- July 29th, 2006, 9:58 am
#22413
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Rocco ready to ignite Flames' football program
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
July 29, 2006
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Danny Rocco doesn't play much golf, yet he bounced eagerly around the Ballantyne Resort Thursday on a sweltering day, chatting up assistant coaches, meeting new people, pressing as much flesh as possible. Already comfortable in his new surroundings in Lynchburg, Liberty's new football coach took advantage of every opportunity at the Big South media days to spread the same message to conference opponents that he's been telling folks back home, even if he didn't play in Thursday's golf outing.
Don't expect to see the same old Liberty in 2006.
As easy as it is to talk that talk, Rocco knows that the time to back his words up have arrived. In a little more than a month from now, Rocco's Flames will face Division II St. Paul's in a Thursday night opener. Players report to campus Wednesday and practice begins Thursday.
Time to put talk into action.
"I've spent so much time thinking about," Rocco said. "I've had feelings of excitement about this job and the start of camp as early as January or February. Now it's time to produce."
An improved Liberty team wouldn't be a surprise to anyone in the Big South. The Flames were a program-worst 1-10 in 2005 but lost their four conference games by a combined 15 points. Liberty blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead at Charleston Southern, lost in triple overtime to Coastal Carolina and missed a short field goal late in the fourth quarter that would have sent the VMI game into overtime.
"They underachieved last year," Gardner-Webb coach Steve Patton said. "Liberty is a good team, and I would love to be taking that over. It reminds me of when I came to Gardner-Webb. They were 2-9 and we went 8-3 the next year. There were good players here. We just had to tweak a few things."
Liberty was voted fourth in the five-team league in the preseason poll, behind Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb but ahead of VMI. Three voters picked the Flames to win the league.
Rocco's eagerness level is matched by that of new VMI coach Jim Reid, a close friend of former coach Cal McCombs. Reid took over for the fired McCombs in December. Despite having a roster loaded with seniors, VMI went 3-8 last year, and the lack of progress ultimately led to McCombs' dismissal.
Liberty is approaching this season as if last year's painful year never occurred. VMI is taking a different tack. McCombs still lives in Lexington and works as a scout for the Denver Broncos, and Reid asked McCombs to join his coaching staff. McCombs declined, but he still attends some practices and
keeps contact with players in the program.
Reid, who spent nine years as Richmond's head coach and led the Spiders to two Atlantic 10 titles, said he was intrigued by the mystery of VMI.
When he first arrived on campus, he was fascinated by the natural level of discipline and commitment the students displayed. The first goal: Regain a high level of both in the football program.
"Right now, it's hard to find a foundation," Reid said. "You need to build on some great quality. We need to build a foundation of great persistence on every snap. They used to say VMI never quits. We've got to get back to that."
Reid acknowledged that 2006 will be a bit of a rebuilding year. The Keydets have major depth issues at wide receiver and defensive back and face an extremely challenging schedule. Plus, those 28 seniors from 2005 are gone.
Rocco will make no such concessions. The only time he'll mention the word "rebuilding" is when he speaks of the reconstruction of the turf at Williams Stadium.
"It shows my commitment to this year's team, and it shows the seniors that I'm not looking at this thing in a long-term manner in terms of not giving them the opportunity to enjoy the success," Rocco said. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make this 'now' and not look at it in any other way."
Rocco ready to ignite Flames' football program
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
July 29, 2006
Give your opinion on this story
Advertisement
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Danny Rocco doesn't play much golf, yet he bounced eagerly around the Ballantyne Resort Thursday on a sweltering day, chatting up assistant coaches, meeting new people, pressing as much flesh as possible. Already comfortable in his new surroundings in Lynchburg, Liberty's new football coach took advantage of every opportunity at the Big South media days to spread the same message to conference opponents that he's been telling folks back home, even if he didn't play in Thursday's golf outing.
Don't expect to see the same old Liberty in 2006.
As easy as it is to talk that talk, Rocco knows that the time to back his words up have arrived. In a little more than a month from now, Rocco's Flames will face Division II St. Paul's in a Thursday night opener. Players report to campus Wednesday and practice begins Thursday.
Time to put talk into action.
"I've spent so much time thinking about," Rocco said. "I've had feelings of excitement about this job and the start of camp as early as January or February. Now it's time to produce."
An improved Liberty team wouldn't be a surprise to anyone in the Big South. The Flames were a program-worst 1-10 in 2005 but lost their four conference games by a combined 15 points. Liberty blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead at Charleston Southern, lost in triple overtime to Coastal Carolina and missed a short field goal late in the fourth quarter that would have sent the VMI game into overtime.
"They underachieved last year," Gardner-Webb coach Steve Patton said. "Liberty is a good team, and I would love to be taking that over. It reminds me of when I came to Gardner-Webb. They were 2-9 and we went 8-3 the next year. There were good players here. We just had to tweak a few things."
Liberty was voted fourth in the five-team league in the preseason poll, behind Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb but ahead of VMI. Three voters picked the Flames to win the league.
Rocco's eagerness level is matched by that of new VMI coach Jim Reid, a close friend of former coach Cal McCombs. Reid took over for the fired McCombs in December. Despite having a roster loaded with seniors, VMI went 3-8 last year, and the lack of progress ultimately led to McCombs' dismissal.
Liberty is approaching this season as if last year's painful year never occurred. VMI is taking a different tack. McCombs still lives in Lexington and works as a scout for the Denver Broncos, and Reid asked McCombs to join his coaching staff. McCombs declined, but he still attends some practices and
keeps contact with players in the program.
Reid, who spent nine years as Richmond's head coach and led the Spiders to two Atlantic 10 titles, said he was intrigued by the mystery of VMI.
When he first arrived on campus, he was fascinated by the natural level of discipline and commitment the students displayed. The first goal: Regain a high level of both in the football program.
"Right now, it's hard to find a foundation," Reid said. "You need to build on some great quality. We need to build a foundation of great persistence on every snap. They used to say VMI never quits. We've got to get back to that."
Reid acknowledged that 2006 will be a bit of a rebuilding year. The Keydets have major depth issues at wide receiver and defensive back and face an extremely challenging schedule. Plus, those 28 seniors from 2005 are gone.
Rocco will make no such concessions. The only time he'll mention the word "rebuilding" is when he speaks of the reconstruction of the turf at Williams Stadium.
"It shows my commitment to this year's team, and it shows the seniors that I'm not looking at this thing in a long-term manner in terms of not giving them the opportunity to enjoy the success," Rocco said. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make this 'now' and not look at it in any other way."
Isaiah 33:1
Woe to you, O destroyer, you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, O traitor, you who have not been betrayed!
Woe to you, O destroyer, you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, O traitor, you who have not been betrayed!
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