No longer is Chris Slayton named Chris Slayton. Instead, Syracuse head coach Dino Babers calls the redshirt junior, “Three technique,” a reference to his defensive tackle position on the outside shoulder of the guard.

“That’s the position he plays and he plays the position like a grown man in a grown man’s league,” Babers said Monday. “He is the key to what we do on defense.”

On Clemson’s final offensive play of the first half Friday night, Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant tried to scramble up the middle before he was wrapped up. Slayton threw him to the turf, knocking Clemson’s leading passer out of the game.

Slayton spearheaded the SU (4-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast) defense in its massive upset of the defending national champion and then-No. 2-ranked Clemson (6-1, 4-1). Syracuse held CU ball carriers, who entered Friday averaging 237.3 yards rushing per game, to 113 yards on the ground. The 6-foot-4 Slayton led SU in clogging the gaps.

As a freshman in 2015, Slayton played in all 12 games. He bulked up a year ago and started all 12 games as the only returning tackle. Last year, Slayton had four sacks and tied for the team lead with 10 tackles for loss. One of his biggest contributions occurred at Connecticut, where he helped set up senior linebacker Zaire Franklin’s big goal-line stop and force a turnover on downs with about six minutes left in the 31-24 win.

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Former Syracuse defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough told The Daily Orange last year that Slayton had made a name for himself as one of the strongest players on the team. Slayton said in fall camp that a focus this year was applying more pressure to quarterbacks, which he has done.

He picked up a forced fumble Sept. 9 against Middle Tennessee State and chipped in six tackles in a competitive loss at then-No. 25 LSU. Through seven games, Slayton ranks 11th on SU in total tackles with 17, but he slots in at second in tackles for loss (4.5), behind only Parris Bennett, this week’s ACC Linebacker of the Week.

With fellow defensive linemen Josh Black and Kendall Coleman still out due to injury, there is an added onus on the defensive line, Slayton included. He has exceeded expectations.

“He’s going to be a professional football player,” Babers said. “He’s outstanding.”

Other notes from Babers’ press conference:

• On the No. 2 receiver battle, which remains open to Jamal Custis and Devin C. Butler: “I’m looking for a guy to take the position. Just to flat take the position.”
• On junior tight end Ravian Pierce, who ranks third on Syracuse in catches and has 165 receiving yards over the past two games: “It’s how people are playing us. They’re doing more things to take away (Ishmael) and Ervin (Philips), which gives other people opportunities to exploit other parts of the defense. It’s just part of the chess game.”
• On the Miami matchup: “You’re playing another undefeated team in the Top 10. Another storied program. We’re playing them at their place, it’s going to be a difficult game.”

Published on October 16, 2017 at 2:12 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21