- August 13th, 2013, 9:32 am
#434840
With only two weeks remaining until the season opener, we take a look at the other big question mark on the offensive side of the ball.
Here is how the running backs looked coming out of the spring: https://www.flamefans.com/forums/viewto ... =2&t=20477
Incoming players
Toddrick Macon 5-10 210 Lbs St Petersburg, FL (Admiral Farragut High School)
Josh Smith 5- 175 Lbs Mansfield, TX (Timberview HS)
Carrington Mosley 5-11 225 Lbs Lynchburg, VA (Liberty Christian Academy)
Clifton Richardson 6-0 210 Lbs Newport News, VA (Menchville HS/ UVa)
Two former LCA standouts highlight the group of running backs for Liberty. Desmond "Des" Rice ended the spring as the #1 tailback after All Big South running back Aldreakis Allen was suspended in early April before practice started. Rice, a former all-state back for the Bulldogs, has had some limited opportunities after playing behind Allen and Sirchauncey Holloway the last two seasons, but he has already shown some flashes of potential and according to his position coach Jamaal Fobbs, he is ready to "be the man". When asked by Liberty beat writer (and our resident scribe) Chris Lang if he was ready to be the feature back and take the increased number of carries that comes with it, Fobbs said,
Richardson, who comes to Lynchburg from nearby Charlottesville, is a bit of a riddle himself. He played sparingly for the Cavaliers due to injuries but when he has been on the field. he was very good, splitting carries with Perry Jones and Kevin Parks. The question that has to be asked is which Clifton Richardson shows up this year for Liberty: The one who rushed for 366 yards and 2 TDs, or the one who only rushed for 59 yards while battling injuries all season? If its the former, he could, as Lang noted in his preview for the N&A, move very quickly up the depth chart.
The X-factor in all this is Allen. He has remained on the roster throughout his legal troubles from the spring, and the recipe for him is simple: If he is acquitted on August 21, he is reinstated and will jump right into the fray for the running backs and may dress for the opener against Kent State. If he is found guilty, his Liberty career is over. If he does return to the team, He will give Liberty a potent 1-2 punch with either Rice or Richardson, after finishing 2012 as not only the first running back since Rashad Jennings to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season (1,526), but also broke the stranglehold that former league mate Stony Brook had on the position (Jennings was also the last non-Seawolves back to earn all-conference laurels on his way to Offensive Player of the Year).
Freshmen Macon and Smith along with the other standout LCA running back on the roster, Carrington Mosley, will likely redshirt this season and use the time to develop as the three along with Abnar will be the future of the Liberty Flames backfield
Looking quickly at the fullbacks, former Longwood pitcher Michael Johnson goes into the season as the starter after a very good spring. 2012 Opening Day starter Nicky Fualaau will be his backup, giving Liberty some good experience leading the way for the tailbacks. Thomas Kennedy from just outside of Roanoke comes in as the third string behind Johnson and Fualaau.
Here is how the running backs looked coming out of the spring: https://www.flamefans.com/forums/viewto ... =2&t=20477
Incoming players
Toddrick Macon 5-10 210 Lbs St Petersburg, FL (Admiral Farragut High School)
Josh Smith 5- 175 Lbs Mansfield, TX (Timberview HS)
Carrington Mosley 5-11 225 Lbs Lynchburg, VA (Liberty Christian Academy)
Clifton Richardson 6-0 210 Lbs Newport News, VA (Menchville HS/ UVa)
Two former LCA standouts highlight the group of running backs for Liberty. Desmond "Des" Rice ended the spring as the #1 tailback after All Big South running back Aldreakis Allen was suspended in early April before practice started. Rice, a former all-state back for the Bulldogs, has had some limited opportunities after playing behind Allen and Sirchauncey Holloway the last two seasons, but he has already shown some flashes of potential and according to his position coach Jamaal Fobbs, he is ready to "be the man". When asked by Liberty beat writer (and our resident scribe) Chris Lang if he was ready to be the feature back and take the increased number of carries that comes with it, Fobbs said,
Jamaal Fobbs Liberty Flames running backs coach wrote:“I think he is. I think Des is ready to do that. He will do a lot of that, and in a lot of situations, because he can do some things, like catch the ball out in the open, as well as some of the inside running. He’s going to carry a heavy load.”DJ Abnar is the other returning back from the Flames 2012 backfield. He did not get that many opportunities at the tailback position last season, but he showed explosive speed from the first time he touched the ball when he nearly ran his first career kick return back for a TD against Gardner-Webb. The 5-10 185 pound sophomore from Tallahassee (and only 15 minutes from Florida State University and Doak Campbell Stadium) will see quite a bit of time on the field either as Rice's backup or as a kick returner (making a dangerous 1-2 punch with 2011 consensus All-American Kevin Fogg) but he is someone that teams will have to be careful of because of that speed.
Richardson, who comes to Lynchburg from nearby Charlottesville, is a bit of a riddle himself. He played sparingly for the Cavaliers due to injuries but when he has been on the field. he was very good, splitting carries with Perry Jones and Kevin Parks. The question that has to be asked is which Clifton Richardson shows up this year for Liberty: The one who rushed for 366 yards and 2 TDs, or the one who only rushed for 59 yards while battling injuries all season? If its the former, he could, as Lang noted in his preview for the N&A, move very quickly up the depth chart.
The X-factor in all this is Allen. He has remained on the roster throughout his legal troubles from the spring, and the recipe for him is simple: If he is acquitted on August 21, he is reinstated and will jump right into the fray for the running backs and may dress for the opener against Kent State. If he is found guilty, his Liberty career is over. If he does return to the team, He will give Liberty a potent 1-2 punch with either Rice or Richardson, after finishing 2012 as not only the first running back since Rashad Jennings to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season (1,526), but also broke the stranglehold that former league mate Stony Brook had on the position (Jennings was also the last non-Seawolves back to earn all-conference laurels on his way to Offensive Player of the Year).
Freshmen Macon and Smith along with the other standout LCA running back on the roster, Carrington Mosley, will likely redshirt this season and use the time to develop as the three along with Abnar will be the future of the Liberty Flames backfield
Looking quickly at the fullbacks, former Longwood pitcher Michael Johnson goes into the season as the starter after a very good spring. 2012 Opening Day starter Nicky Fualaau will be his backup, giving Liberty some good experience leading the way for the tailbacks. Thomas Kennedy from just outside of Roanoke comes in as the third string behind Johnson and Fualaau.
- By jmclaughlin
- By alabama24
- By Chippy