NOVEMBER STRUGGLES
Liberty has had significant success since moving to the FBS level. In 2020, the Flames went 10-1 and finished ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll. Each of the last two years, Liberty has gotten off to tremendous starts before limping home in November.
In 2021, Liberty started 7-2 before dropping all three games in November. Last year, the Flames started 8-1 before losing three straight to finish the regular season followed up by a fourth straight loss to finish the year by losing to Toledo in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Over the past two seasons, the Flames are just 1-6 in November. Having started 8-0 this year, first year head coach Jamey Chadwell is hoping to end this trend of slow finishes.
“We are 1-6 the last two years in the month of November,” Chadwelll said. “We brought it up and have stated that. Actually the team brought it to me, some of the guys that have been here. Everything that we’ve done, from a practice from a preparation from an offseason training is for November.”
“I had an AD that used to tell me November is for championships. Septembers is for pretenders, October is for contenders, and November is for championships. That is important that you are able to finish strong in the month of November. We have everything in front of us. We’ve not dwelt on it, but we are definitely aware of it. We are going to practice and get stronger in the month of November, that’s the mindset. You want to look back, you don’t want to dwell on the past, but we definitely want to learn from it and why it happened. There’s always different circumstances. Obviously I wasn’t here for them all, but we’re part of that now. That’s why I said it’s we. We’re part of that. We want to make sure we can erase that narrative.”
TALKING ABOUT RANKINGS
Despite the 8-0 record to start the season, the Flames are on the outside looking in at the top 25 polls. Coach Chadwell isn’t wanting to focus on that, but instead focus on things he and his team can control.
“It is really just noise, it’s out of our control,” he said. “I think that takes your focus away from what you can control. We talked about that Sunday in our meeting. Our word for this week is vigilant. The word vigilant means you have to be keenly aware and alert. Can we be vigilant in our thought process and our mindset and control what we can? The rest of it takes you away from it. Social media takes you away from it. It’s hard in today’s age. We are a good team trying to be great. Everybody else tells us we’re great and we’re not. We’re a good team that’s trying to be great. We have to be great in our mindset and how we prepare and how we approach it. That’s been our main focus. The rest of that stuff, if we take care of business, we can talk about it when we take care of business. Until then, it doesn’t help us personally.”
INJURY REPORT
Liberty starting corner Amarian Williams returned to the lineup at Western Kentucky after missing two straight games. Chris Boti saw his snaps increase at WKU in his second game back from an illness.
EJ Smoot continues to miss time. He has quietly been dealing with an injury the past couple of games and did not make the trip to Bowling Green, Kentucky. He could make his return this week against Louisiana Tech.
“I think we will be able to get EJ Smoot back,” said Chadwell. “He has missed the last couple, had an injury. I think the off time helped him back.”
Another name who missed the Western Kentucky game and did not make the trip is true freshman defensive end Larry Jones III.
“There will be a couple that depending on how the week goes maybe they get cleared maybe they don’t,” Chadwell continued. “Probably more realistically we are probably looking at another week or so for those guys – Elijah Hopkins, Larry Jones – guys that have been playing that have been out a little while.”
RB Vaughn Blue and OL Brendan Schlittler continue to rehab and have the potential to return before the season is over. Of course, with Blue in particular, he could maintain his redshirt year of eligibility if he only plays in one more game this season.
“They are still a ways away,” Chadwell said when asked about Blue and Schlittler. “Vaughn is going to be cleared here soon for activity to be able to do some things non-contact. Once he’s cleared, then you’ve got to get him back in game shape. Honestly, then he’s played three games. You have to think alright do you go above four and break his redshirt. There is a lot that goes into that. We will obviously discuss that with him. We will see how he is. I think with him specifically you have to throw that in there a little bit and see what’s best for the team but mostly what’s best for him and his long term. We have to be smart on that.”
“Brendan is working hard. I think we are probably still three weeks or so maybe out from that. Then he’s got to get in game shape too. It’s a challenge.”
