College football: Syracuse loses starting cornerback Williams for season
Nov. 1—SYRACUSE — Syracuse University football starting cornerback Garrett Williams will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL. Orange head coach Dino Babers confirmed the diagnosis during his weekly press conference Monday.
Williams suffered the injury during Saturday's 41-24 loss to Notre Dame in the JMA Wireless Dome. He started after a one-game absence due to a reported thigh bruise but was helped off by trainers in the second quarter and did not return.
Williams is a returning All-Atlantic Coast Conference defensive back selection and led the conference in pass breakups in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He was elected by teammates as a captain entering his third year as a full-time starter.
"He is Syracuse through and through," Babers said of Williams. "Nothing but orange running through his veins, and he wants nothing but the best for his family, and we want nothing but the best for him."
Babers did not provide clarity on the status of quarterback Garrett Shrader, who left the Notre Dame game at halftime due to concerns over a pre-existing undisclosed injury.
Williams initially exited the second quarter of SU's 24-9 victory North Carolina State on Oct. 15 and was held out of the 27-21 loss to Clemson the following week.
He returned to the sidelines for the second half against the Wolfpack then traveled to Death Valley and warmed up in uniform but stayed on the sideline against the Tigers.
After leaving against Notre Dame he was seen exiting the Dome on crutches.
"I don't have a status update on him," Babers said directly after the game. "I believe I know what it is, but I'm not completely sure and I don't want to put out a false statement."
Williams was credited with five pass breakups and two interceptions in seven games. He also had a forced fumble, a recovery, and was pacing toward a career-best year in tackles with 36. Williams defended a league-best 12 passes in 2020 and led the way again with 10 last year.
The 6-foot, 189-pound native of Harrisburg, N.C., was rated as the No. 2 cornerback in the 2023 NFL Draft by Pro Football Focus last summer and was the No. 9 CB on ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.'s preseason positional rankings.
"Thank you for all the support and well wishes," Williams posted to social media on Monday evening. "The story is far from over. This will be legendary."
The 22nd-ranked Orange (6-2 overall, 3-1 ACC) will turn to Isaiah Johnson as his full-time replacement, starting at 3:30 p.m. Saturday with an away game at Pittsburgh (4-4, 1-3). The league clash will be televised on ACC Network.
The senior transfer from Dartmouth has replaced Williams for prior stints this year and had nine tackles in his lone start at Clemson.
Williams became the third starter on defense to suffer a season-ending injury this year for SU. Defensive lineman Terry Lockett and linebacker Stefon Thompson each went down in September.
