This week, Liberty travels to Charleston, SC, to take on the #16/18 Charleston Southern Buccaneers, hoping for a share of the Big South title. After successfully subduing Brevard’s triple option last week, the Flames will again face a great running game. The Buccaneers enter the game averaging 236.5 rushing yards per game. Junior running back Christian Reyes has 101.3 of those yards per game.
Christian Reyes has already shattered CSU’s single-season rushing record this year (photo from postandcourier.com)
Reyes is coming off his worst game of the season, gaining only 32 yards with no touchdowns in an upset loss to Gardner-Webb last week. So, don’t look for him to slack off against the Flames. He’ll be trying to redeem himself, and looking to help his team get a share of the Big South title.
This is the final game of the regular season for both teams, and Reyes has accumulated impressive stats for the Buccaneers. He leads the teams in touchdowns, with nine, and all-purpose yards, with 1,251. Of those yards, 1216 were gained via the ground, as were all of his nine touchdowns. He also takes good care of the football, fumbling only once in 235 rushing attempts.
The Buccaneers don’t often call his number in the passing game. Reyes has just seven receptions on the season for 35 yards and no touchdowns. He has attempted a pass, but it was incomplete. Still, the Flames will have to be prepared for some possible trickery.
This the 5’10”, 218-pound junior’s first season with Charleston Southern. He transferred from the College of Siskiyous, a school located in Weed, California, quickly making an impact, rushing for 92 yards in his first game. From there, he’s gone on to obliterate CSU’s single season rushing record of 774 yards. His head coach, Jamey Chadwell, describes him this way: “He runs hard inside and he just has a knack of finding a hole and getting positive yards” (postandcourier.com)
The Flames will have to make sure they close up those holes if they want to win this game and have a chance at making the FCS playoffs.
