As Liberty gears up for Saturday’s game at Virginia Tech, Hugh Freeze met with the media on Thursday to give an update on his team’s week of practice.

“I think our kids will be excited and they will be ready to play,” said Freeze.

Below are the 5 most interesting comments from Freeze from his Thursday press conference …

AUBURN COACH MALZAHN RECOMMENDED WILLIS TO FREEZE

“When Malik entered in the transfer portal, I immediately had an interest in him if he had an interest in us. I initiated the call to Gus and Gus’ first words to me were, ‘what an incredible kid he is, great teammate, and obviously a very good athlete.’ He couldn’t give him enough high marks on the kind of person he is, and I wanted to know that first, obviously, if we were going to go down that road. I’m sure he probably told Malik at some point, ‘Man, you would be a good fit to go with Coach Freeze.’ I don’t know if it was much beyond that. It was Malik and his family’s decision, but Gus’ recommendation on him really gave me, in my mind, the green light to go on him. From that point it was just the unknown because there wasn’t a sample size to see can this kid in a game function at this level in throwing a football and making the right decisions and all those things. That was the only unknown I had after talking to Gus.”

SURPRISED ABOUT TEAM’S EARLY SUCCESS

“I don’t think there’s any of us that thought we would be sitting at 6-0 at the break headed into play Virginia Tech. Not because none of us believed we could compete or win, but we didn’t have spring ball, fall camp was a whole different type of camp, are we going to play are we not going to play, are we having a season are we not, trying to catch up on the conditioning and the strength training that we missed. It would be really hard to say we’re going to go out there and beat a nine-win Western Kentucky team or an ACC opponent in Syracuse or a Southern Miss that is traditionally very strong, or an FIU with Florida athletes. In year two of full-time FBS play, and our roster is still not totally full of FBS players. I don’t think in all honesty I could have said before the season that we would be sitting here at 6-0. Obviously, my feelings on that becoming a reality are incredibly proud of our kids, our staff, and our administration, everybody that has participated in protecting our team in the bubble principle from academics to training staff, to strength staff, to nutrition staff. It’s taken, truly, a village for us to be at our best each week. We certainly haven’t been perfect as individuals, but we’ve been perfect together to this point. It’s quite rewarding, and to be in the Top 25 this week will be a memory and keep sake for all of us for years to come.”

FIRST BUS TRIP OF THE YEAR

“It will be different. We’ve been fortunate even on our away games it seems like our hotels have all been 15 minutes at tops to the stadiums we play at. This will be the first experience when we get on the bus and have to ride for an hour plus to get to the stadium. I hate doing things that are different. I have had many conversations with our coaches and our players so that they’re not shocked by feeling a little different. That is a concern and it is a little different for sure. We’re busing from here Saturday morning.”

“When I was the head coach at Lambuth, those 11 hour bus rides at NAIA. That’s a different animal now. We used to have some very long bus rides those two years. Some great memories though, but I’m glad I don’t have to do that much anymore.”

KEY TO BEAT VIRGINIA TECH

“No one has stopped them. They are fourth in the nation in rushing. I think they are very, very good up front offensive line wise, and obviously tailback and quarterback they are extremely talented. I really think one of the keys to watch if we have a chance to be in this game will be our red zone defense. Are we able to hold them to some field goals instead of touchdowns because they are going to move the ball. They have against everyone. They have a good scheme, they are well coached, and they have good players. It will be really nice if they turn it over to us like they did against Wake. If they will do that a few times that will help our cause.”

PLAYING IN-STATE OPPONENT MEANS MORE

“I didn’t enjoy the hostility at the last rivalry that I was apart of. It was a little too much for me and my taste. Now, do we want to beat our brothers and our in-state schools and is there a little something extra in those games? Of course. The last one, the Ole Miss-Mississippi State one, those people live with each other, go to church together, go to the grocery store, it meant something year round. I understand it does mean a lot. I just don’t think it has to become, unfortunate like a lot of our world is, where it’s so demeaning and so attack oriented and we build each other up by tearing the other school down or the other coach down or the other people down. I just don’t want to be a part of that. I want to have respect for our opponents and then I want to try to beat the heck out of ’em on that day and brag about it the rest of the year, but you can do all those things without ever saying a negative word about your opponent.”