Miami's turnover chain has gotten a lot of air time this season, but when the Syracuse Orangemen come to Hard Rock Stadium Saturday they will be looking to deliver a knockout blow of their own when it comes to celebrating big plays on defense.
Syracuse celebrates its best defensive plays with a pair of giant, oversized, golden boxing gloves.
Miami players have the gaudy, oversized turnover chain placed around their neck each time a Miami player gets an interception or recovers a fumble.
The Syracuse gloves come out each time the Orange forces a turnover or delivers a game-changing defensive play.
During last week's upset victory over Clemson, the Syracuse gloves came out when Chris Slayton sacked Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant and knocked him from the game. The week before against Pittsburgh, it was bestowed on Alton Robinson for a sack and unrecovered fumble late in the game. Juwan Dowels earned it against LSU for an interception.
"Each of them that's gotten it, they've been cheesin'," said Syracuse defensive tackles coach Vinson Reynolds said. "Everyone likes to feel good. In the moment, it's just the family wanting to show its appreciation."
Just like Miami Director of Player Development/ Defense Joel Rodriguez is the keeper of the turnover chain on the Miami sideline, Syracuse assistant strength and conditioning coach Jeff Sobol is the guardian of the gloves on the Orange sideline, determining if a play is worthy of the golden gift. Each time a player receives them they add their signature to the gloves.
The use of sideline props to commemorate major defensive moments is an in thing this year in college football and Miami is getting major props for its gaudy turnover chain. Defensive players have typically taken a back seat when it comes to show off moments for the television cameras. Not any longer.
Alabama introduced the "Ball Out Belt" two seasons ago, a wrestling style belt handed to players who force turnovers. It didn't hurt the fad when the Crimson Tide won the national title that year.
This year as Miami introduced the turnover chain, Texas A&M rolled out a drum major's cane and Tennessee answered with a turnover garbage can.
Syracuse's defensive coaches sent the team's graduate assistants on a hunt for the pair of oversized boxing gloves they are using..
"It's like a trophy within the game," defensive end Alton Robinson said. "It gets us pumped."
But even Syracuse players admit that it's tough to top the Miami swag of the turnover chain.
"I can't hate," Syracuse linebacker Zaire Franklin said. "I think the turnover chain is definitely heat. It's heat. But I like our gloves too."
