Gill said Idaho State is “a very good football team”
Despite playing an FCS opponent this week, Liberty’s first ever matchup with an FCS opponent since becoming an FBS member, the Flames will need to play well to win.
“This is a very good football team,” Gill said of the Bengals. “Watch them on tape, they know how to execute. Their team plays with passion. They execute very well, particularly on offense. I don’t care who you’re playing, if you’re able to average 500 yards (of offense) in every football game, you know how to do some productive things on the offensive side of the ball. We’ve got our hands full.”
Alves still the guy
Despite Aidan Alves’ struggles punting, Gill says he’s sticking with him. On his 40 punts this year, Alves is averaging just 32.2 yards per punt.
“We’re going to go with Alves. We’ll make some corrections and see if he improves. Just like any other situation, we will continue to evaluate it. It’s just technique. (He needs to) just continue to work on his technique. He’s a guy that’s inexperienced, he hasn’t played a whole lot. Unfortunately, like with a quarterback, you know when a quarterback makes a mistake. Sometimes it’s not his mistake. In a punter situation, he makes a mistake, everybody sees it, everybody notices it. We still believe in him, he just needs to get corrected. He’s a young guy, still trying to acclimate to playing time and all that. We still believe in him, we will give him another opportunity.”
Wimberly gets emotional about Benton
Elijah Benton has quickly ascended the depth chart. Entering the program as a walk-on from LCA, Benton has quickly become a starter and leader on defense. He’s started all 6 games at strong safety in 2018, and he has a team high 38 tackles.
” See when you hit me with that that’s when I get emotional,” Wimberly said as he fought back tears. “He came in as a walk-on and came in as a corner. If you talked to him he will tell you Coach Frank Rocco did a great job with him at LCA, but it’s just growing pains. To see how much he’s grown, how much he’s matured, we gave him the nickname Hawk. I gave him the nickname Hawk because he wouldn’t talk. So, I used to make him scream at practice two years ago. I used to say, ‘Hawk give me one.’ He would have to scream, but now to see the confidence that he plays with, the conversations that we have on the field, the preparation during practice, that’s what it’s about. You want to see young men grow. You want to see young men develop. You want to tell young men when they don’t believe in themselves, you believe in them. Then, we they start believing in themselves, it makes you proud.”
Injury report
Antonio Gandy-Golden will miss his 2nd consecutive game with mono. No specific timetable given for his return. Tight end Zac Foutz is doubtful with an upper body injury. Wide receiver JT Wood, tight end Jerome Jackson, kicker Alex Probert, and running back Kentory Matthews are all questionable. Kimani Donaldson and Ethan Crawford are listed as “full go.”
Gill on Probert – “week to week. We will just evaluate it every Friday or could be all the way up to game day to decide. It’s just kind of a week to week basis to see how he feels, is he ready to execute, and go from there.”
Despite Gill not mentioning him, wide receiver Damian King continues to be out. His original timetable was a 4 week absence which would put him as possibly being able to return after the bye week. With all the wide receivers missing time, only 5 receivers are listed on the depth chart – B.J. Farrow, Khaleb Coleman, and DJ Stubbs as starters with Noah Frith and Lionell McConnell listed as reserves.
