When Joey Slackman’s name was put in the college football transfer portal on Nov. 20, he was unconscious, actively receiving bicep surgery. When he woke up, the senior defensive guard had already received over 10 offers from top programs all over the country.
The onslaught didn’t stop there: in just 24 hours after his name entered the portal, he received no less than 17 offers, and as of Dec. 4, he has 25 options, including top programs like the universities of Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Missouri, Louisville, Arizona, and Southern California.
“I'm super honored and grateful to be in this position,” he said. “I didn't think I would be, but it's a childhood dream come true.”
His popularity is a surprise to few, given his remarkable success over the past few seasons — especially his most recent senior campaign. This year, he started nine games as an unstoppable force on the defensive line and finished the year with 50 tackles with 23 solo stops — second among Ivy defenders. Throughout his entire Penn career, he boasts an impressive 115 tackles (56 solos), 25 TFLs for a loss of 91 yards, and 11 sacks.
He decided to enter the transfer portal with a year of eligibility left as he’s only played three years of college football due to his unique athletic journey at Penn: he initially committed to the Red and Blue as a wrestler and spent his freshman year with Penn wrestling.
During the 2020-21 school year, when all athletics were canceled due to the COVID-19, Slackman was at home when he started feeling like he hadn’t fulfilled everything he wanted to with football. Penn’s football coaches had told him in high school that if he wanted to play, he could, so he called up the coach who he’d had that conversation with and was welcomed with open arms onto the team the following year.
His aim as he moves forward with the transfer process is simple: win.
“My goal is to try to play in the NFL, so I figured I could take the next step and go to a bigger school that would help me develop better as an individual, and go to a team that I could try to help get wins and build my profile for NFL teams over the next year,” he said.
He also wants to attend a school where he can get a valuable master's degree that'll help him for when his football career is over.
His accomplishments have not only given him plenty of options for his very bright future but also qualified him as a finalist for the Asa. S. Bushnell Cup for Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, which is awarded by a vote of the eight Ivy League head football coaches to the players who display outstanding qualities of leadership, competitive spirit, contribution to the team and accomplishments on the field.
Slackman is Penn's first Bushnell Cup finalist since Nick Miller and Justin Watson in 2017. On Dec. 11, he’ll attend the press conference and reception honoring the Ivy League Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in New York City.
“I owe pretty much everything to my parents,” he said. “I wouldn't be in the position I am now if they hadn’t sacrificed the time that they did growing up for me to go to wrestling tournaments and drive me around the country to football camps. I owe a lot to my sister, Valerie, too. Even though she's my younger sister, I do look up to her a lot, even though she might not realize it.”
He also expressed gratitude to his trainer back home for teaching him what he needs to do to be at his best, and the Penn coaches for giving him the opportunity to join the team.
As he nears the end of his time as a Quaker, Slackman reflects on the myriad of unique experiences he has had at Penn. Looking back, he highlights his first home game with Penn football, which was against Dartmouth — the returning Ivy League champions — as particularly impactful.
“It was my first time playing on Franklin Field, and I got a sack against Dartmouth,” he said. “Even though we lost the game, which sucked, that kind of told me that I can make it, that I actually can do what I'm saying that I'm going to do. It was a turning point for me as far as my mentality went.”
Despite all the attention and coverage on him in recent weeks, he aims to stay grounded as he moves forward into the next stage of his life and career.
“I'm trying not to get caught up in all the fluff of recruiting,” he said. “I know that I'm going to put my full effort into everything. My goals are my goals, and that doesn't really change, regardless of the level of football program I play: football is football. I'm excited, grateful, and just super pumped to see where I end up.”
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