LIBERTY NOT SHYING AWAY FROM THIS BEING BIGGEST HOME GAME IN SCHOOL HISTORY

Earlier this week, Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze told his team that Saturday’s game against BYU will be the biggest home game in school history. That’s not something that you hear many coaches say publicly, but Freeze has been very open and honest about his thoughts on this game throughout the week and has not shied away from calling it the biggest home game in school history.

“I’m a realist,” Freeze said when asked about it Thursday. “I call things the way I see them. I think that’s just the way I want to live. I think it’s a big game. To say anything to my kids, I think they would think that I’ve changed and become all of a sudden something that I’m not. I always tell them on Mondays exactly what I think about the previous game and the upcoming game, and that’s what I think about this one. It doesn’t mean that it means anything more. At the end of the day, it’s either going to be a check in the win column or a check in the loss column, and it doesn’t mean anymore than the last one or the next one. But to stand there and not call it what it is, I would not be true to myself.”

PLAYING BYU IN THE FUTURE

Saturday’s game between Liberty and BYU will mark the second and final game in the home and home series between the two private, faith based institutions. Liberty lost at BYU, 31-24, in the first meeting between the two in Provo during the 2019 season.

With Liberty joining Conference USA and BYU headed to the Big 12 next season, the likelihood that these two programs continue to play in the future is unlikely. Freeze was asked about the potential of playing BYU in the future.

“The game itself, yes, the travel to Provo, no,” he said when asked if he would be in favor of playing BYU again. “Travel is hard on coaches, players. It’s a grind of a season. If you can keep everything to those one and two hour-ish flights it sure is advantageous on your body and on your rest. I obviously wouldn’t turn it down if Ian (McCaw) and our administration thought that was what’s best to do. I love the place out there. I love playing them and all of that. If they could guarantee me an 11 a.m. kick, maybe. It has nothing to do with BYU. I’m not for anybody that we’ve got to fly over two hours to play. I think there’s enough teams we can find over this way.”

HANSHAW FACING FORMER TEAM

Liberty tight end Bentley Hanshaw will face his former team on Saturday. The 6’5″ California native played in one game for BYU during the 2020 season. He elected to enter the transfer portal and enrolled at Liberty this past spring. So far, Hanshaw has played in all 7 games for the Flames, recording one reception for six yards.

“Well, he’s a mature young man, but physically still has a ways to go,” Freeze said of Hanshaw. “He needs to gain some girth and all of that, but he is playing significant snaps for us even where he’s at. Kalani was incredible in that whole experience in trying to help both parties. Kalani is that type of guy. He is for these young men and these kids that are in our program. In his case, he’s got a lot of 25 year olds. Bentley is going to be one of those for us, hopefully. I hope he gains about 30 pounds for the next three seasons. I’m sure it will mean a lot for Bentley to see his old friends, his old coaches. He will want to compete and win also.”

INJURY REPORT

Wide receivers CJ Yarbrough and Jaivian Lofton were injured in last week’s game against Gardner-Webb and Coach Freeze ruled both of them out for Saturday’s game against BYU. Yarbrough suffered a concussion and Lofton was seen with a boot on his foot.

The Flames are hopeful to get Caleb Snead back this week after he injured his right foot and has missed the last four games. He was a participant in Tuesday morning’s practice, and Freeze said the receiver is “iffy” for a return this weekend.

With the injuries at receiver, the Flames are expected to play CJ Daniels against BYU. Daniels tore his ACL in early March. He played in two games earlier this season before Freeze and the Liberty coaching staff decided to preserve his year of eligibility and redshirt him. Daniels can play in as many as four games this season and still redshirt. Saturday against BYU would mark the third game he has played this season.

Others who have been out in recent games and are not expected to play this weekend include QB Kaidon Salter, DE TreShaun Clark, WR Brody Brumm, WR Ed Ogle, TE Brayden Monday, DL Marquise Brunson, LB Jerome Jolly, and LB Kaci Seegars.

FULL AUDIO OF FREEZE’S THURSDAY PRESSER