TRESHAUN CLARK PUSHING STARTERS
True freshman defensive end TreShaun Clark has continued to impress this season. After picking up his first career sack against New Mexico a few weeks ago, he followed that performance up with another sack at New Mexico State. For the season, he’s recorded 16 tackles, and he is 2nd on the team to Jessie Lemonier in both TFLs (5) and sacks (3).
“I think he’s a freshman Jessie that we’re thrilled that we have,” head coach Hugh Freeze said as he compared the youngster to the senior Lemonier. “He’s a dynamic, explosive, young player that is only going to get better. He is a great kid too. He represents our program very well and the ceiling is extremely high for him.”
Clark has seen his playing time increase as the season has progressed. He’s become a mainstay on passing downs, as he’s one of the Flames’ best pass rushers.
“I basically call him my son,” Lemonier said of his understudy. “I’ve been very proud of him just stepping up and coming into the spot and making the most of his opportunities.”
FLAMES’ WANT TO IMPROVE IN PUTTING GAMES AWAY
In each of the previous two games, Liberty had scoring opportunities in the red zone that could have helped push the game into the Flames’ corner without having to sweat out the final minutes.
Liberty led New Mexico 17-3 late in the 3rd quarter a couple of weeks ago. The Flames were able to move the ball as far as the Lobos’ 11-yard line before the drive stalled and Alex Probert missed a 32-yard field goal. Points there and the Flames lead by three scores and wouldn’t have to secure an onside kick with 40 seconds left to wrap up the victory.
Against New Mexico State, the Flames led at halftime, 10-0, but it should have been 17-0. On the opening drive of the game, Liberty got to the 12-yard line before having to settle for a 50-yard field goal attempt which went off the upright. A 17-0 lead at the half, and the winless Aggies wouldn’t have had much fight left in them. Instead, NMSU tied the game and the Flames needed a late 4th quarter touchdown to wrap up the win.
“We’ve had chances to put every game away offensively without having to sweat it out in the 4th quarter,” Freeze stated. “That’s disappointing that we haven’t. It’s hard to score in the tight red zone, particularly if you’re not effective in running the football down there. As coaches and as players, we’ve got to be more efficient in the red zone.”
The Flames are currently ranked dead last out of 130 FBS teams in red zone offense, scoring on just 63.2% of opportunities inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Liberty utilized the bye week to work on some red zone packages.
“We were working on attacking certain spots in the red zone, attacking spots that are open,” quarterback Buckshot Calvert said. “Trying to finish inside the red zone with good run plays, we worked on a couple of run things (during the bye week).”
FIGHTING AGAINST COMPLACENCY
With Liberty coming off four straight wins and going up against its 2nd FCS opponent of the season, the players and coaches are doing their best to fight against complacency.
“Complacency is an absolute enemy of a great program,” Freeze said. “My guard and my antenna is up for that. When you have a little success, sometimes that can be an enemy. Football is a humbling and rewarding game at the same time.”
The Flames are currently 14 point favorites over 2-4 Maine, but the Black Bears are coming off a 10-win season and a trip to the FCS semifinals.
“We’re 4-0 right now,” Buckshot said about the team’s current win streak. “We want to keep building on this winning streak. I know we can’t take any opponents lightly. We’ve got to come out with the same mindset and focus on finishing with a win so we can be on a five game winning streak and keep it rolling. It could make or break the season if we lose”
Liberty doesn’t have to look very far to see that FCS teams are able to compete with FBS opponents. The Flames struggled with Idaho State a season ago before winning by a touchdown, 48-41. The Flames were that FCS team just a couple of years ago that enjoyed knocking off FBS foes.
“Handling failure and handling success are equally as hard,” Freeze said. “I don’t think that either are easy for young men to handle, particularly if you believe everything that you read or you give it credence to somehow defining who you are as a person or as a team in your failures or in your successes. They are both your enemy in my opinion.”
WE COULD SEE INCREASED TEMPO ON OFFENSE
Coach Freeze has always been known for his fast-paced offensive schemes, but with Liberty’s defense struggling in recent years and dealing with a significant amount of injuries, he’s gone to playing more complimentary football this season. Look no further than Liberty’s last two wins by scoring no more than 20 points.
“We’re fortunate to win the four games feeling the way we haven’t hit our stride yet offensively,” Freeze said. “We’re close, I’ll always believe that. You might see more tempo in a few of these games if we’re healthy on defense, which I think would help me, Buckshot, our offense, and our receivers.”
We could see a return to tempo in the coming weeks as the Flames worked on it during the bye week.
“We used the bye week to work on plays we’ve been struggling with, trying to get those down to a T,” Buckshot said. “Our warp speed stuff, trying to play as fast as possible, we worked on that a lot.”
THE PERSONAL ZONE
Liberty’s defense has been very stingy in the red zone this season, holding opponents to points on just 60% of their red zone trips this year.
“We have a great defensive coaching staff,” Liberty linebacker Solomon Ajayi said. “Coach Symons is a great D-Coordinator. He’s prepared us well. All our position coaches have definitely prepared us. That’s the personal zone, that’s what Coach Symons calls it. We’re taking everything personal down there. We don’t want to let them get in.”
The success in the red zone has been one of the main reasons why Liberty is holding opponents to just 21 points per game, up considerably from the 36.8 points the Flames allowed a season ago.
“It’s the mentality Coach Freeze has given us, ‘Preparation breeds confidence,'” said Ajayi. “We’re just making sure every week we know what teams like to give us in the red zone. We’re already a step ahead knowing what we could get so we don’t have to think as much, we can just react and play.”
