MATCHUP OF TOP QUARTERBACKS
Liberty quarterback Malik Willis and Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral are two of the top signal callers in the country. Willis has accounted for 30 touchdowns (21 passing, 9 rushing) so far this season. He and Corral are the only two FBS quarterbacks ranked among the top 30 nationally for both passing touchdowns and rushing touchdowns.
The pair are also at or near the top of NFL draft boards for the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. ESPN’s Todd McShay currently lists Willis as his No. 1 quarterback and Corral just behind him at No. 2. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said earlier this week that he is expecting over 20 NFL teams to be represented during Saturday’s game.
FLAMES PREPARING FOR INCREASED CROWD NOISE
Liberty is preparing to play in front of one of the largest crowds to ever see a Liberty football game on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium which has a listed capacity of just over 64,000. The largest crowd Liberty football has ever played in front of was 81,129 in 2018 at Auburn. The second largest crowd was 62,234 in a 2016 game at Virginia Tech, so Saturday’s game at Ole Miss has a chance to be as high as No. 2 among the largest crowds to ever see Liberty football play.
The largest crowd a Hugh Freeze coached Liberty team has ever payed in front of was 54,683 in 2019 at BYU. At practice this week, the Flames have been blaring the music and artificial crowd noise at the Liberty Indoor Practice Facility trying to help mimic the crowd noise the Flames could face this weekend.
“We will do the same thing we’ve done before – crowd noise, etc,” Coach Freeze said earlier this week about preparing for the noise. “That’s about the max that you can do is make it as chaotic in practice as you think it can be on game day. I’m glad it’s an early morning kick. I’ve seen the differences in those stadiums from early morning to late at night. Maybe that helps some. We will prepare. Syracuse was extremely loud in the Dome. We’ve got to handle it better than we did there early on, for sure.”
LIBERTY AGAINST TOP 25 TEAMS
The Flames are taking on a top 25 team for the first time this season and just the fourth time in program history as Liberty goes up against No. 15 Ole Miss. The Flames won their last game against a top 25 opponent, beating Coastal Carolina in the 2020 Cure Bowl, 37-34 in overtime. The Chanticleers were ranked either No. 9 or No. 11 in the top 25, depending on which poll you look at.
Liberty is 1-2 all-time against top 25 foes, losing to Syracuse, 24-0, in 2019 and falling at North Carolina, 56-29, in 2014. The Flames are 1-1 under Freeze against top 25 teams, with those two games being against Coastal Carolina and Syracuse. Liberty is 0-1 all-time on the road against top 25 opponents.
It’s also worth noting that each of Liberty’s next two games are against current top 25 teams. In addition to No. 15 Ole Miss, the Flames will play host to Louisiana on Nov. 20. The Ragin’ Cajuns are currently No. 24 in the Associated Press top 25 poll.
“I’m so excited,” Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said earlier this week. “These last three games, we’ve got great opportunities. Opportunities don’t always go your way, but it’s fun to prepare and try to do that.”
INJURY UPDATE
Defensive end Durrell Johnson has missed the past few weeks with a knee injury. Coach Freeze said on Monday that he will be a game-time decision. He was not at the open portion of Tuesday morning’s practice. Fellow defensive end TreShaun Clark was also missing from Tuesday’s practice. He had a boot on his foot at the end of the UMass game last week.
Speaking of defensive ends, Khristian Zachary was a full participant on Tuesday and should be ready to go this week, which will certainly help if Johnson and/or Clark is unavailable.
Backup center John Kourtis was at practice on Tuesday morning, his first time back at practice since training camp. It’s unlikely he will be able to play this week especially with an open date following the Ole Miss game. Look for him to be available for the Louisiana game if he doesn’t have any more set backs.
Tight end Jerome Jackson who was a surprise absence from last week’s game against UMass was a full participant during Tuesday’s practice. Coach Freeze said that Jackson was held out of the UMass game as a precaution, and he should be expected to play.
Backup quarterback Johnathan Bennett should also be available, as well.
“He’s practiced this week,” Freeze said on Thursday of Bennett. “Started out you could tell his grip on the ball was a little awkward for him, but today I thought he threw it well. He would be ready to go.”
