.

"George DeLeone is the perfect fit for our program" (upon his much heralded arrival at Temple University) "and carries with him a tradition of excellence that spans four decades. Having played and recruited against Coach DeLeone for the past 10 years, I can tell you that he is not only a consummate professional and a tireless worker, he is by far the most knowledgeable coach I have ever been in contact with. In fact, George is the only coach I know that possesses the capability to be an offensive, defensive and special teams coordinator--and knowing George, he probably could do it in the same game." So said long time Head Coach Al Golden of Temple University.

He has a total 39 seasons of coaching experience, with 14 postseason bowl games on his resume while at Syracuse. In his second year as offensive coordinator at Temple University he took on the role of instructing the interior offensive linemen. His first year at Temple he had the Owls' quarterbacks under his wing.

DeLeone, a former Broyles Award finalist as national assistant coach of the year, has a long history of developing professional players. More than 20 of his pupils have played in the NFL, including current players Keith Bullock (Indianapolis Colts), Morlon Greenwood (Houston Texans) and Kevin Sampson (Kansas City Chiefs).

Under DeLeone's tutelage former Syracuse standout Donovan McNabb re-wrote the quarterback's section of the SU record book and helped prepare the former SU star for a stellar NFL career

He was at Syracuse for 20 seasons. The Orangemen went to 14 NCAA bowl games. They have an outstanding 9-4-1 record during DeLeone's tenure. In his years at Syracuse he has served in a variety of capacities. He started his career at Syracuse as the Offensive Line Coach, then was Offensive Coordinator/O Line Coach, became Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator, moved to Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach and finally Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach.

During DeLeone's time tutoring the offensive line, five of his pupils were drafted into the NFL. In his years as offensive coordinator, five of his players were first-team All-America selections.

DeLeone had a one season break in service with Syracuse when he was the NFL San Diego Chargers O Line Coach for the 1997 season.

Prior to coming to Syracuse in 1985 he was at Holy Cross for one season as Offensive Coordinator and Rutgers University as Defensive Coordinator for four seasons. DeLeone started his coaching career at Southern Connecticut State as the Offensive Line Coach for five seasons and then Head Coach of the Southern Connecticut State Owls four seasons.

As the Orangemen's offensive coordinator, Deleone has created a pro option offense (commonly known as the "Freeze Option") that has ranked as one of the nation's strongest offensive systems. Syracuse had consecutive one thousand yard plus rushing seasons by two different running backs.

For a quarterback who likes to run and Syracuse has had several including the Philadelphia Eagles standout, Donovan McNabb. The perfect scheme is the "freeze option", a basic play which freezes the defense with a well-executed fake handoff, then gives the quarterback the option of running or handing off or passing the football, with enhancements that seem so trivial but work so well. This scheme and a lot of hard work have vaulted Syracuse into the top tier of college football, having served the Orange so well for a decade.

DeLeone upon installing the Freeze at Syracuse said: "There is a lot more we're going to do to open up the offense. There are variations off the basic freeze-option --counter plays and passes. One of the most effective and spectacular pass plays has been the pass deep to the tight end, often uncovered down the sideline.

The quarterback is important, of course. But so is the fullback, who has to make that fake so good, taking the ball into his gut with his shoulders hunched over. We want the fake so good that the offside linebacker will tackle the fullback.When I first got here, we had Daryl Johnston, now with the Cowboys, and he was so good that helped me sell the system. Lou Holtz used it at Minnesota and I picked it up at a clinic "

DeLeone's offense has produced fourteen NCAA post season bowl appearances in seventeen seasons. Miami is the only Big East team that can match that record. He has helped coach the Orangemen to two Lambert Trophy's signifying the outstanding Division I college football team in the East.

During DeLeone's tenure the Orangemen have a 9-4-1 record in bowl games and have won two Big East Conference Championships outright and tied for a third. The two seasons Syracuse won the Lambert Trophy they went 11-0-1 (1987) and 10-2-0 (1992) losing hard fought contests to perennial powerhouses Miami and Ohio State.

Wherever DeLeone has gone one constant which has stood him in good stead is his operating philosophy of: "Every day, you wake up and do what's important now," DeLeone said. "Whatever it takes that particular day, you do what has to be done now. And you do it to the best of your ability. You can't worry about what other people think. You can only worry about what you believe is right. And you go to work under those conditions."

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, (now deceased), have two sons, Andy and Mark.

Some of his accomplishments are:

Coached football for 39 seasons - 36 seasons at Division I level - 3 years Pro level
Two seasons & currently Miami Dolphins tight ends coach
Helped make NFL history - 2008 season
During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround ever in the NFL, going from a 1-15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11-5 record in 2008
Additionally, Miami won the AFC East, in 2008
Miami the first team in NFL history to win their division after only having one win the previous season
More than 20 of his pupils have played in the NFL
Under DeLeone's tutelage former Syracuse standout Donovan McNabb re-wrote the Syracuse University record book
Helped prepare former SU star McNabb for a stellar NFL career
Two seasons as Temple University football coach
20 seasons as Syracuse University football coach
Former Broyles Award finalist as national assistant coach of the year
Created a pro option offense ranked as one of the nation's strongest offensive systems - commonly known as the "Freeze Option"
In his years as offensive coordinator, five of his players were first-team All-America selections
Syracuse offense has produced fourteen NCAA post season bowl appearances in eighteen seasons
Miami only Big East team who can match Syracuse bowl appearance record
Has helped coach the Orangemen to two Lambert Trophy's
Orangemen have a 9-4-1 record in bowl games during his tenure
Won two Big East Conference Championships outright and tied for a third
Bachelor's degree in physical education from Connecticut
Master's degree in education from Southern Connecticut State