Football
Achuff, Chris
Chris Achuff
- Title:
- Defensive Line
- Email:
- ckachuff@syr.edu
- Phone:
- 4817
A seasoned collegiate coach with an additional two years of NFL experience, Chris Achuff enters his fourth year on the Syracuse staff in 2023.
Achuff has 17 years of full-time defensive line coaching experience in both college football and the NFL, having joined the Orange after most recently serving as the defensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals where he worked with former Syracuse superstar and 2019 NFL All-Pro Chandler Jones.
In Achuff's three seasons at Syracuse, he's been tasked with leading the youngest unit of the defense. In 2022, he took over a defensive line unit that entered the year with a combined 0 starts. After losing Terry Lockett - one-of-two players in the unit that saw regular time the year prior - to injury in the third game of the season, Achuff's unit rallied with multiple true-freshman contributors to be the front line of a defense that finished 21st nationally and third in the ACC in total defense.
Caleb Okechukwu led the team with seven sacks and finished with 10.0 tackles for loss. Redshirt freshman Jatius Geer started 12 games and finished tied for fifth in program history for sacks by a freshman (3.5), while former walk-on Kevon Darton led the unit and finished fifth on the team with 54 tackles.
Before moving to defensive line, Achuff groomed a young crop of ‘Cuse linebackers into one of the best units in the ACC, capped off by Mikel Jones earning First Team All-ACC honors in 2021 after finishing second in the league in tackles. He earned All-ACC honors again in 2022 and was named a Butkus Award Semifinalist. Jones was bouyed by standouts Stefon Thompson (who earned Freshman All-America honors in 2020 under Achuff’s tutelage) and Marlowe Wax, who combined for 239 tackles, 30.0 tackles for loss and 15.0 sacks in 2021. As a defense, Syracuse held opponents to 330 yards per game, which ranked 19th nationally and second in the ACC. Syracuse made a habit of getting after the quarterback, ranking third in the ACC in sacks (3.1) and 16th in the FBS.
In his first season at Syracuse, Jones was one-of-two players nationally with multiple interceptions, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. He also led all linebackers nationally with four interceptions, en route to earning All-ACC honors. As a team, the Orange defense finished the year third nationally in takeaways.
In his two seasons in Arizona, he was the team’s assistant defensive line coach in 2018 and was promoted to defensive line coach in 2019. In 2018, Jones had a team-best 13 sacks as the Cardinals tied for fifth in the league with 49 sacks overall. Jones was even better in 2019. He finished second in the NFL with 19 sacks and tied for the league lead with eight forced fumbles to earn All-Pro First Team honors and his third Pro Bowl invitation. Combined with his 11 sacks in 2016 and 17 sacks in 2017, Jones became the first player in franchise history to record 10+ sacks in four consecutive seasons.
Prior to his time with the Cardinals, Achuff spent the first 19 years of his career at the collegiate level, including stints as the defensive line coach at Baylor (2008-16), Tennessee-Martin (2006-07), Charleston Southern (2005) and Chattanooga (2004).
During Achuff’s tenure at Baylor, the Bears won back-to-back Big 12 Conference championships (2012-13) and he coached three All-Americans 12 all-conference selections and two bowl game MVPs. Defensive tackle Phil Taylor was a first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2011. Defensive tackle Andrew Billings was the 2015 Big 12 co-Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year, while also being named an All-American. Billings was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Before his nine-year stint in Waco, Achuff worked for two years at UT Martin, helping the Skyhawks win the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) title and advance to the FCS playoffs with a 9-3 record in 2006. UT Martin led the OVC and ranked 17th nationally in run defense and sixth nationally in total defense en route to its league title that season.
While at Charleston Southern in 2005, Achuff helped the Buccaneers win their first conference championship, while also achieving the first winning record (7-4) in school history. CSU was named the 2005 Division I-AA Team of the Year by College Sports Report. Achuff spent the 2004 season as the defensive line coach at Chattanooga after working for two seasons as a graduate assistant at Penn State (2002-03).
Achuff began his coaching career at his alma mater, Bloomsburg University, in 1998 as a student assistant working with the team’s linebackers. Achuff then coached outside linebackers and led the strength and conditioning program at Bryant College in 1999. From there, he moved on to Kutztown University where he was in charge of the linebackers and strength and conditioning for two seasons (2000-01). Achuff spent the 2017 season at Navarro (Texas) Junior College working with the defensive line.
A native of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Achuff played linebacker at Bloomsburg (1994-97) where he was a part of four PSAC championship teams.
He and his wife, Kim, have one daughter, Julia, and two sons, Carter and Tyler.
THE ACHUFF FILE
Experience: 25th season/4th at Syracuse
Hometown: Bellefonte, Pa.
Alma Mater: Bloomsburg '98
Family: wife, Kim; sons, Carter and Tyler; daughter, Julia
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Bloomsburg (1994-97)
POSTSEASON COACHING EXPERIENCE
2003 Capital One Bowl
2006 FCS Playoffs (First Round)
2010 Texas Bowl
2011 Alamo Bowl
2012 Holiday Bowl
2014 Fiesta Bowl
2015 Cotton Bowl
2015 Russell Athletic Bowl
2016 Cactus Bowl
2022 Pinstripe Bowl
PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
Baylor
Nick-Jean Baptiste (Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns)
Andrew Billings (Cincinnati Bengals)
Phil Taylor (Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins)
Arizona Cardinals
Chandler Jones (3x Pro Bowler, 2x All-Pro First Team)
Syracuse
Mikel Jones (3x All-ACC)
Stefon Thompson (2020 Freshman All-American)
Marlowe Wax (2022 All-ACC Honorable Mention)
Achuff has 17 years of full-time defensive line coaching experience in both college football and the NFL, having joined the Orange after most recently serving as the defensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals where he worked with former Syracuse superstar and 2019 NFL All-Pro Chandler Jones.
In Achuff's three seasons at Syracuse, he's been tasked with leading the youngest unit of the defense. In 2022, he took over a defensive line unit that entered the year with a combined 0 starts. After losing Terry Lockett - one-of-two players in the unit that saw regular time the year prior - to injury in the third game of the season, Achuff's unit rallied with multiple true-freshman contributors to be the front line of a defense that finished 21st nationally and third in the ACC in total defense.
Caleb Okechukwu led the team with seven sacks and finished with 10.0 tackles for loss. Redshirt freshman Jatius Geer started 12 games and finished tied for fifth in program history for sacks by a freshman (3.5), while former walk-on Kevon Darton led the unit and finished fifth on the team with 54 tackles.
Before moving to defensive line, Achuff groomed a young crop of ‘Cuse linebackers into one of the best units in the ACC, capped off by Mikel Jones earning First Team All-ACC honors in 2021 after finishing second in the league in tackles. He earned All-ACC honors again in 2022 and was named a Butkus Award Semifinalist. Jones was bouyed by standouts Stefon Thompson (who earned Freshman All-America honors in 2020 under Achuff’s tutelage) and Marlowe Wax, who combined for 239 tackles, 30.0 tackles for loss and 15.0 sacks in 2021. As a defense, Syracuse held opponents to 330 yards per game, which ranked 19th nationally and second in the ACC. Syracuse made a habit of getting after the quarterback, ranking third in the ACC in sacks (3.1) and 16th in the FBS.
In his first season at Syracuse, Jones was one-of-two players nationally with multiple interceptions, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. He also led all linebackers nationally with four interceptions, en route to earning All-ACC honors. As a team, the Orange defense finished the year third nationally in takeaways.
In his two seasons in Arizona, he was the team’s assistant defensive line coach in 2018 and was promoted to defensive line coach in 2019. In 2018, Jones had a team-best 13 sacks as the Cardinals tied for fifth in the league with 49 sacks overall. Jones was even better in 2019. He finished second in the NFL with 19 sacks and tied for the league lead with eight forced fumbles to earn All-Pro First Team honors and his third Pro Bowl invitation. Combined with his 11 sacks in 2016 and 17 sacks in 2017, Jones became the first player in franchise history to record 10+ sacks in four consecutive seasons.
Prior to his time with the Cardinals, Achuff spent the first 19 years of his career at the collegiate level, including stints as the defensive line coach at Baylor (2008-16), Tennessee-Martin (2006-07), Charleston Southern (2005) and Chattanooga (2004).
During Achuff’s tenure at Baylor, the Bears won back-to-back Big 12 Conference championships (2012-13) and he coached three All-Americans 12 all-conference selections and two bowl game MVPs. Defensive tackle Phil Taylor was a first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2011. Defensive tackle Andrew Billings was the 2015 Big 12 co-Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year, while also being named an All-American. Billings was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Before his nine-year stint in Waco, Achuff worked for two years at UT Martin, helping the Skyhawks win the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) title and advance to the FCS playoffs with a 9-3 record in 2006. UT Martin led the OVC and ranked 17th nationally in run defense and sixth nationally in total defense en route to its league title that season.
While at Charleston Southern in 2005, Achuff helped the Buccaneers win their first conference championship, while also achieving the first winning record (7-4) in school history. CSU was named the 2005 Division I-AA Team of the Year by College Sports Report. Achuff spent the 2004 season as the defensive line coach at Chattanooga after working for two seasons as a graduate assistant at Penn State (2002-03).
Achuff began his coaching career at his alma mater, Bloomsburg University, in 1998 as a student assistant working with the team’s linebackers. Achuff then coached outside linebackers and led the strength and conditioning program at Bryant College in 1999. From there, he moved on to Kutztown University where he was in charge of the linebackers and strength and conditioning for two seasons (2000-01). Achuff spent the 2017 season at Navarro (Texas) Junior College working with the defensive line.
A native of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Achuff played linebacker at Bloomsburg (1994-97) where he was a part of four PSAC championship teams.
He and his wife, Kim, have one daughter, Julia, and two sons, Carter and Tyler.
THE ACHUFF FILE
Experience: 25th season/4th at Syracuse
Hometown: Bellefonte, Pa.
Alma Mater: Bloomsburg '98
Family: wife, Kim; sons, Carter and Tyler; daughter, Julia
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Bloomsburg (1994-97)
| COACHING LEDGER | ||
| Years | School | Position |
| 1999 | Bryant College | Outside Linebackers/Strength & Conditioning Coach |
| 2000-01 | Kutztown University | Linebackers/Strength & Conditioning Coach |
| 2002-03 | Penn State | Graduate Assistant |
| 2004 | Chattanooga | Defensive Line |
| 2005 | Charleston Southern | Defensive Line |
| 2006-07 | UT Martin | Defensive Line |
| 2008-16 | Baylor | Defensive Line |
| 2017 | Navarro Junior College | Defensive Line |
| 2018 | Arizona Cardinals (NFL) | Assistant Defensive Line |
| 2019 | Arizona Cardinals (NFL) | Defensive Line |
| 2020-21 | Syracuse | Linebackers |
| 2022-Present | Syracuse | Defensive Line |
POSTSEASON COACHING EXPERIENCE
2003 Capital One Bowl
2006 FCS Playoffs (First Round)
2010 Texas Bowl
2011 Alamo Bowl
2012 Holiday Bowl
2014 Fiesta Bowl
2015 Cotton Bowl
2015 Russell Athletic Bowl
2016 Cactus Bowl
2022 Pinstripe Bowl
PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
Baylor
Nick-Jean Baptiste (Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns)
Andrew Billings (Cincinnati Bengals)
Phil Taylor (Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins)
Arizona Cardinals
Chandler Jones (3x Pro Bowler, 2x All-Pro First Team)
Syracuse
Mikel Jones (3x All-ACC)
Stefon Thompson (2020 Freshman All-American)
Marlowe Wax (2022 All-ACC Honorable Mention)
Fran Brown Postgame Interview at Clemson
Saturday, September 20
Players postgame press conference at Clemson
Saturday, September 20
Fran Brown postgame press conference
Saturday, September 20
Highlights | Syracuse at Clemson
Saturday, September 20
