As Syracuse’s offense advanced down the field, defender Miles Robinson drifted toward the midfield to pick up an opposing forward. Louis Cross found himself filing in behind Robinson near the sideline.

“Go take your spot, Louis,” head coach Ian McIntyre yelled, before the junior defender obliged.

Cross’ spot this year is at the center back position, and for the first time, he’s the full-time anchor of SU’s defense.  His place on the team has changed, too. He’s an upperclassman and has been forced to be a leader and mentor to the two freshmen defenders — Robinson and Kamal Miller — starting on either side of him on the backline.

“He’s the engine in our team,” Miller, the left back, said. “When we don’t have Louis, it’s definitely a big hole in our team. He’s a rock. He keeps us together.”

Cross spent his freshman year at Akron, where he started 13 games for the Zips, then transferred to Syracuse and played in just eight games (five starts) last year. He often watched from the sideline as SU’s back line of Skylar Thomas, Jordan Murrell and Tyler Hilliard helped to shut out 12 opponents.

When he did see the field, he had veteran players on defense with him.

But the departure of the trio left Cross to command the defense with limited experience.

“It was just kind of something he had to fit into right away just because we lost so many guys last year and we have so many new guys,” midfielder Liam Callahan said.

Cross has guided Miller through his training since the freshman arrived at SU. Miller “likes to have a bit of a moan” when the experienced defender offers advice, Cross said.

When a ball has landed dangerously inside the box, Cross is usually the one to clear it away. On set pieces, he yells and points to Miller and Robinson, directing them where to go in the one aspect of the game where the young defense seems most vulnerable.

He isn’t prone to make the mistakes under pressure that freshmen are, McIntyre said.

“Louis’ played an important role,” McIntyre said. “He’s never really flustered. He’s  pretty laid back.”

“Sometimes I think he’s asleep,” McIntyre said with a laugh.

Cross’ teammates joke that he’s is the most quiet English person they’ve ever met, but he’s trying to become more of a vocal presence on the field.

In a Sept. 4 win over UC Riverside, Cross intercepted a pass and kicked it forward to two SU midfielders,  but neither came to the ball and it was turned over. Cross waved his hands at his side and yelled, “Come on.”

When forwards slip behind Miller and Robinson, Cross yells to get them back in position.

“(Robinson and Miller) have been college players for two weeks, so it helps to have someone back there with experience,” McIntyre said.

Though Cross’ new role on the team may be somewhat unfamiliar to him, it’s one that the Orange needs him to fill. He’s overcoming his quiet nature to assert himself.

“He’s starting to become a leader on this team,” Callahan said. “He’s starting to mold himself into a person who opens his mouth and helps everything keep organized.”

Published on September 8, 2015 at 10:37 pm

Contact Jon: jrmettus@syr.edu | @jmettus