After two plus weeks of training camp, Liberty held a practice on Wednesday, it’s second in-season practice of the 2022 campaign as the Flames prepare for the season opener in less than two weeks at Southern Miss on Sept. 3. Following the 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:
“Historically, this is probably the toughest week. You’ve gone through two weeks of camp, then you ask them to have great practices without a game this week and they have to get accustomed to the process of up earlier, camp they got to sleep a little bit, we have to be hear at six now. Then, classes and study hall and tutoring. I was not surprised that yesterday I thought what we had was a fairly sloppy practice. Today was much better, hopefully we will continue that trend throughout the week and then game week.”
“We’re dealing with quite a few little injuries. We’re thankful that, to this point, none seem to be like season-ending, but still we’re just thin at a few spots, especially running back. Hopefully we will get those guys back in a quick turnaround. That has made practice a little more challenging too. Obviously, learning how to practice when you divide up and start going scout team, service team, for your opponent, today was the first day doing that, that always hurts some people. You got to motivate them to understand that everyone’s role is as important as the next. We’ll have to learn how to practice a little better. I thought we didn’t practice as hard at times today going against those scout looks that we would against our defensive unit. We’ve got to correct that.”
“Like our kids, like our attitude, like our leadership. Obviously there are so many unknowns until you play some games, but I think we are in a good spot right now other than the injuries.”
YOU NAMED QB1, WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND?
“I don’t know that I’m 100% sure now. I just think he separated himself by a small margin over JB, just in probably the timing throws of close windows. It’s not that I don’t believe JB or Kaidon or Nate, couldn’t do well either. That probably makes it more challenging. I think it comes down to what we saw in the two scrimmages, particularly the last one. Probably, there’s part of me that knows he’s done it before and want to see if we can re-kindle a type of year that he had at Baylor. That’s what it came down to, but again it was very close, very difficult.”
IS TREON SIBLEY AT RB FULL TIME MOVING FORWARD?
“I hope it is not a permanent move. He was really doing well at receiver, but we were down Malik, TJ, and Shedro today. So, he’s the next man up. We’re only carrying four right now on scholarship. Treon can do it. So, we’ve got to get him some reps there. We started that last, I guess, Thursday or so. The expectation is that we have him prepared in an emergency situation, but hopefully he can move back as we get healthier in that room, we can.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE CLARITY IN YOUR KICKER SPOT?
“That’s a tough one. Nick kicked really well in the scrimmage Saturday. Brayden has been dealing with an injury, so it has kind of been hard to evaluate him properly probably. Ultimately, I will probably let Tanner tell me who he wants to go with, that will probably be the day before the game on that. We will go with that.”
AS THE SEASON NEARS, HOW IS YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL?
“I’m always confident. Optimistic, I would say. I think our schedule is very difficult. I don’t know that confidence means you think you are going to win X amount of games. We could easily lose to a lot of the teams that are on our schedule. Southern Miss will have some of the best athletes you will play. Just go down the schedule and any of those can beat you. Yeah, we’re confident that our kids are going to get ready and we’re going to play hard and we’re going to be in games and have a chance to win some, and hopefully we will find a way to do that.”
HOW DID THE COMPETITION AT QB CHANGE THE WAY YOU APPROACHED CAMP?
“I’ve done it so many times where you didn’t know who your starter was that you just rotate the reps between the guys you think are in the competition between the 1’s and 2’s and try to get them equal reps for a two-week period. You chart every single decision, every single throw, and it was very close. Both their decision-making was a very high grade. Execution, Charlie was a little higher ahead on that. It was very close. Close between all four of them, truthfully. Just rotated them for the two weeks and then looked at the facts what the stats say and what we see with our eyes and make a decision after that.”
AFTER A COMPETITION IN CAMP, THE GUYS THAT REALIZE THEY MAY NOT GET AS MUCH PLAYING TIME, HOW DO YOU GET THEM RELOCKED IN FOR WHAT THEIR ROLE IS?
“If you knew how to do that all the time you could probably sell that. It is hard. It is difficult. Everyone wants to play, every body wants to compete. Every body wants to contribute. In reality in sport and competition, every body’s role is different. The ones that handle it the right way I think are going to make it well in life. That’s what I try to explain to them. Life is a series of obstacles and puzzles that we have to figure out how to deal with. You not having your number called on this given day or this given time is just another one of those obstacles or pieces to the puzzle. The more we are able to figure those out and move forward, the better off we are probably going to handle life. I have those conversations with them, I am not always right in these decisions. Sometimes they sort out to be different as the season plays out. Just keep preparing yourself for your moment whenever it may come.”
DO YOU THINK KHALEB COLEMAN COULD MAKE AN IMPACT THIS YEAR?
“I’m really proud of what Khaleb has become as a person compared to where he was when we arrived. It would give me great joy to see him contribute. I think he has put himself in a position to do that. Obviously, if we get totally healthy in that room, we have some good players there. But he has certainly put himself in a position to play a role, I’d love to see him have some success doing it.”
HOW DOES DURRELL JOHNSON HELP THE TEAM?
“I’m really proud of how he has matured since he has been here also. It was a transition period that he had to learn how to work, how to eat, how to train, take care of himself. He’s had some highs and lows. I think he made the right decision to come back and try to mature. He’s gained some good weight. Hopefully he has a good year rushing the passer.”
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE IDENTITY OF THE TEAM?
“i don’t know yet. Hopefully it is a really, really tough defense. That’s what I would like for our teams to be known as and an efficient offense. When defenses play well you win some games. Hopefully that will be the case, but I think your identity is always developed as the season goes on. You find out you are stronger here than we thought or weaker here than we thought. Where we’re weak, we’ve got to find a way to make up for that. Where we’re strong we need to lean on those. I think our identity will be determined in the first half of the season, for sure.”
DO YOU FEEL LIKE, 10 DAYS OUT, YOU WILL BE HEALTHY ENOUGH FOR YOUR LIKING GOING INTO WEEK 1?
“I sure hope so. I don’t anticipate it being something that drastically changes us. I don’t anticipate that, but you never know. We still got several practices yet. Just hope and pray we can stay healthy and get the all to the game.”
WHO SURPRISED DURING CAMP?
“Dae Dae has been pretty surprising, I like him a lot. Those young safeties, A’Khori and Brylan, I think they are probably going to push for playing time some for us. Kobe Singleton has been a surprise at corner. I think he’s going to be a solid player too. The move of Aakil to linebacker, he’s kind of proven he can do both. We are going to use him at both because he is such a talented kid. X (‘Zauvea Gadlin) at tackle, or guard, wherever we put him, we like him in the offensive line. I probably should stop. There have been several of surprises.”
DEFENSE GOT SOME TURNOVERS IN THE SCRIMMAGE, ARE YOU PLEASED TO SEE THAT?
“Yeah, two of them were off receivers hands. That can’t happen, receivers have got to protect the quarterback. Both of those should be caught. The others were a tip by the D-Linemen, they are taking pride in getting some of those. It is good to see them get turnovers for sure. I don’t win in scrimmages or practices. You feel bad one way or the other. Or you feel like we didn’t play as well as we should have on one side or the other, but it’s good to see them get some turnovers.”
DID YOU GET TO KNOW LUKE KNOX?
“I did. The Knox family are dear to my heart. Obviously, I recruited Dawson and was real close to that family. I got to meet them all throughout Dawson’s playing time with me. It’s just tragedy. I talked to both the dad and to Dawson. You don’t have words for those type of moments. Just say we are praying for you. They are a strong family of faith and they will get through it, but I can’t imagine the pain they are feeling.”
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT JAYLON JIMMERSON’S DEVELOPMENT?
“Well, he’s put himself in a position to contribute. He’s in our 2-deep rotation right now. He’s had a solid camp, better than his spring. I’m pleased with how he’s maturing. I think when he first got here he was a bit immature and didn’t quite know how to work consistently every single day. Now, I’m proud that he seems to be doing that. I sure hope it translates onto the field. He is right there. He is going to get his shot week 1 and 2. He’s going to be pushed by some of those younger guys in time if he doesn’t. Hopefully he will do well.”
WHAT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS TEAM GETS YOU EXCITED?
“I get excited every year about teams and the challenge of bringing another one together. We had a neat camp with our Watchmen series and you hear our guys talk about what that means to them. Just kind of made me feel like I think we’re on to something in our culture here. I don’t know that you ever get it to be 100% buy-in anytime you have 120 people much less a team, that’s no different. I don’t know that you get 100% buy-in on that, but we’re pretty close. I love the leadership of this team. I like our staff. I like the energy that I feel from them. We are a very transparent group, both coaches and players. Sometimes that makes for interesting conversation. We say what’s on our mind and we ask where we’re struggling for help. We had a coach do that in the Watchmen series. He wanted some of the players to hold him accountable to something different in a different way he wanted to coach. I thought that was neat. It’s created a nice foundation of trust for the most part.”
HAVE CAPTAINS BEEN ELECTED YET?
“We’ve got a culture council and they will all be a rotation of captains with those guys that are on it.”
WHO IS ON THE COUNCIL?
“Oh boy. Scruggs, Quentin, Aakil, Treshaun, Demario, JB, Austin, Aiden, CJ Yarbrough, Tyren Dupree, and Brendan. I think I got them all. That’s pretty good. I was going through my mind, we had a meal at my house, and I was trying to go around the circle there.”
WITH THE CHANGE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, WHERE’S THE DEFENSE IN TERMS OF ITS COMMUNICATION?
“It’s the same terminology, the same defense, just a different voice calling it between Jack and Josh. They were both here. We hadn’t changed any of the verbiage. Our defense has been getting steadily better. It won’t change a whole lot from that. I don’t think a whole lot has changed, truthfully. Yet, they’ve got to call the game, now, but that’s the only thing that I haven’t seen because they really haven’t missed a beat, it’s the same thing.”
