SENIOR DAY

Liberty will celebrate its Senior Day on Saturday against Western Kentucky. Prior to the game, the following list of players will be recognized during this ceremony:

  • LB Jahmar Brown
  • RB Quinton Cooley
  • OL Seth Ellsmore
  • OL JP Flores
  • OL Xavior Gray
  • QB Nate Hampton
  • TE Bentley Hanshaw
  • LB Teylor Jackson
  • LB Jerome Jolly
  • K Colin Karhu
  • RB Billy Lucas
  • S Quinton Reese
  • QB Kaidon Salter
  • WR Treon Sibley
  • CB Charles Yates

START STRONG

The Flames have struggled getting off to strong starts in most games this season. Liberty has been outscored, 61-41, in the opening quarter of games. The Flames have trailed or been tied at the end of the first quarter in 7 of 9 games, only having a lead at the end of the first quarter against Campbell and UTEP.

This has led to Liberty having trailed at some point in all nine games so far this year. The Flames have overcome deficits of 17 (Sept. 21 against East Carolina), 14 (Sept. 7 at New Mexico State) and 13 points (Nov. 16 at UMass), in wins. This marks the first time in program history that Liberty has earned three wins in a season when overcoming deficits of 13 points or more in each game.

Meanwhile, Western Kentucky has been very strong to open games. They are outscoring opponents 87-45 this season in the opening quarter, and have led or been tied at the end of the first quarter in every game except the season opener at Alabama (21-0) and last week’s loss to Louisiana Tech (3-0).

In a game that is expected to be close, a strong (or slow) start could be the deciding factor.

“It’s been perplexing from a coaching standpoint, to figure out what I and our coaching staff need to do better to get us, whether it’s more excited, more focused to play, to come out, ready to go, we’ve struggled to do that,” said Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell.

Chadwell says they’ve looked at adjusting practice, adjusting the pregame warmup routine. The coaching staff spent a lot of time this past weekend, following the UMass game, looking at adjustments that could be made to help the team play better from the beginning of the game.

“If we don’t (get off to a good start), we got no shot to win the next two games, no shot, because the two teams that we’re playing are really, really good the next two weeks,” Chadwell continued. “So, if we start out that way, we’re not going to be able to climb out of the hole versus an opponent like Western Kentucky and the type of players and the way they do things. So hopefully our players understand that, and hopefully the things that we do change, hopefully that’ll get us where we need to be.”

CONTROLLING YOUR DESTINY

Just a few weeks ago, Liberty’s path to a conference championship for a second straight season looked extremely bleak. The Flames were coming off back to back losses, were going to have to get the ship righted, and needed some help.

Well, with Western Kentucky’s loss to Louisiana Tech this past Saturday, Liberty got the help it needed. Now, the Flames control their own destiny once again. Win the next two games against Western Kentucky and Sam Houston, and you play for a conference championship.

“The beauty of where we’re at right now is everything’s out in front of you,” said Chadwell. “No matter what’s happened in the past, you have an opportunity if you can play well to put yourself in position to play for your conference championship. This late in the season, that should excite us, and we should be excited about that. We’re back to controlling our own destiny now, which three weeks ago, it was completely out of the question, and so now we have that opportunity. If that doesn’t excite you, if that doesn’t motivate you to have the opportunity to go play for a championship, then you’re playing the wrong sport.”

INJURY REPORT

Here’s an update on Liberty’s current injury situation:

  • WR Reese Smith has not played the last four games. He did make the trip with the team to UMass but was not in uniform for the game Saturday and it is unlikely he plays this week against WKU.
  • TE Bentley Hanshaw was injured early in the game against UMass. He is not expected to play this week.
  • TE Austin Henderson missed the past three weeks with a leg injury. He will be out this week as well
  • TE Bo Burklow missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury.
  • With those injuries at tight end, Jacob Jenkins is the only healthy body that has played significant snaps. The Flames will turn to Caleb Ryan in addition to Jenkins at tight end. Deuce Hewitt, a true freshman, is the next man up in that room.
  • CB Alex Oliver was injured at UMass and is a game time decision this week against Western Kentucky with a lower body injury.
  • DT Jay Hardy returned to action this past week at UMass.