In the continued absence of leading receivers Antonio Gandy-Goldman and Damien King, senior BJ Farrow and company will be asked again to ramp up production when Idaho State visits Liberty Saturday, Oct. 20.
Last week, Farrow reeled in eight receptions for 101 yards and a go-ahead touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter to propel the Flames past visiting Troy, 22-16. The 2018 season isn’t the redshirt senior’s first rodeo, and with experience comes expectations. In the eyes of offensive coordinator Joe Daily, Farrow has not disappointed.
“He’s been very, very reliable,” Daily said in a press conference Tuesday, Oct. 16. “What he’s done over the course of his career is make plays in crucial situations for us. Things that he does really, really well is go up for the football, and that is one of his greatest skill sets in addition to being very technique-sound.”
“He’s not the fastest guy, but he gets behind people,” Daily added. “And I attribute that to his dedication to being refined in his skills and his techniques on how to get by people and how to maneuver on second-level defenders.”
“Having a receiver like that is just a blessing, honestly,” quarterback Buckshot Calvert echoed.
Farrow alone, however, won’t be enough to shoulder the void left by Gandy-Golden and King. Liberty will look to freshmen Khaleb Coleman and Noah Frith, as well as sophomores Lionell McConnell and DJ Stubbs to produce against the Idaho State secondary, which is surrendering an average of 31.7 points per game.
On the offensive side of the football, the Bengals rely on a tandem of running backs: James Madison and Ty Flanagan. Madison averages 107.2 rushing yards per game, while Flanagan averages 83.5. Idaho State also features two star receivers, Michael Dean and Mitch Gueller. Despite Idaho State’s classification, Liberty head coach Turner Gill emphasized that the FCS Bengals should not be taken lightly.
“We got our hands full, and the great thing here: we are playing at home,” Gill said. “And I know our guys will be ready to play.”
