This week’s player spotlight will be focused on defensive lineman Cory Freeman. Cory is looking to be a major contributor to a stout D-line in his senior season after earning 2nd team Big South Conference honors last year. This Saturday Freeman and the rest of the Flames defense will take on a challenge unlike any they have encountered perhaps in their entire Liberty careers, facing an Old Dominion squad that averages 67 points per game against FCS opponents. Freeman told us he believes the Flames will have some answers to the Monarchs’ outstanding offense.
“If we go out there and do our jobs and play the way we are supposed to, we’ll be fine” Freeman told us Tuesday after practice. “We are set up for some success.”
He will definitely have his hands full trying to contain ODU quarterback Taylor Heinicke, a very accurate quarterback who is also mobile. Freeman acknowledged that this Liberty defense will have a chance to make a statement going up against a great player like Heinicke, the reigning Walter Payton Award winner.
With Francis Bah out this week, Freeman will get a chance to move inside, where he feels is his natural position. “Not saying not having Francis is going to help us out, but we’ve been blessed with guys that can play both the defensive end and the three.” Freeman’s ability to play both positions will definitely help the defensive line out tremendously as Bah comes back from injury. He didn’t seem to have any doubt that the transition would be smooth.
Cory has been a defensive presence all year, but has not really disrupted the backfield as much as he is capable of doing. A big game from Freeman could be the key to putting pressure on Heinicke, as well as containing the Monarchs’ run game.
Looking ahead at the schedule, we also got a chance to talk about how the Big South is shaping up. “I am very excited” he said of the competitiveness it looks like Big South match ups will feature this year. He mentioned looking forward the the games against Coastal and Gardner-Webb in particular. “Understanding that they (Coastal) are number 9 in the country right now and are 5-0, you have to respect them. The thing about (Gardner-Webb) is that their defense is phenomenal,” are a couple quotes Freeman had in praise of the Big South squads.
This will definitely be an exciting year of conference play, but in practice, all attention is on the Monarch’s. Freeman told us the Flames will have to focus if they want to execute plays this Saturday. We’d like to thank Cory for all the info he gave us and wish him and the Flames best of luck in slowing down a hot ODU offense Saturday.
