Syracuse, N.Y. -- Fans watching the Syracuse football team at the Carrier Dome or on TV from afar Saturday night might notice an assistant wearing a kilt.

Who is this kilt-wearing coach and why does he wear it?

His name is Dave Chirco, an assistant strength coach for the Orange. Chirco was a three-sport star at Weedsport before graduating in 2011 and continuing his football career at Utica College, where he played defensive end and later served as a student assistant.

When he joined the Syracuse football program as an assistant, head strength and conditioning coach Sean Edinger picked him to continue a tradition used back when Edinger was with Dino Babers at Bowling Green: have one of the assistants wear a kilt for little reason other than fun.

Chirco is not Scottish, but he is one of the most outgoing individuals on staff, making him qualified to wear the kilt.

"I think it's awesome," said fifth-year senior offensive tackle Koda Martin.

"(Edinger) said the last guy that he had do that was always embarrassed and didn't like it and was frustrated with it.

"Here when he did it, (Chirco) just embraced it and took it on and almost just made it something exciting that all the players are fired up about.

"It's kind of the attitude he brings behind it. That's awesome. That just shows if you're fired up about something, it can change it from something that is embarrassing to something that is a tradition that's helping the team."

The Orange hosts No. 22 North Carolina State at 7 Saturday night in a nationally televised game on ESPN2. Syracuse native Beth Mowins will be the play-by-play voice on the TV broadcast as SU attempts to become bowl eligible for the first time in five years.

Syracuse did not make Chirco available for an interview for this story.

"I haven't given him a whole lot (of flak) because it worked there for a while for him," senior linebacker Ryan Guthrie said.

"It's different. He's a different cat."

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