Liberty has concluded its first nine practices of August training camp and following Tuesday morning’s practice head coach Hugh Freeze held a press conference. Here’s everything Freeze had to say during his media session beginning with his opening statement:
“Really struggling to find consistency, particularly offensively,” he said. “We haven’t had any group yet that has been as consistent as I’d hoped we’d be at this point in camp. Looked like a million bucks in our first team period and when we went team drives again at the end, just found that there was very little consistency and defense dominated that period also.”
“Proud of the effort. It was very difficult on us. Today was practice nine, but we had our second round of COVID shots yesterday for a large portion of our team. There was a lot of guys feeling under normal today, not normal. They pushed through best they could, but we’ve got to find some consistency offensively. That starts with us as coaches.”
ARE YOU ENCOURAGED BY WHAT YOU SEE ON DEFENSE?
“That’s the unknown. I told Ian the other day walking off the scrimmage, I never leave a scrimmage feeling good. I’m either feeling like we scored too easy or moved the ball too easy, or we stink on offense because we can’t move it or convert third downs. I’m hopeful that we’re pretty good defensively, but you don’t really know that until you get in the season and see. I think we have potential to be pretty solid on defense, and I hope that’s some of the issues with our lack of consistency offensively.”
DO YOU USE PRESEASON POLLS AS MOTIVATION?
“I hadn’t even mentioned that. I could care less where we are in the polls or not in the polls. There hasn’t been a game played yet. Our focus ought to be on how to we prepare today to win against Campbell. Hopefully, if we attack it that way, we will get our opportunities against the Coastals of the world like we did last year. We were successful last year. Maybe we will get that opportunity again. None of that really matters if you don’t prepare for the day that’s ahead of you. I won’t talk to our team about that until it’s earned.”
WHAT AREAS NEED TO BE CLEANED UP ON OFFENSE?
“I wish I could limit that to one room. It is every single room. It really is. It can be a receiver that truncates his route and is not deep enough and throws the quarterback’s timing off. It can be a drop. It can be everybody makes their block up front in the front seven except for one guy. It could be the quarterback. It’s everything. Running back making the wrong read. We had every single scenario today and Saturday that caused us to stall drives. Maybe some of it is to do with when you’re trying to install everything you are running things against looks that aren’t good. That’s some of it. Where hopefully in the game we are good enough coaches maybe to not run into bad looks, but sometimes that happens. It’s just been way too inconsistent for every room.”
IS STETSON MOORE LOCKED IN AT WR OR TE?
“He’s going to be with the receivers this year. We need a bigger body put into the boundary some. He made a good catch Saturday. He made another really good one today when he got one on one in a team situation. He’s just now learning the spot though. He’s very inconsistent and raw at it, but boy he’s got something to him. We just got to bring him along and probably have a smaller expectation on the package that he handles when he’s in the game, but we do think he has potential to make a difference for us particularly in red zone situations.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY INJURY UPDATES?
“I can’t remember the last one that we talked about. We’ve got Daijahn Anthony had that meniscus surgery repair, so he’s probably 3-4 weeks on that. Khaleb Coleman is still recovering from his surgery on his knee. J-Mack’s got a little groin strain, we held him out today. Frank Boyd, hamstring. I think that’s all. We held Malik out today just to make sure his arm is fresh. He was out at practice we just didn’t let him go live reps. I think that’s it.”
IS TRESHAUN CLARK DOING BETTER?
“He sacked us about five times today so I think he was fine.
JAVON SCRUGGS AND DEON BIGGINS?
“Scruggs is fine. You know what some of these guys can do, so you want to make sure they are really healthy like he and Malik and some others. He could have practiced every practice. Biggins has a hamstring irritation. I expect him to be back Thursday of this week.”
WHAT DO YOU ENVISION OUT OF AUBURN TRANSFER JAY HARDY?
“I think he’s going to be ineligible this year so that will be a redshirt year for him. We’re excited to have him. He’s been very, very impressive. If he handles business and gets himself in top shape with this year he has to learn, I think he’s a big time player for us.”
WHAT DOES SKYLER THOMAS BRING TO THIS SECONDARY?
“Real pleased with Skyler. He loves ball. He loves to work. His motor is 100% all the time. He’s a mature kid. He tackles well. He’s physical. I think he’s a great addition to us. I think he’s going to make us better at that nickel spot for sure. He adds depth with Treadwell and Darko and Chance Smith. Those are really our four nickels. I think we’re pretty solid there.”
KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE A VETERAN OFFENSE, DO YOU WORRY A LITTLE LESS THAT THEY’RE GOING TO GET IT TOGETHER?
“I’m always optimistic that we can find a way to score some points, but certainly the film never lies. Right now it is inconsistent and I have to fix it. Maybe that’s a weird way to answer it. Am I going to be optimistic that we can score some points? Yes. Am I frustrated a bit at what the film will show when I go watch it after lunch? Yes. I don’t know if I’m answering your question. I sound kind of double-tongued there, but both are true.”
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY STANDOUTS?
“You mentioned Skyler, he has raised my eyebrows and he gave me a good whiplash to my neck that I’ve had therapy on the last three days because he hit me. He’s a good player. I think Duron Lowe is one that we’re counting on to be very solid at one of the corners. Storey Jackson I think continues to improve. It’s slowed down for him a little bit with all the new verbiage and installs. Excited about what those transfers can add to what already was somewhat of a veteran group. Stephen Sings has really stood out. As has Aakil. I think those two young kids are going to play quality snaps for us.”
“Offensively, we are basically returning everyone so I don’t know if it would be a shock to anyone any of those guys. Maybe TJ Green, I guess, because he just didn’t play last year. I think we are three really solid backs right now. Shedro had a great practice today.”
I DIDN’T SEE DURRELL JOHNSON AT PRACTICE TODAY AND CED STONE WASN’T PRACTICING, ARE THEY OK?
“Yes. Durrell is in COVID protocol. He didn’t feel well yesterday so he got tested. He tested negative, but they want him to do one more test. He is in that protocol. Ced was one of the worst ones this morning with the second COVID shot. He was throwing up some this morning. We let him just watch.”
