Dino Babers: Liberty and QB Competition

Syracuse Head Coach speaks about the offensive threat Liberty has in Malik Willis and the ongoing quarterback competition for the Orange.

Dealing with the offensive threat of Malik Willis is a primary focus for the Orange this week. His play making ability is unmatched, as this may be the biggest test the Orange have faced this season. The dual threat quarterback won’t just kill you in the air but has intentions of trucking through an entire defense as well. Syracuse Head Coach Dino Babers credits not only the quarterbacks arm but his determination when running the ball. 

“He’s a quarterback that can throw the football, he throws a good deep ball, he throws a good short ball,” Babers said. “But he runs so strong, I’m not going to call him a running back because he’s not but God he does not run like a running quarterback, he’s better than that.”

The high praise from Babers is a result of his experience playing Liberty the past two seasons. In 2019, the Orange defeated Liberty 24-0 and in 2020 the Orange lost to Liberty 21-38. The record is split 1-1 with both teams having intentions of inching away with the lead in the series. The stability of the Liberty offense is the perfect contrast to the uncertainty of the Orange offense.

“They will know first, the team will know second, the media will know third” is the approach Dino Babers is taking toward his own quarterback competition. The ongoing evaluation of DeVito and Shrader has been going on since camp, as the team still can’t decide who “won” the battle. Babers wants one of the two to win it on the field, in other words letting the performance speak volumes in which the crowd can decide. Who will take the first snap… that information cannot be released because it will give away a “tactical advantage” Babers said.

With all of the noise surrounding this game, the team is taking the loss last year personally going into the Friday night game. The thick air of the Dome will weigh heavily on the Orange as the fans look for their weekends to be made with a win. Coming off a blowout win against a weaker opponent in UAlbany, the Orange look to prove a point against good competition in Liberty before going into ACC play.