Vince Kehres Named New DC of Syracuse

After the close of the 2025 season, when Elijah Robinson’s title changed from Defensive Coordinator to Co-Defensive Coordinator, the writing was on the wall that he was being demoted from calling the defense.

Following that move by Head Coach Fran Brown, he has now hired Vince Kehres to become the new Defensive Coordinator of the Syracuse Orange.

Kehres heads to Central New York after serving as the Toledo Rockets (Mid-American Conference, or MAC) Defensive Coordinator for the past six seasons.

In 2025, the Rockets’ defense was in the top 10 nationally in nine different categories: total defense (second), passing efficiency defense (second), scoring defense (fourth), fewest first downs allowed (fourth), passing defense (fifth), tackles for loss (fifth), rushing defense (eighth), sacks (ninth), and redzone defense (ninth).

Toledo was 11th nationally in third-down defense (11th) and 22nd in takeaways in 2025 as well.

The Rockets advanced to the MAC Championship twice, won the MAC Championship in 2023, and appeared in five consecutive bowl games in Kehres’ six seasons in Toledo.

In the season before him coming to Toledo, the Rockets were last in the MAC in total defense among the 12 member schools at the time, giving up 475 yards per game.

On average, Toledo gave up 327.2 yards per game over Kehres’ six seasons.

He has coached at least one player that has been drafted by the National Football League (NFL) in each of the last three seasons: Quinyon Mitchell (Cornerback selected in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, winning a Super Bowl with the team that season), Darius Alexander (Defensive lineman selected in the third round by the New York Giants in 2024), Desjuan Johnson (Defensive lineman selected in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Rams in 2023), Tycen Anderson (Defensive back selected in the fifth round by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022), and Samuel Womack (Defensive back selected in the fifth round by the San Francisco 49ers in 2022).

Kehres’ coaching career began at Mount Union, where he led the defensive line in 2000. From there, he coached the offensive line of the Purple Raiders in 2004, served as defensive coordinator from 2005-12, and was elevated to head coach of Mount Union in 2013, a role he had through the 2019 season.

In his time at Mount Union, the team advanced to the Stagg Bowl (NCAA Division III National Championship) 20 times and won 12 NCAA Division III Championships.

As Mount Union Head Coach, Kehres produced a record of 95-6 (.941). Those 95 victories were the most by any coach at the NCAA Division I, II, or III level during that time.

He aided the Purple Raiders to the NCAA Division III National Championship in five of his seven seasons as their head coach, winning the national title in 2015 and 2017.

Kehres was chosen as the Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and Lee Tressel Ohio College Coach each three times while at Mount Union.

As a student-athlete, he played defensive end at Mount Union, where he was a four-year letterwinner and won two NCAA Division III National Championships.