When Johnathan Bennett was injured this past Saturday when celebrating on the sideline with Brandon “Pop” Robinson, it immediately changed the dynamic of the backup quarterback position.
This summer, Malik Willis decided to transfer to Liberty, the Flames had both Bennett and Willis competing for playing time behind Buckshot Calvert. Then, just prior to the Syracuse game, it was announced that Willis was ineligible to play this season as he sits out due to his transfer from Auburn. Now, just a few weeks later, Bennett is lost for the season with a ruptured patella tendon.
Liberty jumped out to a big lead this past weekend against Hampton, allowing Coach Hugh Freeze to insert Robinson on the second drive of the second half as he got extended work behind Buckshot in place of Bennett. He played admirably, leading the team in rushing with 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. He only attempted one pass which fell incomplete.
“My plan for him was not to be the backup quarterback, but to be our change up in the run game to have an additional gap they have to work for every week in quarterback runs which I thought he has a little knack for,” Freeze said of Robinson.
Moving forward the plan was and still is to use Robinson in certain situations, like when he was inserted on Liberty’s second drive of the game against Hampton, rushing the ball into the end zone from two yards out on 2nd and goal.
“Now, I’ve got to get Landon (Brown) ready to be the backup,” said Freeze. “I don’t want to say that Pop’s not the backup, but I gotta be prepared for another guy because we’re going to run (Robinson). We’re going to make ourselves as difficult as possible to defend. I know the hours you have to spend as a defensive coach to defend the plus ones runs, that takes time out of practice. I’ve got to get both of those kids ready to be our backup, if that makes sense.”
Landon Brown got in for one series at the end of the Buffalo game. The redshirt-sophomore has some playing experience as he’s served as Liberty’s holder for all of 2018 and so far in 2019.
“I definitely have settled down more and more as time has gone on,” Brown said. “I’m just ready to step into whatever role they need me for.”
Behind Robinson and Brown there are several other quarterbacks who will also fight for playing time. North Dakota State transfer Henry Van Dellen was singled out by Freeze in the postgame press conference Saturday night, highlighting his ability to throw the ball.
“We will start to experiment with that this week, kind of where we are as we start sharing the number 2 reps,” said Freeze. “We will see how Landon and Pop do. It’s all about competition, you’ve got to earn it. If those two do well, that’s probably where we will start. If those two don’t do well, then it’s the next man up. We’ve got to see who that is, I wouldn’t count anybody out of being in the quarterback rotation.”
Robinson got his first playing time against Hampton, scoring a touchdown on his first ever play. He’s prepared to see his role continue to expand in the coming weeks.
“I feel like my role is going to be much bigger,” Robinson said. “In practice, I will get more reps and I will be more ready than I was last week. I will be prepared the best that I can.”
