[bigsmooth]

what a great way to start this thread with another good article from chris lang.

Jennings glad to be back home and playing at Liberty
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
Tuesday, April 18, 2006


At just about every spring football practice, Butch Jennings takes a seat on the grassy hill overlooking Liberty University's practice field with his children in tow.
Butch's appearances aren't lost on his little brother, former LCA standout Rashad Jennings. If anything, it hammers home a simple point: He's home.

After spending a year at Pittsburgh, Jennings is back in Lynchburg enjoying the simple things, like being able to see both of his brothers on a near daily basis. Bryan Jennings, a former Virginia Tech and NFL tight end, is a teacher and coach at LCA.

"Butch has come to me and said Rashad is really happy," LU head coach Danny Rocco said. "That's what it's all about right there."

The Liberty football family happily reciprocates those sentiments. Through the first two weeks of spring practice, Jennings has shown off the skills that made him a coveted Division I-A recruit.

Liberty's coaches will admit that Jennings hasn't faced any real hitting yet. It doesn't matter. The praise flows freely.

"He's got the ability to run the ball inside and outside, and that in itself is unique," Rocco said. "A lot of talented backs don't really possess the ability to be a dominant or punishing inside runner but yet have the speed and elusiveness to get to the edge. But that's what he's showing us right now."

The skills package is impressive enough. Add Jennings' experience of playing a year of I-A football and Liberty has the sort of player who can be an offensive cornerstone for the next three seasons.

Jennings learned at Pittsburgh that good teams are built in grueling practices, and that's a message he's shared with his new Liberty teammates.

The other message: Forget that Jennings spent a year playing I-A football. Though gifted, he doesn't want any sort of preferential treatment.

When the Liberty coaching staff recently gave players a choice between lifting weights at 6 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., Jennings and fellow D-I transfer Stevie Ray Lloyd led the way in the early-morning session.

"I wanted the team to know I was a team player," Jennings said. "I'm staying on campus and going through the same rules everyone else is going through. I haven't missed a workout. I haven't missed classes.

"I'm doing everything to show that I'm a regular guy, and I'm out there trying to earn my spot like everyone else."

The Pittsburgh experience is one Jennings says he doesn't regret. But he knew by the time the Panthers closed their season at West Virginia last November that he was ready to leave.

There were philosophical differences between Jennings and the Pitt coaching staff. They wanted him to be a fullback, not surprising considering he weighs 250 pounds. It's cut bulk, though; his body fat is around 10 percent. He expects to play at between 235 and 245 pounds next season.

Jennings is convinced he is the sort of back who can pound up the gut for tough yardage yet still get to the outside and break off long runs.

"Ever since I was a freshman in high school (at Jefferson Forest), I always said I wanted to be a complete back," Jennings said. "Someone who can catch, read, block, everything."

Virginia was an attractive choice, but Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt wasn't going to release Jennings from his scholarship to play for UVa without a fight (the Cavaliers and Panthers play a home and home series the next two seasons). Jennings wasn't interested in playing at James Madison or Virginia Tech.

Liberty only became an attractive option once a coaching change was made.

"(Former) coach (Ken) Karcher and me never saw eye-to-eye," Jennings said.

Once Rocco became Liberty's coach, Jennings' decision was easy.

Good thing. With Butch, Rashad and Bryan back in town, it's a lot easier to get the boys together for a Sunday dinner in Forest.

Rashad said: "It feels good to be back home."

http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Sate ... 2012&path=

[jcmanson]

It's great to have him back home. This was a great get by us. He can become as the article says a cornerstone for us the next 3 years. He has a great attitude as well.

[LUconn]

he weighs 250 pounds. It's cut bulk, though; his body fat is around 10 percent. He expects to play at between 235 and 245 pounds next season.

[Rocketfan]

"(Former) coach (Ken) Karcher and me never saw eye-to-eye," Jennings said.


I know we all wonder why we couldn't get local studs....maybe this had something to do with it!

[Chris Lang]

When Rashad first transferred here in December, he said the same thing, though a little harsher. I think his exact words were "there was no chance I would ever come here if Karcher was the coach". But we decided to let the corpse cool, so to speak, in regards to Karcher. My editor's call. Kept the quote out of the story.

[LUconn]

I wonder why? I mean look what he did to an NFL talent in Gado. He strategically placed him 3rd on the depth chart. No, seriously though, I wonder what the big deal with him and Karcher was. I would understand if he didn't like the team because they sucked under Karcher but the eye-to-eye comment makes it seem like there was some incident or something. Oh well, lucky for us it doesn't matter.

[Libertine]

Can we please let Karcher go? He was a good guy and he did some good things. In the end, it didn't work out. Moving on...

[LUconn]

It's April 18th. Karcher talk is fair game.

[Libertine]

Why? All I hear on this board is about the new direction and all the new energy in this program and you want to re-hash what went wrong with the last administration?

Karcher's gone. Left town. Moved on. If you've still got an axe to grind, I suggest you go hunt him down, call him up and continue to bother him with it. Lord knows, enough people did that when he was here.

[LUconn]

Why? because baseball is boring and we, as fans, like to talk about things. This is something to talk about. I'm just curious as to why he rubbed a highly coveted recruit that was very close to the program the wrong way. You can't learn from your mistakes if you don't know what they are. I'm not grinding an axe, by the way. I'm just talking about it because it came up. (and I threw in a Gado joke for fun)

[thesportscritic]

It's April 18th. Karcher talk is fair game.

This thread is about Rashad Jennings not about Karcher. Karcher is in the past. This is a new beginning.

[bigsmooth]

guys this thread is for rashad, not former coach karcher. if you want to talk coaching, start a new thread, but he is gone, he did some good things, but he did not win enough to stay, so he was let go, so let's move on.

[LUconn]

it's about Rashad and Karcher's relationship and it came up in that article.

[Libertine]

Said what I said. Done wit' it.

[PAmedic]

SJ had nothing but good things to say about this kid in both our forum and CCU's, so I take that as the man can run! Seriously- this oughta give Brock (or Zach) another POTENT weapon.

I'm no coach, but just think for a minute about how a D can just sit back and T-off on recievers when there is no running threat- now they have to respect that and play up a little when its a potential running situation (most of the time in college FB!)

Throw in a TE that has hands, and a speed Wideout, we're gonna make Defensive Coordinators crazy.

[bigsmooth]

great point, but rashad said what he said, and he did not elaborate further. we are all happy rashad is here and it really does not matter how he got here or what he said about karcher..karcher is gone....let it go please.

[Sly Fox]

I think most everyone involved wants to forget about the Karcher era. Its not surprising that a kid who geographically & socially was so close to the LU might have had something come up with a staff. Whatever it was is gone and we're thrilled ot have Rashad on campus. He's going to be tough for Big South defenses to stop.

[Chris Lang]

The Karcher quote was important because Rashad makes the point that he'd never have even considered Liberty had Karcher not been let go. It was worth throwing out there. That's all I'll say about it ...

***

On the weapons thing, I really am interested to see how the o-line develops once the freshmen get here in August. The weapons are there.

Strong-armed QB (Smith) - check
Power running back (Jennings) - check
Hands receiver/great route runner (Brandon Turner) - check
Speed receivers (Wynton Jackson/Dominic Bolden) - check
Tight end with hands (Chris Luck) - check
Deceptive slot back/option QB/receiver/whatever (Zach Terrell) - check

The pieces are there. How the line develops will tell how good this offense can be.

[Sly Fox]

I don't question you using that quote even for a minute, Chris. If he said it I would've used it in a story myself. But I think for our purposes on here, we ought to let this one slide.

As for the O-lLine ... that's the same question mark we had heading into last season. Hopefully the addition of Davis along with a year of development for the young guys last fall will begin to pay immediate dividends.

[Rocketfan]

I was just merely trying to emphasize how interesting that is( Rashads feelings towards KK), and i also heard the interviews done by givemethemic last night and with a player who couldn't believe the changes that were being made ( in a good way) an how much fun they were FINALLY having( heck he was predicting bringing home a BS championship, when have we ever heard a player speak with that much confidence?)..... I just think that also speaks to the great future we have in getting quality kids & athletes, but if anyone wants to say Karcher did something GOOD for the program....start the thread cause i am all over that one . Plus i think its good to bring him up, we gotta learn from our mistakes and not getting quality players from our own high school is a mistake that can't and won't be overlooked no matter who the coach is or was!

[Guest]

Can't wait to see you all's reaction a year from now. . . . should be interesting

[TDDance234]

Can't wait to see you all's reaction a year from now. . . . should be interesting

Care to expand on that, Guest?

Any guess on what Jennings stats are going to be this season? It's fairly obvious, he's going to be the #1 back and get lots of carries. I'd imagine with Rocco's switch to the 3-4 (which, by the way, the players LOVE. A friend of mine is getting some reps at nose-tackle and said they weren't real excited about it first but with all the linebackers, the defense is going to fly all over the field), we're going to be a hard-nosed ball-control type team next season.

I think it's concievable to see Rashad get 1000 yards this season.

[Hold My Own]

Can't wait to see you all's reaction a year from now. . . . should be interesting

I love people who hate on a good thing while being apart of the school......but then again that is one of the 2 sides at LU....supporters or haters, always has been and prob. always will be

You too should be excited with everything that has gone on in the last 4 months....we just got the starting running back from Pitt, not Pitt Christian or Pitt School of the Arts, but Pitt, the University of


just sign in next time, its ok if your not on board but just say what your problem is....some people just refuse to be happy with anything going on, on the mountain....I used to think it was only a BB thing but I guess it's good to see that you that dont sign in dont discriminate

again it's ok to have negative opinions about things, it just sucks when it seems like everything is bitter and negative, but that's even ok, but just express things that you think could be improved upon or else it does nobody any good

[LUconn]

I thought that that comment was pretty ambiguous. Could have been good or bad but he didn't care to elaborate.

[PAmedic]

quite possible that our guest is from a competing BSOUTH school! I forsee more smack this year than ever- in fact, I've gone out there already stating "WE WILL BEAT CCU: PRINT IT!"

All in good fun, and I agree, we WILL see- gotta love FB season!