The Liberty Flames will return to action this week against No. 21 Louisiana (9-1) following the team’s bye week. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia in a game that will be televised on ESPNU. Coach Freeze met with the media for his weekly press conference on Monday and here is everything he had to say beginning with his opening statement.

“We had a team meeting this morning but we have been in different practice segments,” he said. “It seemed like everybody was fresher, I hope, that was the goal. Obviously, 10 straight weeks was difficult without an open date. We welcomed that last week. Hopefully they got a lot of rest and are feeling better as we head into the final two games of the season. Today is more of a walk-through teach day, film day, and then tomorrow we will have a normal Tuesday practice. Hopefully we will see a little better pep in our step and a little more energy. Obviously, need to have that with who we have coming in here. It’s one of the better Group of Five programs in the country over the last several years. Can’t compliment the job Billy has done there enough.”

“They really are a fundamentally sound football team that are well coached in every facet, and they play great complimentary football. They are a very tough opponent week in, week out. They are on a nine-game win streak after dropping their opener to Texas. We are playing a top 25 team. I don’t know how many we have had come into Williams Stadium, but it’s going to be on national TV. It’s a chance for us, again what I’ve always said, we’ve got bowl eligible now let’s test ourselves, and this is a great way to test ourselves to end the season against two really good football teams these last couple of weeks.”

THIS IS ONLY THE 2ND TOP 25 TEAM COMING TO WILLIAMS, THE FIRST WAS SYRACUSE IN YOUR DEBUT.

“Like to forget that debut.”

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SEEN THE PROGRAM GROW FROM SYRACUSE TO LOUISIANA, THE 2ND TOP 25 TEAM TO VISIT WILLIAMS?

“There’s obvious growth. I think the results that are out there of what we’ve done here in three years, being bowl eligible in each one, 2-0 in bowl games, a lot of firsts last year and competitive in most every game we’ve played in. The judge of growth is the fact that we are bowl eligible again in year three with two games remaining. Hopefully, have a chance to compete. We competed our last game against a top 15 team, and I thought we were in the game. Hopefully, we can do the same against another top 25 opponent this Saturday. It’s hard to argue. I think if you were to poll coaches around the country, I have no idea what they would say, but I do think they would recognize Liberty as one of several non-Power Five schools that would get your attention if you’re playing them. I think we have become somewhat relevant and hopefully we will continue to compete at a level that make people feel that way.”

WHAT TYPE OF CHALLENGES DOES QB LEVI LEWIS PRESENT?

“It’s hard for me to remember (the first game against him) truthfully. I know that they were really good that year, but he is just a complete quarterback. He is throwing accurate balls, he has great accurate receivers, great tight ends. They play a lot of tight ends, they are really deep at that position, and he can use his legs when needed to be difficult to defend. He is a really, really solid quarterback. When teams have quarterbacks that play really well and DLine’s that play really well, you have a chance to win a lot of games. You look at their team, certainly they have great skill around him at receiver and running back, I think this is top 2 or 3 running back we’ve faced this year, in my opinion, but you look at their DLine and you look at their quarterback, those two units have played really well for them over the course of Billy (Napier’s) tenure there. It’s no mystery why they have won so many games it’s because of those two positions primarily, then you put all that talent around them like those receivers they have, tight ends, running backs, skill positions. It’s a plethora of them in that state, I know. They have done a great job recruiting and then taking them and coaching them up.”

WHEN FACING A DUAL THREAT QB, YOU HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS THIS SEASON, WHAT HAS BEEN KEY TO THAT?

“We’re able to speak into that when I’m talking with Scott (Symons) and the defensive guys, I know a few things about what we try to do offensively with guys like Levi and Malik and others. We kinda compare our thoughts. I think I can tell him what gives us problems and kinda tell him what we’re thinking on this side and they try to come up with a solution. Then, we’re able to kinda replicate that some with Kaidon Salter and others we can use to simulate what we’re going to face on Saturday. They are very difficult because they do a great job formationally also, a lot of shifts, a lot of motions, a lot of different looks, different pictures. They force you to be somewhat simplistic. Ultimately, we’re going to have to fit the right gaps and tackle well in space to defend somebody like this.”

DID YOU WATCH GUS MALZAHN COACH FROM THE STAND AGAINST SMU?

“They had the early kick so I was on the golf course. I didn’t get to see it, but he did call me early last week to ask me exactly what I used when I had my back issue. I did talk him through that. I’m glad he was able to do that. He’s not really happy about his injury.”

HOW MUCH DID YOU WORK WITH THE OFFENSIVE LINE THIS WEEK TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN KEEP MALIK PROTECTED AGAINST THEIR DLINE?

“I probably spent more time with them than ever before last week. Just trying to figure out ways to give them a chance. This group, it’s not only their DLine is talented, but their linebackers and secondary also. They are a complete team and they will bring pressure from both boundary and field. We’ve got to protect him. The games we have, we’ve had a good chance to win. We typically don’t turn it over when we protect him well. That’s a big, big key to us competing in this game.”

WHAT HAS BILLY NAPIER DONE TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL THERE?

“I know enough about Billy, I think he’s one of the best guys in the business. He cares about more than just the kids on the field and the wins and the losses. He’s a man of faith and principal. I kinda like his demeanor. I’ve always had a high opinion and regard for Billy. Obviously, the job he’s done has been pretty special there. There are players all throughout that state and he knows that and he’s done a heck of a job getting and retaining great staffs. It shows that they have the complete picture there, completed with players and coaches and a vision. He’s leading that charge. He’s done it really well.”

WERE YOU ABLE TO GET A LOT OF GUYS HEALED UP OVER THE BYE?

“I think we will be as healthy as we can be. There are still those you have lost for the year that won’t be back, but the ones that can try to play, certainly the last week off will help them be in a better situation to do so.”

HOW DID DURRELL JOHNSON LOOK IN HIS REPS AGAINST OLE MISS?

“He played solid. You could tell he’s not 100%, but he played solid. Hopefully this week off and another week this week to get back in game shape will help him.”

HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CONVINCE THE STUDENTS TO STICK AROUND FOR SATURDAY’S GAME?

“I’ve got to talk to Ian about my plan on that. I’ve got to figure out a plan, that’s going to be a hard task I bet, but I’m sure going to try.”