[jcmanson]

I have a feeling that 2011 is either going to be a breakout season for us or there will be a lot of changes made going into 2012. Of our 26 starters (including Spec Tms), 13 are seniors and 17 have started previously. We are likely to have 2 individuals finish in the top 10 of the Payton Award voting. Add them to Matt Bevins and Asa Chapman and we have a very talented core getting NFL looks. We have experience and depth at QB, WR, RB, and TE. Our only question mark on offense is the OL. Our DL is anchored by 3 year starter Asa. Our secondary is the most talented it’s ever been and has plenty of depth. Our LB should be fine. Our kickers are 4 year starters. Our coaching staff has been intact for several years and has recruited all of these players.

Our goal should not be making it to the playoffs, but winning in the playoffs.

It is now or never.

[Chippy]

The challenge will be the schedule - 3 playoff teams from last year (Lehigh, RMU and CCU) and NC State and not to mention SBU away.

[jcmanson]

We have the talent and depth to win the national championship. No exaggeration.

[BJWilliams]

I would have to agree that this is "the" year to make a big run. If the O-Line can really step it up this year and open the kind of holes that we had prior to last year, we could be seeing a lot of scores in the 30s and 40s on our side. Probably of all the teams we faced last year, the only one who really could hang with us scoring wise was Coastal. With them losing a lot of good players on offense, I think that we really need to go out and dominate everyone. If you look at the last three seasons, we have one or two close games, and then the rest are pretty much blowouts. 2008 we lost to Presby by three and beat Coastal by 5 (although it shouldnt have been that close). 2009 we lost to SBU by 3 and beat CSU by 7. Last year we beat Presby by 10 and lost to coastal by 14. We have beaten every team in conference by at least three touchdowns on one occasion or another. I was on CS.com and one of the Coastal supporters made a very telling comment...

I feel that it is only a matter of time before Liberty starts running away with the BS Championship on a yearly basis.

We are capable of dominating everyone like we did in 2007 (when we won conference games by an average of 48-16), The question is, will we be able to keep our head in the game if we do get on a big streak and pound everyone in our path. If we do, really after Lehigh I dont think anyone can stop us...whether at home or on the road...if not, we may be in for another year of disappointment.

[NG33]

We have the talent and depth to win the national championship. No exaggeration.

I want to believe this. I really do. It's just that we've never even made it to the playoffs. We don't really know how we'd hold up against the best in the Big Sky, CAA or SoCon. Ya we beat Elon, but have lost Rob Morris, Lafayette and JMU (twice) in the past 3 years when we've gone up against decent-good competition. I think this is no doubt our best year to get over the hump. I'm just not sure we will. Remember we have at least one "WTF" game in us every year too. I guess I'll have to see how we do through our first 4 games before I can jump on the bandwagon again haha

[BJWilliams]

We have the talent and depth to win the national championship. No exaggeration.

I want to believe this. I really do. It's just that we've never even made it to the playoffs. We don't really know how we'd hold up against the best in the Big Sky, CAA or SoCon. Ya we beat Elon, but have lost Rob Morris, Lafayette and JMU (twice) in the past 3 years when we've gone up against decent-good competition. I think this is no doubt our best year to get over the hump. I'm just not sure we will. Remember we have at least one "WTF" game in us every year too. I guess I'll have to see how we do through our first 4 games before I can jump on the bandwagon again haha

THIS was the point I was getting at when I talked about us keeping our head in the game. If we can keep our heads on straight, we wont have a "WTF" game this year. The reason we lost the games we did the last three years is because we allowed ourselves to think that we can just roll in and pound a team into the floor "because we're Liberty" or "because we pounded them last year". Once we put our foot on the gas, we cannot take it off. If we keep that kind of mindset, we cannot and will not be stopped and will make the playoffs where we can REALLY see how good we are.

[BJWilliams]

An additional sidenote...we have gone on a winning streak of at least 5 games the last four years. 2007 we closed the year with 5 straight (going undefeated in the Big South), 2008 we went on a six game winning streak (to open the year), 2009 we went on another six game winning streak (before losing to SBU...the first time we lost the final game since 2005) and 2010 we won five in a row (before losing to Coastal Carolina and blowing out Stony Brook).

[jcmanson]

We have the talent and depth to win the national championship. No exaggeration.

I want to believe this. I really do. It's just that we've never even made it to the playoffs. We don't really know how we'd hold up against the best in the Big Sky, CAA or SoCon. Ya we beat Elon, but have lost Rob Morris, Lafayette and JMU (twice) in the past 3 years when we've gone up against decent-good competition. I think this is no doubt our best year to get over the hump. I'm just not sure we will. Remember we have at least one "WTF" game in us every year too. I guess I'll have to see how we do through our first 4 games before I can jump on the bandwagon again haha

Look at all the preseason lists - All American, Walter Payton award watch, etc. and we have just as many, if not more, players on all of these than any other team. I repeat, we have the talent and depth to win a national championship.

[jcmanson]

PRESEASON WALTER PAYTON WATCH LIST
FB Eric Breitenstein, Wofford, Sr.
QB Casey Brockman, Murray State, Jr.
QB Mike Brown, Liberty, Sr.
QB B.J. Coleman, Chattanooga, Sr.
OT Tom Compton, South Dakota, Sr.
RB Nate Eachus, Colgate, Sr.
RB Tim Flanders, Sam Houston State, Soph.
RB Jonathan Grimes, William & Mary, Sr.
WR Brandon Kaufman, Eastern Washington, Jr.
RB Mike Mayhew, North Carolina A&T, Sr.
QB Bo Levi Mitchell, Eastern Washington, Sr.
QB Denarius McGhee, Montana State, Soph.
QB Josh McGregor, Jacksonville, Sr.
RB D.J. McNorton, North Dakota State, Sr.
RB Andrew Pierce, Delaware, Soph.
QB DeAndre Presley, Appalachian State, Sr.
QB Tirrell Rennie, Northern Iowa, Sr.
RB Nick Schwieger, Dartmouth, Sr.
WR Chris Summers, Liberty, Sr.
QB Casey Therriault, Jackson State, Sr.

Considered: OG J.C. Oram, Weber State, Sr.; WR Joel Bradford, Chattanooga, Sr.; WR Aaron Mellette, Elon, Jr.; WR Tim Benford, Tennessee Tech, Sr.; RB Mike Harris, Murray State, Sr.; RB Jonathan Hernandez, UMASS, Sr.; RB Jamaine Cook, Youngstown State, Jr.; RB Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook, Jr.; RB Cory McCaffrey, Portland State, Sr.; K Matt Bevins, Liberty, Sr.; QB Thomas DeMarco, Old Dominion, Sr.

FIRST TEAM
QB DeAndre Presley, Appalachian State, Sr., 5-10, 180
RB Nate Eachus, Colgate, Sr., 5-10, 216
RB Jonathan Grimes, William & Mary, Sr., 5-10, 201
FB Eric Breitenstein, Wofford, Sr., 5-11, 225
WR Chris Summers, Liberty, Sr., 6-4, 210
WR Brian Quick, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-5, 220
WR Brandon Kaufman, Eastern Washington, Jr., 6-5, 205
TE David Duran, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 6-5, 240
C Chris Powers, Eastern Washington, Sr., 6-2, 270
OG J.C. Oram, Weber State, Sr., 6-4, 310
OG Gino Gradkowski, Delaware, Sr., 6-4, 294
OT Tom Compton, South Dakota, Sr., 6-6, 308
OT Jeff Adams, Columbia, Sr., 6-7, 305

SECOND TEAM
QB Mike Brown, Liberty, Sr., 6-0, 205
RB Mike Mayhew, North Carolina A&T, Sr., 5-10, 205
RB D.J. McNorton, North Dakota State, Sr., 5-10, 203
FB Kendall Gaskins, Richmond, Jr., 6-1, 230
WR Norman White, Villanova, Sr., 6-3, 215
WR Joel Bradford, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-0, 165
WR Aaron Mellette, Elon, Jr., 6-3, 211
TE Shadrae King, Robert Morris, Sr., 6-3, 225
C Natiel Curry, Bethune-Cookman, Sr., 6-2, 280
OG D.J. Hall, Texas State, Sr., 6-3, 300
OG James Dekle, Prairie View A&M, Sr., 6-1, 293
OT Brett Moore, Georgia Southern, Sr., 6-3, 253
OT David Pickard, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-5, 300


DEFENSE

FIRST TEAM
DE Mario Kurn, San Diego, Sr., 6-2, 220
DE Ben Obaseki, Indiana State, Jr., 6-3, 235
DT Brent Russell, Georgia Southern, Jr., 6-2, 287
DT Renard Williams, Eastern Washington, Sr., 6-2, 300
LB Tyler Holmes, UMASS, Sr., 6-0, 220
LB Matt Evans, New Hampshire, Jr., 6-0, 233
LB A.J. Storms, Idaho State, Sr., 6-0, 215
LB Derek Rose, Northwestern State, Jr., 5-11, 225
CB Trumaine Johnson, Montana, Sr., 6-3, 199
CB Ryan Steed, Furman, Sr., 5-11, 186
S Tyler Brock, Southeast Missouri State, Jr., 6-3, 195
S Malcolm Bronson, McNeese State, Jr., 5-11, 188

SECOND TEAM
DE Brian McNally, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-3, 258
DE Ameet Pall, Wofford, Sr., 6-0, 245
DT Ben Boothby, Northern Iowa, Sr., 6-0, 280
DT Asa Chapman, Liberty, Sr., 6-5, 380
LB Kadarron Anderson, Furman, Sr., 6-1, 236
LB Mike Groome, Lehigh, Sr., 6-3, 240
LB Keith Pough, Howard, Jr., 6-3, 235
LB Jer’ryan Harris, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Soph., 6-1, 215
CB B.W. Webb, William & Mary, Jr., 5-11, 175
CB Laron Scott, Georgia Southern, Sr., 5-9, 173
S KeJuan Riley, Alabama State, Jr., 6-0, 182
S Matt Johnson, Eastern Washington, Sr., 6-2, 220


SPECIAL TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
K Matt Bevins, Liberty, Sr., 6-2, 185
P David Harrington, Idaho State, Sr., 6-3, 185
KR Gralyn Crawford, Stephen F. Austin, Jr., 5-10, 175
PR Tavoy Moore, Idaho State, Sr., 5-7, 195

SECOND TEAM
K Jason Cunningham, Montana State, Sr., 6-1, 162
P Jonathan Plisco, Old Dominion, Jr., 6-0, 220
KR Jeremy Caldwell, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., 5-10, 183
PR Dontrell Johnson, Murray State, Sr., 5-11, 180

We have the talent

[Kolzilla41]

I really hope this is the year. For once, I would like to know what it's like to watch a home playoff game. However, due to past history, I am guarding my heart.

[NG33]

We have the talent

We had them last year as well. Don't get me wrong we have some VERY talented players, and the rest of the FCS (even some of the FBS) world is starting to take notice. I'm just not sure how we'll be as a team. Time will tell.

[NG33]

I really hope this is the year. For once, I would like to know what it's like to watch a home playoff game. However, due to past history, I am guarding my heart.

+1

[jcmanson]

We have the talent

We had them last year as well. Don't get me wrong we have some VERY talented players, and the rest of the FCS (even some of the FBS) world is starting to take notice. I'm just not sure how we'll be as a team. Time will tell.

I agree with you.

[Chippy]

If you recall there was a lot of hype to last year's team as well. Rocco claimed that this was the fastest defense he had ever had, talented offense, etc. I never saw the fast defense rather a bend don't break defense. I, for one, would like to see more pressure up front like the Steelers do with their linebackers in their 3-4 to create more TOs, sacks, and negative yardage. CCU ate us up with their TE over the middle all day as an example of giving the QB time to set up in the packet.

[Cider Jim]

Our goal should not be making it to the playoffs, but winning in the playoffs.

We have the talent and depth to win the national championship.

Wow! Those are 2 very different concepts. But you heard it first here!
Talent and depth and I would add COACHING.

[RVAparks]

Notice on the list above who has the 1st and 2nd team TEs this year. Big, productive targets...

[Chippy]

Notice on the list above who has the 1st and 2nd team TEs this year. Big, productive targets...

Yes and both were very productive against us - both losses.

[BJWilliams]

CCU ate us up with their TE over the middle all day as an example of giving the QB time to set up in the packet.

Teams that can attack the middle of the field with a TE can always bust up cover-2 schemes. You need a very strong in coverage LB, and legitimate pressure up front to counter this. We lacked both last season.

BYD is right...I think we tended to rush 3 or 4...what you need to do is (and this is pulling from the Captain Obvious file) rush more people than the offense can block at any one time. if they block with 6, rush 7. If they block with 5, rush 6. As risky as this may sound, if they block with 7...rush 8. You want to put as many bodies in that offensive backfield as possible. if you do that, somebody is going to have a free shot at the QB, and we'd get another picture much like the one of Vince Redd from 2007, a lot more often.

[BJWilliams]

That may be true BYD...against teams with strong QB and receiver play that certainly could pose a problem. I was researching Big South teams for some threads on CS and CCU is basically replacing their entire starting receiving corps (Hazel is back). Duran is probably going to be someone they will lean heavily on with a new starting QB. CSU is replacing at every skill position as well

[NG33]

While I'm not entirely sold one the blitz+1 idea, I do think we all can agree that our defense needs to be more aggressive. Watching our defense play lights out at JMU last year showed me that they had it in them, but a lot of times at other games they just let the QB pick the defense apart. It'll be interesting to see what Tom Clark has come up with this off-season knowing that his job is most likely on the line.

[BJWilliams]

I listened to the highlights of the JMU game on the way from the hospital but if we play like that the whole year this year, we may not allow more than 14 points the whole year. We have shown times when we can absolutely shut teams down (we had a run in 09 where we didnt allow 20 points 5 straight games, and we didnt allow 20 or more points 7 times in 11 games)

[Chippy]

JMU is a run first, run second and when in doubt let the QB run. Their QB passed poorly that game. They are predictable for the most part on offense. They were much like WVU except the WVU QB broke contain and killed us. Again I like the Steeler Defense. We just need a James Harrison, we already have a Casey Hampton ((but no Troy Palamaalu)

[NG33]

killed us. Again I like the Steeler Defense. We just need a James Harrison, we already have a Casey Hampton ((but no Troy Palamaalu)

Good luck with that

[Stevev]

I am having one hell of a time with getting into this posting board for the last 4 months since my password keeps expiring and I keep having to reset it. I E-Mailed the "Boardmaster" to no avail but maybe I am being kicked out for my past sins or something. Anyway here is what I think about next year. THe pressure is certainly on for this program to get to that next level (meaning playoffs) and to do that we have to beat the JMU's and the Lehighs of the world to have a shot. And with our schedule we can't afford any "WTF" type of games such as Presby and Robert Morriss type of games.
With us having 4 preseason All-Americans and 2 Payton candidates we definately have that "up-front" talent and we always have as long as Coach Rocco has been here. What we need is for some of these Juniors and Sophomores to rise up and fill in some of these holes and become the players they were recruited to be (I am referring to the 2 and 3 star recruits we have been bringing in). Guys like Boyd, Wetherington, Brennan, Holloway, Ward, Jenkins, Fogg, Mayo, Davis, Gardner and lots of others have to pick it up a notch to take the pressure off guys like Brown, Summers, Chapman, and the talented transfers we are bringing in like Aikens, Griffith, and others. We need to be more of a team as opposed to a few individuals carrying the load to get to the level of a playoff or Nationals champ calibre of a team that a lot of you think that we can be. We certain have the budget, facilities, and fan interest to get this done.

[PAmedic]

I am having one hell of a time with getting into this posting board for the last 4 months since my password keeps expiring and I keep having to reset it. I E-Mailed the "Boardmaster" to no avail but maybe I am being kicked out for my past sins or something. Anyway here is what I think about next year. THe pressure is certainly on for this program to get to that next level (meaning playoffs) and to do that we have to beat the JMU's and the Lehighs of the world to have a shot. And with our schedule we can't afford any "WTF" type of games such as Presby and Robert Morriss type of games.
With us having 4 preseason All-Americans and 2 Payton candidates we definately have that "up-front" talent and we always have as long as Coach Rocco has been here. What we need is for some of these Juniors and Sophomores to rise up and fill in some of these holes and become the players they were recruited to be (I am referring to the 2 and 3 star recruits we have been bringing in). Guys like Boyd, Wetherington, Brennan, Holloway, Ward, Jenkins, Fogg, Mayo, Davis, Gardner and lots of others have to pick it up a notch to take the pressure off guys like Brown, Summers, Chapman, and the talented transfers we are bringing in like Aikens, Griffith, and others. We need to be more of a team as opposed to a few individuals carrying the load to get to the level of a playoff or Nationals champ calibre of a team that a lot of you think that we can be. We certain have the budget, facilities, and fan interest to get this done.

good post