Garrett Williams Makes Two Game Changing Plays in Win vs Louisville

The Orange defense was spectacular all night against the Cardinals.

The Syracuse defense put together an incredible performance against Louisville Saturday night in the Orange's 31-7 win. Syracuse forced three turnovers, sacked Malik Cunningham three times, kept Cunningham out of the end zone and held the Cardinals to just 334 total yards. 

There were two key plays that kept the momentum on Syracuse's side just as Louisville appeared poised to grab it. Garrett Williams made both. 

The first came midway through the second quarter. Syracuse had a 17-7 lead but Louisville was driving. The Cardinals went with a trick play as Braden Smith took a reverse toss and threw it down field to Tyler Hudson. Hudson was wide open, made the catch and picked up 45 yards to set up first and goal. 

So how was this a big play by Williams? When Hudson started streaking open, Williams did not give up on the play. Instead, he chased Hudson down to make the tackle at the four yard line. Without Williams' effort, that is an easy touchdown. Instead, Syracuse would stop Malik Cunningham's run on a fourth and goal to turn Louisville away with no points to preserve a 10 point lead. 

"We were in a cover two concept," Williams said. "They ran a good play, they got a couple of us. When I saw it late, I just tried to do anything possible to save the touchdown." 

The second play came late in the third quarter with Syracuse still holding on to that 17-7 advantage. Louisville was driving again, threatening to trim the lead to one score. The Cardinals ran a deep post, a play that had worked against Syracuse each of the last two years for scores. Garrett Williams was not going to let that play burn them again. Instead, he came off of his man, recognized the post, and ran back to undercut the throw for an interception. 

"It was just one of those plays where we said we can't let them beat us again," head coach Dino Babers said after the game. "This has been deja vu too many times. Then when they threw it, the guy was open. The first thing I did was my eyes went straight to the backside, which was Garrett. I'm watching Garrett and I'm like, 'you got this Garrett? Do you have this Garrett?' Sure enough he did." 

Garrett Shrader would connect with Oronde Gadsden on a touchdown pass two possessions later to all but put the game away. 

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