Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell met with the media on Tuesday as he recaps the Flames’ win over UTEP as well as look ahead to this week’s contest against East Carolina. Check out the full video and transcript from his press conference below.
“Thankful for a victory. I share with our team all the time, it’s hard to win. To be 2-0 in the league is a big deal for us because that’s ultimately what you are competing for the opportunity to play in an extra game there. I thought we played a way more clean game from a penalty, discipline standpoint, I was really pleased with that. I thought our defense from top to bottom, opening kickoff throughout the game really played well. We gave up one big play there, but thought they played well and really played hard, played with great effort.”
“Special teams did well, and I thought offensively, still shot ourselves in the foot a little bit, just some efficiency and some cleaning up some things, adjusting to losing some guys there to injury, but like how we finished. We’re continuing to get better on that side of the ball. Pleased with just the win and the overall effort and the way that guys came out and played.”
Could you provide an injury update?
“Cooley will be day to day. There’s a chance for him to play this week. We’ll see how he responds. His injury was nothing long term but also it’s something that, from a healing standpoint, he’s got to see how he feels. He was not able to do anything yesterday. Today will be a key. He’ll be doing some things to try to get the return to play. So we’re hoping that he can play. We’re not counting on it, if that makes sense, but hoping. We’ll have to have some other guys step up.”
“Darius Copeland will be out for the year, lower body injury. So that’s a tough loss.”
For Cooley, is there a scenario where he’s dressed Saturday night but it’s more of a load management process with him?
“If he’s healthy, he’ll play, but if it’s a 70% or an 80% we’re not gonna play him. We need him to be 100% because it’s a long season. If they tell us that, he’s good, but it’s he’s only a certain percentage, he won’t play. He’s got to be where he’s 100%. Not anybody’s 100% these days, but as close as he is to 100 then he’ll play. But if he’s not, if they, he would be better off for long term to give him another week, then we’ll give him another week. We’re not going to rush him back and force him to do something if he’s not 100%. We don’t need to hurt him for a long-term standpoint, butut if he’s healthy, and the doctors and the trainers say, he’s good to go, and he can do it, then he will play.”
What are we calling his injury? Is it a hip or groin?
“It’s really more of a nerve, back situation.”
ECU, it’s not a conference game, but it feels like a big game, is it important for the program?
“I do think it’s a first time for us, if I’m not mistaken, playing an AAC team, so that’s a big opportunity. Obviously, they’ve been well established. Their coach has done, Coach Houston has done a great job there, and they’ve won a lot of big games. If you think about college football in the region here, they’re one that always comes up. They’re extremely talented. I think it is a big one. I share with our team, it’s a big one because it’s the next one. They’re always big. So, it’s no different, but I think from an outside standpoint, from a conference standpoint, you get an opportunity to play against another conference that you’re always compared to, from a location standpoint. I think it is a big from that standpoint, but it’s obviously the biggest challenge we’ve had to in my two seasons, I guess, a season and three games, they’re the most talented team that’s come in to Lynchburg, by far, in all three phases. They’re big and they’re fast. They play with unbelievable effort and they play disciplined. They do a good job. Coach has done a good job wherever he’s been, and the guys that have been with him, and so it’s going to be a big challenge for us. We’ll have to play well. We can’t start slow because they’ll bury us. We’ll have to play a clean game. Our guys are excited about it. They know it’s a big game, just from the standpoint of having the opportunity to play an out of conference team that’s here close, that maybe we recruit against, maybe they’ve got friends that (they) go to school (with). There’s a lot of different things there, so
we’re excited about the opportunity to host it, but we also know we’re gonna have to play really well because they’re really good. If you look at last week, they’re maybe a dropped interception away from being 3-0 and close to being ranked. They really had that game last week won the whole time. Just had some things unfortunately go the other way.”
What do you remember about Coach Houston’s teams and what similarities do they have today?
“They always play hard and they’re disciplined and they’re tough, and they’re not going to beat themselves. In the games we’ve played, I don’t know exactly how many it is off the top of my head, but that was always going to be tough, and they’re always going to be challenging. They always played extremely hard, and so you’re not going to out-scheme them, and typically you’re not going to out-tough ’em. They’re a tough team, and they’re not going to quit. You’re going to have to play for the whole time. Hopefully we’re the same. We expect the same there, but it’s going to be a big challenge for our guys. I think our guys are excited about that, knowing that you’re playing a team that’s traditionally got a lot of respect nationally and has played high level football.”
Their defense hasn’t given up 100 yards on the ground yet, what is it that makes them so successful?
“I think their scheme is really good. They give you a lot of different looks, and they move a lot. Then, they’re moving from everywhere. They’re bringing a bunch of stuff, and then they’re doing it with really good players. They are physical at all three levels, if you look at the D-line, the linebackers, and secondary. They run to the ball and they sacrifice their body. They’re not going to turn anything down. They’re coming to put a lick on you. They’re physical and because they move so much and give you so many different looks, it confuses you a lot.”
“Traditionally, their opponent last week rushes the ball really well and they shut them down. So that’s going to be a big challenge for us. As I said, our biggest challenge, at least in Lynchburg, and maybe with the exception of the bowl game last year, as far as the type of team that they have and the ability they have. We’ll have to be very, very creative and do some good things and try to have an opportunity to run the ball. Because we’re going to have to, we’re going to have to be able to run. I’m not going to say we have to run for a certain number of yards, but we’ll have to be able to run enough to help us try to get short ones. They’re really good and their schemes are outstanding. The players they have doing them are really good.”
What confidence does your team have in terms of how you had to adjust the game plan with the early injuries last week?
“I don’t think our team ever has lost confidence in who they are and what they do just because somebody gets hurt. All week long other people are practicing. You believe in your teammates. But I do think our guys have a lot of confidence knowing that if something does happen, somebody goes down, there’s a guy behind them that will come in and still carry the load. You’re a unit over there, and nobody on that side of the ball is bigger than that unit. What I mean by that is, if you lose somebody, it’s gotta be a next man up mentality. You lose somebody that’s a good player, like a Cooley or a DC, that does hurt. It does hurt you no doubt, but the mentality has to be that, my opportunity is here, and I gotta take advantage. Our players, I do believe, have confidence in each other that whoever’s in there, will find a way to make a play.”
Only two penalties last week, message received?
“I don’t know if it’s ever about a message received. It was about us playing the type of game the way we’re coached to play, playing with the discipline and using the emotion of the game, not allowing it to use us, so to speak. That’s the type of game you expect to play. It’s never going to be perfect, but who we are, as far as the way we play and the mindset we play with, it’s more obviously geared towards it. As I said, sometimes in the heat of battle, things happen, you know, and they’re unfortunate, but if you learn a lesson from them, our program will be better for it.”
Unique game for Teylor Jackson this week, could you talk about encountering him in the portal and what it’s like in your past experiences of having guys going against teams they played for?
“I’m trying to think how often that’s happened. But Taylor’s been a phenomenal addition to us. H comes in, he goes to work, doesn’t say a lot, at least to me anyway. He’s been a great addition. He’s been awesome on that side of the ball. He’s just been a great presence. Wen you’re bringing guys in that you need to play right away, sometimes maybe they don’t care as much about the team, it’s more about themselves. Teylor cares about the team, he cares about his teammates, and he’s thankful for being here. He’s thankful for his time at ECU. I know he’s got a lot of friends and great people there, and I know this will probably be an emotional time for him because he’s got a lot of people he cares about there, but also he cares about the team. We’re thankful to get him, and we knew we needed somebody that could come in, solidify that position, but also hopefully be a leader for us in there. The linebackers, you’re communicating to the D-line and communicating with the secondary. He’s been phenomenal for us, and he’s playing well, and we’re excited that we have him.”
“And so everybody knows, I’m not one time asking him about giving me some signals or anything of that nature. I would never put him in that situation. I want everybody to know that right now, because he cares about people down there. We care about him, and I would never put him in that situation to try to turn on any friends. So, everybody knows that.”
