FREEZE EXCITED TO BE PLAYING ON FRIDAY NIGHT
This week, Liberty will get the opportunity to do something it hasn’t been able to do very frequently as an FBS member – play a weeknight game. The Flames will play Friday night on the ACC Network, one of only four FBS games being played that night, providing Liberty with a national television audience with little competition.
“I love playing on Thursday or Friday nights,” Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said this week. “I really would like to have two or three of those a year. I enjoy those because you get a chance to be on TV. The only thing I don’t like is, I wish we would have played an early game this past Saturday. So that we would have had a little bit more recovery time before we had to practice this morning. Anytime you practice inside 36 hours after competing, not sure you get the best practices. I thought our kids were attentive and good, but they are still feeling a late Saturday game for sure. I enjoy having a couple of these a year, I hope we can maybe do more of these in the future.”
There is a chance a weeknight game could become more of a common occurrence for the Flames moving forward. This past summer, Liberty announced an extension of the media rights with ESPN to televise its home football games through the 2025 season. The extension guarantees at least one of Liberty’s six home games each season will be broadcast on a linear network, and it gives ESPN. the right to choose a non-traditional day for a second linear network telecast.
CARRIER DOME WITH FANS
Friday night will be the third home game for Syracuse this season, as they have previously played Rutgers and Albany in the Carrier Dome. Each of those games saw just over 30,000 fans in attendance at the Dome which has a listed capacity of nearly 50,000.
Last year, when Liberty defeated the Orange, 38-21, at the Carrier Dome is done without any fans in attendance amid the COVID pandemic. That won’t be the case this year as there will be fans permitted and a large crowd is expected.
“I love atmospheres,” said Freeze. “I love going on the road and being in those atmospheres. I hope it is crazy and good, but I really don’t know. I’ve never played in the dome with a crowd. It was an eerie feeling last year, I felt like everybody could hear everything I was saying. It was eerie. I know it will be quite different. We’re prepared to handle crowd noise. We will work on that, but I enjoy coaching in those environments and in those arenas. I’m sure the Syracuse kids enjoy having fans in the stands like we do. That’s an added difficulty we have to prepare for, but it is something that I kind of embrace and I think our kids should also.”
RUNNING GAME CRITICAL
Every week, the running game is critical to a team’s success, but it may be even more so the case for Liberty against the Orange on Friday night. In the first meeting against Syracuse in 2019, a 24-0 Liberty loss, the Flames were held to -4 rushing yards. In last year’s 38-21 win at the Carrier Dome, Liberty rushed for 338 yards. Under Freeze, the Flames are 17-0 when out-rushing its opponent.
Last year, Liberty was one of the top rushing teams in the country, averaging 252.4 rushing yards per game. The Flames haven’t been quite as good this year so far on the ground, being held to 197 yards rushing. Quarterback Malik Willis leads the team with 225 rushing yards and is averaging 6.6 per carry. Joshua Mack leads the running backs with 133 rushing yards, trailed by TJ Green who has 132. Shedro Louis averages 4.8 yards per carry with 81 rushing yards. Mack is only picking up 3.3 yards per carry where Green is averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
“We certainly could be better,” Freeze said of his running backs. “I know we have the potential to be. There have been times they’ve been really well. I’m not down at all on our running back room. I think that it’s a combination when you don’t run the ball as effectively as you would like, it’s not just the running backs, it’s a lot of people involved if that’s an issue. We’ve been able to average over 4 yards per run all season, which is our goal. I’m somewhat pleased to this point.”
INJURY UPDATE
We shared a lot of information on injuries and what we saw at the open portion of Tuesday’s practice this week earlier, so be sure to check that out here.
Liberty looks to be getting back close to full strength on the offensive line. Starting right tackle Cooper McCaw returned to action last week against Old Dominion, but he was limited during the game. He looks like he will be back close to 100% this week as he was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice. Freeze said earlier this week he was hopeful to get both left guard Damian Bounds and reserve tackle Jonathan Graham back this week, as well, though both were limited during Tuesday’s practice. On Thursday, Freeze said he expects both Bounds and Graham to “give it a go.” Backup center John Kourtis continues to be out.
Wide receiver Jaivian Lofton was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice, but Freeze said on Thursday Lofton is not yet ready. He has missed the previous two games after injuring his knee in the season opener against Campbell.
Wide receiver DJ Stubbs missed last week’s game against Old Dominion as he was seen on the sidelines with a boot on his right foot.
“I think he will play. The latest report was we expect him to start getting some reps towards like Wednesday, so we will see, but I think he’ll play,” Freeze said on Monday about Stubbs.
Stubbs was at practice Tuesday going through drills, but he did have a noticeable limp after completing some reps during practice. On Thursday, Freeze said Stubbs “thinks he’ll go” Friday against Syracuse.
Defensive lineman Khristian Zachary has missed the past two games, but he was back at practice on Tuesday as a limited participant.
Defensive tackle Henry Chibueze tested positive for COVID, according to freshman Kendy Charles. He was at practice last Tuesday prior to the ODU game, so he must have tested positive sometime following that time. He was not at practice this week during Tuesday’s open portion, so his availability this week is in jeopardy.
Check our report from earlier this week for a couple notes on punter Aidan Alves who was seen at practice Tuesday wearing a sling on his left arm. On Monday, Freeze said he was hopeful to have Alves able to play this week at Syracuse.
