The Flames hit the field this Saturday in their final non-conference match up of the regular season, against the Concord University Mountain Lions at 3:30 PM. Concord, of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NCAA Division II), will make the trip from Athens, West Virginia to Williams Stadium for the first time since 2005. The Mountain Lions come into this week with a record of 4-3, as they take a break from their WVIAC schedule.
History
Liberty and Concord have matched up four times in the past, with the Flames going 4-0 in the head to head series. Much has changed since their last match up, as the 17-6 Liberty victory in 2005 was the lone win of Ken Karcher’s final season at the helm in Lynchburg. Since the end of the Karcher era, Liberty has posted a 49-24 record, and seen vast upgrades to Williams Stadium. Previous meetings included Flames wins in the 1992, 1993, and 1994 seasons. The Mountain Lions will be looking to add an impressive upset of an FCS program to their season’s resume.
What You Need To Know
Concord comes into Lynchburg ranked #32 in total defense amongst NCAA Division II programs, featuring the #26 passing defense in Division II. While the Flames will come in as the heavy favorite, it will be interesting to see if the Mountain Lions defense will be able to slow down QB Josh Woodrum and the Liberty offense. Concord lost their starting QB Zach Grossi for the season in a car accident earlier this year. Freshman Albert Rose has seen the bulk of playing time, however he was replaced early last week against Seton Hill by Senior QB/WR Evin Dusold who played well in their 29-26 comeback victory.
Key Players
#12 Jake Lilly
Junior
Linebacker
5’11” 200 Lbs.
#22 in nation (Division II) in tackles, averaging 10.57 per game
Beyond Sports Network 2012 Pre-Season All American
#20 Calvinaugh Jones
Freshman
Running Back
5’6″ 185 Lbs.
Rushed for 186 yards against Glenville State on October 6
#7 Evin Dusold
Senior
Quarterback/ Wide Receiver
5’11” 170 Lbs.
Replaced Albert Rose at QB against Seton Hill on October 13, going 17-20 for 225 yards, 2 TD’s and no INT’s in a winning effort.
#11 Albert Rose
Freshman
Quarterback
6’0″ 175 Lbs.
Stepped into the starting role following a car accident that ended Zach Grossi’s season
57.76% Completion rate, 3 TD, 8 INT
#8 Ansel Ponder
Senior
Wide Receiver
6’1″ 190 Lbs.
Transfer from Western Michigan (MAC)
36 Receptions for 475 yards and 3 TD
Key Match Up
Without a doubt the most interesting match up in this game will be Concord wide out Ansel Ponder against Liberty’s #1 Corner in Walt Aikens. Concord’s ability to stay in this game may hinge on how the former Western Michigan player fares against Aikens.
The Long and Short of It
This game should be an easy win for the Flames. Any time you go against an opponent from a lower division, winning handily has to be the expectation. Despite Concord having quality athletes, the Flames should simply outclass the Mountain Lions in this one barring a strange turn of events. Hopefully this game will be a good opportunity to work out some kinks in Liberty’s game, and prepare for the biggest match ups of the season against Coastal Carolina and conference favorite Stony Brook.
Prediction
Liberty walks away with this one,
