SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Former Syracuse University head football coach Frank Maloney, who succeeded the winningest coach in school history when the program was in decline, has died. He was 79.

Maloney died Monday at his home in Chicago, his family confirmed, with the cause listed as metastic brain cancer.

Maloney played center and guard at Michigan from 1959-61 and served as an assistant coach, mostly under Bo Schembechler, at his alma mater from 1968-73. He was hired at Syracuse to succeed Hall of Famer Ben Schwartzwalder. Maloney inherited a team that had finished 2-9 in Schwartzwalder’s final season and guided the Orange for seven seasons.