#CuseCamp15: Meet DTs Kayton and Slayton

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Assistant head coach/defensive line coach Tim Daoust has a lot of different responsibilities with the Syracuse football team, but overseeing the Syracuse defensive line is certainly his strong suit.

One of the positions under Daoust that will see some new faces is defensive tackle. Despite being on the roster last season, both Chris Slayton and Kayton Samuels redshirted, utilizing 2014 as a year to get better and stronger.

"Chris and Kayton started the spring and emerged themselves as strong, reliable, tough kids which is what we are looking for inside," Daoust said. "Defensive tackle is a tough position to play. You are going to have your back against the wall and get physically beat up, but those two have showed character and toughness to fight and fight and fight."

Slayton joined the Orange as a defensive end, but has since moved inside to the defensive tackle position. After his redshirt season, Slayton had to adjust to the speed of the game and get accustomed to what the position entailed. Daoust believed that Slayton's future was on the interior, giving him the year to get stronger.

"In high school, I would lift, but I didn't take it as serious as I do now," Slayton said. "When they told me I was going to redshirt, I took the opportunity to get stronger, faster and bigger."

Six days into preseason camp, Daoust has been pleased with what he has seen out of Slayton.

"I thought he had what it took to be special at the defensive tackle position and he has so far proved me right in camp," Daoust said.

Slayton's counterpart on the inside, Samuels, also redshirted.

"Kayton is a high character, great kid. No matter what we ask him to do, he is going to try to get that done," Daoust said. "I knew coming out of the spring that he was the one guy who separated himself among the others and could be counted on."

Samuels utilized last season to learn more about the position, scouting other players around him while going up against starters to prove that he could play. For Samuels, his redshirt season helped him mature a lot, turning him into a better football player.

"I got extremely better over the fall season, going up against the starting offensive line and trying to scout everything," Samuels said. "Defensive tackle is a tough position, but Coach [Daoust] has gotten me fired up and ready to go."

In order to be successful, it is important to be mentally tough. Both Slayton and Samuels are expected to play a vital role along the defensive front in 2015.

"I'm excited for this group and the ability, now let's get some experience and give it some adversity to see how they respond," Daoust said. "Running through walls and fighting through adversity is the expectation around here."