[PAmedic]

plenty of stats and results to argue over until April- so I figured we could put them in one place.

http://libertyflames.com/wwwadmin/globa ... bmcume.htm

I'll start by picking up my earlier gripe about TE Chris Luck: 7 catches all year for less than 100 yds. Very disappointing to see that kinda production out of him. Possibly he was used differently in this years schemes' than in the past?

[PAmedic]

Point #2: Special Teams ROCKED this year.

see some of the accolades in the Dominic Boldenthread

[LU'sbestmanager]

Point #2: Special Teams ROCKED this year.

see some of the accolades in the Dominic Boldenthread

THAT'S MY MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigsmooth]

everybody is your man manger! i agree with medic, we did not use the tight end enough, but i think you willsee more of that next year.

[BJWilliams]

Point #2: Special Teams ROCKED this year.

see some of the accolades in the Dominic Boldenthread

THAT'S MY MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man, man, everybody is your man, man...why you gotta be such a dang homer?

[LU'sbestmanager]

what is a homer?

[whmatthews]

The weather man tonight said it would rain and it rained...

THAT'S MY MAN!

just pickin' manager.

[TallyW]

what is a homer?

You don't want to know...

[ATrain]

what is a homer?

You don't want to know...

Tally, he said Homer...not homo...there is a difference

[TallyW]

A little quick to jump on the homosexual thoughts Atrain?

wow. That wasn't where I was going... but if it makes you feel better to get that out... I'm all for it.

[PAmedic]

ANYWAY-

back to the topic.

How good is this "D" gonna be with almost everyone but Manny coming back? SCARY

I heard Rocco mention he may be moving Redd to LB- now that struck me as curious because I had him pegged as a big guy/ DE slot only.

Too lazy to look it up- whats his body type and has he played LB before?

Coach also mentioned that's his recuiting focus- find "big, rangy bodies and get'em signed, we'll worry about WHERE they play after they get here"

very interesting

[jcmanson]

Redd came in to UVA as a LB, but got moved to a DE. I was thinking he would play LB when he first got here. He's a big boy though, I think 6'8".

This defense could be outstanding. If we could add some depth all over, (offense as well but since we're talking d) especially upfront, then this defense could be one of the best in the nation on the 1-AA level.

[Libertine]

ANYWAY-

back to the topic.

How good is this "D" gonna be with almost everyone but Manny coming back? SCARY

I heard Rocco mention he may be moving Redd to LB- now that struck me as curious because I had him pegged as a big guy/ DE slot only.

Too lazy to look it up- whats his body type and has he played LB before?

Coach also mentioned that's his recuiting focus- find "big, rangy bodies and get'em signed, we'll worry about WHERE they play after they get here"

very interesting

Redd started out at OLB at UVa and then moved to DE out of necessity.

[bigsmooth]

libertine is correct.. in any regard redd will take our defense to the next level!

[PAmedic]

thanks for the info. Has anyone ever seen another 6'8" OLB? WOW

I can't think of any- usually a guy that big isn't quick enough. How is he in pass coverage, thats my question?

[Libertine]

My initial response to watching Redd in practice was, "This guy is lazy. He's not even trying out there." Then, I realized that he was still making it to the right spot on the field and doing exactly what he supposed to do -- all w/o looking like he was doing anything at all. He's a man playing among children. I've never seen anyone like him at this level.

[Sly Fox]

I don't think anyone who saw him play at UVa has any doubts about Vince's ability. He's now almost made it through a full semester on campus. Academically & personally that's a big accomplishment and hopefully he's showing the character development we have all hoped for. You guys on campus are much closer to the situation than I am. But from a distance, I've been a little concerned how he would adjust to our much more structured environment.

If Vince is on the field next fall, we could have a very nasty defense. Losing Manny & Jason is tough, but we have some serious talents ready to step in.

[bigsmooth]

c. lang's piece in the fishwrap

LU reclaims respect in football
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 21, 2006

If one play can sum up Liberty's 2006 football season, it was Rashad Jennings' game-clinching four-yard run last Saturday at VMI.
Line up in the power-I on fourth-and-1, lead with the fullback and cram it down the opponent's throat with the 245-pound feature back.

That's what Liberty's identity had become under first-year head coach Danny Rocco, who was named Big South coach of the year on Tuesday. The Flames, who made one of the biggest single-season turnarounds in the NCAA Championship Series (the Division I-AA designation officially bit the dust this weekend), became a physical, bruising team that imposed its will on opponents on both sides of the ball.

Compliments poured in all year from opposing coaches, none bigger than the conference coach of the year award, voted on by media and coaches from around the league.

"I was talking a lot at the beginning of the year about earning respect for the program," Rocco said. "I think there is some evidence of that now, evidence of this program earning some respect."

Liberty placed more players on the all-conference teams than any other school with 14, more than Gardner-Webb (13) and league champion Coastal Carolina (12), which earned the Big South's first berth in the NCAA CS playoffs.

Jennings, left tackle Stephen Sene and linebacker Manny Rojas all earned first-team all-Big South honors. But what's more important than individual accolades to Rocco is a feeling that a moribund program has been completely revived, not only on the field but in the community.

Even when the Flames lost three straight games in the middle of the season, fans didn't abandon the program. Last season, when Liberty struggled to an awful start, the home attendance suffered. When a ranked Coastal Carolina team came to town, less than 3,000 fans attended, and a good chunk of those fans were Coastal Carolina backers.

The only time Liberty had less than 10,000 fans at Williams Stadium was for the season opener against Saint Paul's, a game played in cold, rainy conditions.

"The moment for me was the moment after the Charleston Southern game, when we just beat a team with a 14-game win-

ning streak that was 9-0 and a defending conference co-champion," Rocco said. "When I went across the field to shake coach (Jay) Mills' hand, the student body rushed the field. That really took me aback. To me, that was the culmination of a team coming together and the university supporting it."

Now, the natural question beckons: What's next?

Liberty lost four games to CS teams this season by a total of 13 points. The Flames' two Big South losses were by a combined five points. They blew a 17-0 halftime lead against Gardner-Webb and missed three field goals and an extra point in a one-point loss to William & Mary.

Those experiences, Rocco said, made him a better coach and the Flames a better team. The evidence came at VMI, when the Flames won a tight game on the road.

"Anytime we had to answer, we answered," Rocco said. "That's what good teams do when they learn how to win."

Liberty will only lose four starters - Rojas, Sene, offensive guard Jarrett Winfrey and defensive end Jason Horn. With Coastal Carolina and Charleston Southern dealing with major turnover (the Chanticleers have 34 seniors), Liberty will be in position to be a league favorite in 2006.

Going 6-5 won't be good enough, not for the coaches, not for the players, certainly not for a fan base that's grown hungry after this year's success.

"I think we've changed the culture in terms of what the expectations are," Rocco said. "These kids look at themselves a little bit differently. This group here is going to be tough next year.

"They're going to think they should win."