For all nine of Syracuse’s games prior to Friday against Louisville, the same pair of cornerbacks — junior Scoop Bradshaw and redshirt junior Chris Fredrick — started.
But on Friday, SU head coach Dino Babers ran out freshman Trill Williams to start the game.
In opting for the 6-foot-2 Williams over a 5-foot-11 Bradshaw, Babers introduced a different type of cornerback into No. 12 Syracuse’s (8-2, 5-2 Atlantic Coast) starting lineup. Williams and his redshirt freshman counterpart Ifeatu Melifonwu (6-foot-3) are both taller and bigger than Bradshaw or the 5-foot-11 Fredrick.
When on the field, the shorter cornerbacks leverage good positioning and technique to win matchups while their younger teammates can rely on physicality and instincts.