HURRICANE IAN AFFECTS LIBERTY PLAYER FAMILIES

Liberty has nine players on its roster from Florida and all who have had their families affected in some way by Hurricane Ian. Those players are CJ Bazile, Jr. (Miami), Joseph Carter (Jacksonville), Kendy Charles (Orange Park), TreShaun Clark (Cape Coral), Demario Douglas (Jacksonville), Tommy Harley (Deerfield Beach), Jerome Jolly, Jr. (Jacksonville), Shedro Louis (Immokalee), and Kobe Singleton (Tallahassee).

As part of his Thursday team meeting, Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze asked each of these players how their families were holding up in the midst of the storm.

“That was the first thing I did this morning in team meeting is just went one by one through those guys to see if they had heard from their families,” Freeze said. “All of them have. All of their families are safe. There is water damage to the bottom floors of several of the families. We hate that and we hope that it goes down and dissipates really quickly but there is some water damage for sure. The great thing is that everybody is safe and accounted for.”

KHALEB COLEMAN SCORES TD

Liberty wide receiver Khaleb Coleman continues writing an incredible story of a player who showed promise early in his career before a coaching change and injuries derailed his career. Despite the obstacles put in his way, Coleman has continued to fight to stay at Liberty and make an impact on the field. He was able to enjoy some of the success of his hard work last week by scoring a touchdown against Akron.

“His personal story is one that I’m quite proud of for him, mostly, and then obviously I think it speaks to our culture,” Freeze said of Coleman. “I know we’ve changed. He was a young man, he didn’t trust many people. He didn’t want to fit into a different culture. He didn’t want to have conversation. Now, he’s got his degree, he’s got wisdom. When you get a kid like that that gets to make a play for a touchdown, that’s exciting.”

UPDATE ON ATHLETIC TRAINER BARRY FINKE

In last week’s game against Akron, Liberty athletic trainer Barry Finke suffered a freak injury while on the sidelines. Liberty quarterback Johnathan Bennett was scrambling towards the sideline and was pushed out of bounds and slid several yards into the sideline where he collided with Finke. It was immediately apparent that the athletic trainer had suffered a gruesome injury as personnel rushed to render aid and shield him from the onlooking crowd.

Finke suffered a compound fracture in his right leg. He had surgery on Sunday and has been released from the hospital. He even hopes to join the team in Norfolk this weekend.

“I saw the x-rays, I talked to the docs, I talked to his wife daily, yesterday and today already,” Freeze said on Monday. “I talked with Barry last night. I think he was still feeling pretty good on some meds, but this morning he was in pain. He’s going to come by and get some crutches I think. He’s determined he will be at the game Saturday. He serves us very, very well here. I just hate that he’s going to go through this. I’m certain he will make it. We’re also glad that our university gives us the resources to have other people in place. Both Alex’s down there are quality and are certainly jumping in and picking up to help. Our prayers are going to be with Barry, but Dr. P thought the surgery went extremely well and expects him to make a full recovery. We’re thankful to hear that.”

RAHIMI TARGETING CALL OVERTURNED

Liberty starting safety Rocket Rahimi was ejected from the second half of the Akron game due to targeting. It is the second time he has been flagged for targeting this season, as he was also removed from the season opener at Southern Miss in the first half. Because the most recently penalty occurred in the second half, Liberty was set to be without Rahimi’s services for the first half of the game against Old Dominion on Saturday; however, the call was overturned during the week and Rahimi will be able to see the field from the opening kickoff.

Liberty sent several calls from last week’s game to the national coordinator of officials, one of them being Rahimi’s targeting penalty. After a review, it was determined that the safety’s penalty was not targeting and his first half suspension has been overturned.

HODGE MOVING TO SAFETY

Preston Hodge is a JUCO transfer that joined the Flames prior to this season. He was slowed by injury during training camp and unable to work his way into the two-deep. He began his time at Liberty at corner but has now been moved to safety and could add some depth on the back end of the Liberty defense.

INJURY REPORT

On Monday, Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said that he was “hopeful” to get quarterback Kaidon Salter (groin) and offensive linemen Naasir Watkins (knee) and Jacob Bodden (shoulder) back for this week’s game at Old Dominion. All three missed last week’s game against Akron after suffering injuries in the Wake Forest game.

“I’m hopeful that we’re going to get Kaidon, Naasir, Bodden,” Freeze said on Monday. “I’m trying to think who else is out, the list has been long. Jolly had surgery so he won’t be back for 4-5 weeks, probably. Snead will be like the others, hopeful, but I feel pretty good about Kaidon and Naasir and Bodden after just today’s brief time that we worked out. So, I feel pretty good about those. I’m sure I’m forgetting somebody, but feel pretty good that we will get some of those back. We sure need them to come back and help us, particularly in the O-Line. We were better when we rotated people.”

Salter, Watkins, and Bodden were all back at practice with seemingly no restrictions during the open portion of Tuesday’s practice. It sounds like all three are on pace to participate Saturday.

LB and special teams player Jerome Jolly will be out for several weeks. WR Caleb Snead missed Saturday’s game against Akron and was on the sidelines with a boot on his lower right leg and utilizing a scooter. He was not at Tuesday’s practice.

WR CJ Daniels received his first game action last week against Akron, playing a small number of snaps. Freeze says he expects Daniels, who is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in early March, to play more this weekend.

“It was good,” Freeze said of Daniels. “He’s ready to play more and in today’s time spent together I expect him to get some more snaps this week.”

RB TJ Green has yet to see the field despite being ruled active for the last two games against Wake Forest and Akron. He is getting closer, but the Flames are just wanting to be safe with him.

“He is eager,” Freeze said of Green. “We just want it to be right for him health-wise. Hopefully this is the week.”

Daniels and Green should both be expected to receive some level of snaps in Norfolk Saturday.

Freeze also provided an update on injured QB Charlie Brewer: “Last week, we were down to about four weeks, I thought, that’s what I was told. Somewhere around four more probably, three-four.”