FRESHMEN QBS MAKE IMPRESSIVE DEBUTS
Once Liberty jumped out to a 14-0 lead less than two minutes into the game and a 41-3 lead by halftime, the only thing left to watch was to see who would play at quarterback after Malik Willis left the game. Backup quarterback Johnathan Bennett missed practice this week after injuring his right throwing hand in a car accident last Saturday, opening the door for true freshmen Nate Hampton and Kaidon Salter to make their collegiate debuts.
Hampton took to the field first in the third quarter, picking up a first down and 11 yards on the quarterback scamper. The 6’6″ quarterback from North Carolina hadn’t played in a football game since his junior season of high school in 2019 as his 2020 fall season was canceled due to COVID and he enrolled at Liberty for the spring semester. He finished the game completing just 1 of 4 passes for 63 yards which resulted in a touchdown pass to Khaleb Coleman. Hampton also added four carries for 30 yards.
Salter only got five snaps on the day. The former four-star quarterback’s first play from scrimmage went for a 13 yard quarterback keeper. The next play, he busted through the UMass defense for a 38 yard run. After a loss of four on a quarterback run and an incomplete pass, he was able to get away from the pass rush as he scrambled to his right and would find Brody Brumm on the sideline for a 39 yard touchdown pass. Salter finished the game second on the team with 3 carries for 47 yards while completing 1 of 2 passes for 39 yards and the touchdown. Not a bad debut for either.
“I think both are adequate runners,” Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said after the game. “I thought you saw that today. I thought Nate, the first pass he threw to Treon (Sibley) in the corner of the end zone, it hit Treon right in the face mask. It’s a ball that should have been caught. I thought he threw the ball really well and accurately. I know that Kaidon can throw it. I’ve seen it in practice, and he can run it also.”
KHALEB COLEMAN RETURNS TO ACTION AND END ZONE
Liberty wide receiver Khaleb Coleman made his season debut against the Minutemen after missing the first eight games of the season as he has been fighting back from a knee injury. Coleman has struggled through several injuries during his Liberty career. He recorded his 17th career reception when he caught a pass from Nate Hampton in the fourth quarter that went for a 63 yard touchdown. It is Coleman’s second career touchdown as he also had a receiving score in Liberty’s win over Troy on Oct. 13, 2018.
“I’m happy for Khaleb Coleman,” Freeze said after the game. “He has endured more adversity in regards to his physical health and three surgeries. Just the mental battles that come with it – do I stay with it or do I not? Then, to see him score a touchdown today, it fills me with joy.”
LIBERTY ENJOYS PLAYING AT NOON
The Flames have practiced the past couple of years in the mornings under Coach Freeze. In 2020, Liberty played the majority of their games at noon, but that trend has reversed this season with most games being played in the late afternoon or at night. The Flames got to play UMass at noon and got off to a quick start. Liberty will play Ole Miss next week in another game that starts at noon.
“I think our kids like mornings,” said Freeze. “This morning, when we got them up at 7:30, their eyes were bright. I just felt good. I felt good about our week. I thought we had one of our better weeks of prep. I changed a few things offensively that hopefully help us.”
TWO NOTABLE ABSENCES SATURDAY
A couple of players who did not play on Saturday but had not previously appeared on an injury report was tight end Jerome Jackson and running back Joshua Mack. Jackson was on the sideline and not in full uniform. Mack was also on the sideline and was dressed in his uniform.
“Jerome was just precautionary, probably could have played,” Freeze said after the game when asked about the two. “JMack did not play. TJ (Green) and Shedro (Louis) got the nod today.”
