Syracuse University head football coach Dino Babers has hired CHRIS ACHUFF as the team’s linebackers coach. A Bellefonte, Pennsylvania native, he most recently served as the defensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals, where he worked with former Syracuse star and 2019 NFL All-Pro Chandler Jones. Achuff joined the Cardinals in 2018 as the team’s assistant defensive line coach and was promoted to defensive line coach in 2019. Prior to his time with the Cardinals, Achuff spent the first 19 years of his career at the collegiate level. Achuff spent the 2017 season at Navarro (Texas) Junior College working with the defensive line. Before that he had stints as the defensive line coach at Baylor (2008-16), Tennessee-Martin (2006-07), Charleston Southern (2005), and Chattanooga (2004). During his tenure at Baylor, the Bears won back-to-back Big 12 Conference championships (2012-13) and Achuff coached three All-Americans and 12 all-conference selections. Before his nine-year stint in Waco, Achuff worked for two years at Tennessee-Martin, helping the Skyhawks win the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) title and advance to the FCS playoffs with a 9-3 record in 2006. Achuff began his coaching career at his alma mater, Bloomsburg University, in 1998 as a student assistant working with the team’s linebackers. He then coached outside linebackers and led the school’s 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). During his own playing days, Achuff played linebacker and was a standout on special teams at Bloomsburg (1994-97), where he was a part of four conference championship teams.