As Liberty gears up for Saturday’s game against Southern Miss, Hugh Freeze met with the media on Thursday to give an update on his team’s week of practice.
“I divide our 2020 season into different seasons for our kids,” said Freeze. “Our whole focus has been playing season one, which is a six-game schedule, and approaching every game of the same importance, the same prep, the same mindset. We haven’t always done that, but I felt good about the approach this week.”
“I like the themes I planned back in the summer for the given weeks,” he continued. “I think the one we have this week is right on target, so I think that grabbed their attention a little bit on Sunday.”
Below are the 5 most interesting comments from Freeze from his Thursday press conference …
FLAMES TRYING TO AVOID A LETDOWN
“That started Sunday with us throwing that one in the trash. We celebrated Saturday, had a great time together. It’s been a week full of media requests for all of us in regards to that win, so that’s kind of been distracting a little bit. I’m much better now at 51 than I probably was at 40 handling that. Hopefully the kids have done the same, I think they have. I think they understand that the magnitude of this game is the same as the last. You may not get the same attention because it’s not a Power Five program, but certainly when we look at our goals for this year and our goals for season one, it is now realistic to defend our home field every single game and to finish season one with a 6-0 record. As I told them this morning, we have not been perfect as individuals, we have not been perfect as an offense, defense, special teams, but we’ve been perfect together, as far as the record goes. Hopefully they understand that this game carries that same magnitude, and if they want to continue to be in the discussions as an invitee to the college football party, so to speak, which is really what our theme kind of is about, if they want to continue to be in those discussions, then they better understand they better be ready to play a very good and athletic football team this Saturday.”
WANTING TO BEAT HIS ALMA MATER
“I just want to win. Now, it probably would hurt me more to lose to them than to somebody else. I’ve got some good friends there. I just don’t think about it in those terms a whole lot. I think about how blessed I am with these kids and these are my guys, this is my family, this is our staff, this is our home. I want to defend it whether we’re playing them or somebody else. Certainly after the game it might mean a little more when you get to maybe send a text to Brett Favre or one of those guys that’s your friend back there, but I haven’t spent 5 minutes thinking about I want to beat them worse than I want to beat Syracuse or somebody else.”
USM INTERIM COACH SCOTTY WALDEN OUT
“Obviously, we don’t like to hear that about any player or coach or anyone. Certainly hope he is one of the cases that is not having a lot of symptoms or sickness. I hate that for him and his kids, but it really doesn’t change how we approach the game.”
STAYING COVID CONSCIOUS
“I don’t need any more reminders because we have them every single week. You’re getting tested 3-4 times a week, depending on who you play. It’s constantly on your mind. We tested this morning. I’ll enjoy an afternoon away from the office like I usually do on Thursday afternoons, but as soon as it gets through on my mind will be waiting for the test to come tonight, usually around 10 to 11 on the results. So, you just never get away from it. You’re constantly reminded that it’s hanging out there and it could affect your team as well as others.”
LIBERTY ADDS UMASS TO 2020 SCHEDULE
“You’ve got to thank Ian and his staff for doing stuff like that for us. I think it’s a good game. They’re an Independent, we’re an Independent. It’s good that we play each other every year. Certainly help accommodate them and giving us an 11th game, because as you know all of us are kind of week to week as to what the possibilities of playing are. I told Ian at the beginning of the season, if we got 10 games in we would probably be the most blessed, fortunate team in the country. That’s kind of proven to be true, so far, but all of us are one test or one week away from having news that we don’t want to hear. I hope we make it through, but picking up that 11th game still gives us some…our goal is to get all 11 in, hopefully we can. I thought (adding them) was really good and welcoming.”
