For the past two games, Syracuse defenders have watched opposing teams run the ball down their throats without reprieve. First it was South Florida, with mobile quarterback B.J. Daniels running the zone option to perfection. Next came Munchie Legaux and Jordan Luallen, tormenting the SU defense once again en route to a 35-24 win.

This week Syracuse takes on Louisville, a team ranked No. 11 in the country and in the Top 10 in the Bowl Championship Series standings. The Cardinals’ quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, is arguably the best player in the Big East as just a sophomore. He is mobile, but has emerged as more of a pocket passer in 2012.

The media caught up with Syracuse cornerback Keon Lyn, a native of South Florida where Bridgewater went to high school, to talk about defending the league’s top player during this week’s interview session.

Q: Talk about what you’ve seen from Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater on film and what it is that makes him so successful. What do you have to do as a defense to combat that?

Lyn: That offense, they do a lot of shifts and adjustments, and get our eyes bad and get us lined up wrong. But we’ve just got to come prepared and be sound. You’ve got to communicate out there as a defense. It’s a great team, they’re undefeated and their quarterback is playing great. You’ve just got to be sound. You can’t make no mistakes against teams like these.

Q: They have some good skill players and wide receivers that are tall and fast. What do you have to do to nullify their advantage there?

KL: Just don’t overthink it, because we’ve seen great receivers all year. Just go out there and play your game. Be patient and win at the line of scrimmage. Just win before the snap. Know your assignment and just take one play at a time and you should be fine out there.

Q: Louisville runs a little bit of the zone read but not as much as your previous two opponents, who both ran for over 200 yards. Are you guys glad to see that go away a little bit, or would you like another crack at it?

KL: You’re kind of glad that they don’t do it that much. Two weeks straight we’ve struggled with it, so I wouldn’t just throw it out at the easy for Louisville. They might come out and try to run a zone read and see what they can do with it at first before they go back to their regular things. You just have to be prepared for anything. They’ve got a great quarterback, great receivers, great running back. They play sound football.

Q: When you were playing high school football at Miramar High School in South Florida, did you play against Teddy Bridgewater?

KL: Teddy is from around the same area, and I knew Teddy. But we didn’t play against each other. I didn’t play my 11th-grade year, and we played (his school) Miami Northwestern. But I didn’t play football that year. … I know Teddy very well. We’re close off the field and on the field.

Q: Is there anything from what you knew about Bridgewater back then that you can tell some of the other guys in the SU secondary, or is he totally different now under Louisville head coach Charlie Strong?

KL: He don’t make the same mistake twice. He’s a great player. He can create plays with his feet, too, and in the pocket. He’s becoming a great player, and he knows the game inside and out having a year under his belt with his offense. He’s probably going to be one of the best players — even though he is now, he’s one of the best players now — he’s probably going to be the best player in the Big East next year.

Published on November 9, 2012 at 12:13 am

Contact Michael: mjcohe02@syr.edu | @Michael_Cohen13