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The biggest story heading into Syracuse’s game against Liberty surrounded one looming question: Could the Orange stop Malik Willis?

The Orange’s defense knew halting Willis — one of the top quarterbacks they will face this season — wouldn’t be easy. He entered this season as a Heisman Trophy sleeper pick, according to Pro Football Focus, and put up at least 38 points in every game before facing SU. 

Linebacker Mikel Jones said he knew the Liberty game would be a challenge but invited it rather than being afraid of it. And with all eyes on how the Orange would be able to stop the potential first round draft pick, they did, holding Liberty to the fewest points it has scored all year. 

These are the key defensive plays that helped Syracuse in its 24-21 win against the Flames: 

Constant pressure

Throughout the first quarter, Willis gave Syracuse’s defense some trouble, avoiding a multitude of tackles and blitzes on almost every play. But the Orange continued to send as many players as possible toward Willis, knowing if they stopped the NFL quarterback prospect, they would have a good chance to win the game. 

Syracuse shifts out of its base 3-3-5 defense whenever it wants to put pressure behind the line of scrimmage, adding as many as three extra players to the line. But since the Flames were able to stop some of these fronts, Syracuse’s linebackers took turns going up and back from the line before the ball was even snapped on this play.

This confusion got to Liberty’s offensive line, forcing them to play on their back foot because of the unexpected changes in the front. Eventually, SU brought four players to the line of scrimmage, with Jones and Geoff Cantin-Arku staying back in the second level. 

The Orange’s third linebacker, Marlowe Wax, went up to the line, beating Liberty’s right tackle, and causing Willis to step up into the pocket to avoid pressure. Willis saw an opening down the left side of the field, but Jones expected him to make this move, as he played a unique QB spy role the entire game.

“I was watching a lot of film knowing that I was going to get the opportunity to stop them,” Jones said. “A lot of people are looking at (Willis) right now, and I took pride in watching film and seeing his tendencies.”

Jones wrapped up Willis’ legs, sending the Flames’ punting unit out to the field and ending another drive for Willis and Liberty’s offense.

“He’s the key to everything,” Babers said of Jones. “He’s definitely our quarterback on defense. He’s the guy.”

Double moves equals double trouble 

After Liberty realized SU’s strength at stopping the run, the Flames moved to a more pass-heavy offense in the second half. This worked, as cornerback Garrett Williams was burnt on the left sideline for one score, and then true freshman cornerback Duce Chestnut on this one.

With a first down, and an extra heavy set that included three extra players positioned at the line of scrimmage, the Orange’s defense was thinking a run play was coming their way. The Flames expected this, and directly after the snap, Willis faked a handoff to Shedro Louis.

This movement caused Chestnut to bite on the first cut that Liberty receiver Demario Douglas made, expecting a quick pass even if a run was coming. But this route wasn’t what the Flames were trying to pursue — they wanted to go deep. Douglas cut up as he hugged the sideline, streaking toward the end zone. Chestnut was left behind, forced to watch Douglas haul the ball in near the end zone.

Williams said the double moves from Liberty were something Syracuse expected heading into the matchup. But at times, Syracuse’s secondary was still caught pursuing every first cut made from the opposition, resulting in two scores.

“We were trying to stay in coverage the whole time and respect the double moves knowing that they were running a lot of them,” Williams said. “We tried our hardest, but we know that we could’ve done better.”

Goal Line stand 

Eight minutes into the fourth quarter, Liberty had its best opportunity to break the game’s 21-21 tie. The Flames stood less than four steps away from the end zone, but the Orange’s defense had stopped them on three straight plays.

With a fourth-and-goal, Liberty called a timeout to think through what to run. The Flames went to a play that had worked for them throughout the matchup — run the option with their future NFL draft pick at quarterback.

But Syracuse’s defense maintained its set, overloading nine of its players in the box, expecting a run up the middle. The Flames ended up running a little outside with a speed option, meaning that Willis would either pitch the ball to running back T.J. Green or he would keep it himself. 

On speed options, one player on the defense is left unblocked in order to force the quarterback to make a read and go away from wherever the unblocked player is going. But Willis messed up on his read, and Stefon Thompson charged at the quarterback unblocked.

Thompson didn’t finish the tackle but stopped Willis just enough that Wax and Kingsley Jonathan could help on the play. SU had successfully stopped the go-ahead score. 

“I thought they were amazing, especially with the fourth-down stop,” head coach Dino Babers said about the defense. “(Willis) is just a matte truck, and he’s hard to bring down.”

Turnover Chain

Defensive lineman Josh Black said Syracuse’s defense has struggled with creating turnovers this season, after they “excelled” in that department last year. The Orange implemented more time in their practices to a turnover circuit to help this cause, and it finally came into fruition on Friday night.

“In the middle of plays we have to think about the ball, not just tackle,” Black said.

Black said the team didn’t need a turnover chain, something that Miami gives to its players on the sidelines after they force a turnover. But defensive lineman Cody Roscoe could probably get one for his timely forced fumble during Liberty’s last offensive possession.

Before the snap, SU started to inch back some of its linebackers as it had done on many plays throughout the game. Syracuse specifically loaded the left side of its defensive line, in order to create confusion for Willis, who was looking to throw to that section of the field.

Roscoe and Thompson thrust themselves into the same offensive lineman, Liberty’s Brendan Schlittler, allowing them to push back past the line of scrimmage. But Roscoe let go of Schlittler for a second, moving the guard’s attention to Thompson. Left free, Roscoe charged at Willis, smacking him to the turf as he tried to step up into the pocket. Wax, who didn’t blitz, was there to clean up on the play, letting the ball roll into the hands of Jones, who recovered it to give Syracuse the ball late in the fourth quarter.

Published on September 27, 2021 at 8:48 pm

Contact Anish: asvasude@syr.edu | @anish_vasu