[jcmanson]

It's funny how the loss of 1 player can so drastically affect expectations. If Rice was healthy, we would all be talking about how great this offense could be.

[Chris Lang]

The bigger concern, as Duke pointed out, will be what happens in the secondary. Was Hagen that good last year because Aikens and Fogg took the pressure off him? I think Hagen's a fine player, but we'll see what happens when he has a little less experience behind him. I thought Kenny Scott took a step forward in pass coverage last season, and I suspect he'll be fine. Wesley Scott showed some flashes, but that was as a reserve corner and nickel back. Is he ready?

[BJWilliams]

Im with manson on this one...if Des had not injured his knee in spring ball, we would be probably a 1 and 1a to Coastal this season. the big question is 1) can DJ step up and be the 15-20 carry per game back we need and stay healthy for a full season, 2) who steps up behind him to give him some rest...will it be Mosley and Kaigler or will it be somebody like Macon

I also agree with Lang on the secondary. according to that spreadsheet, our biggest losses from 2013 are in the defensive backfield. teams are going to test those guys pretty much from the word go because they know Fogg and Aikens are not back there

[R i]

Our Dline will be better this year. Bah was out or less than 100% last year. Hopefully the Scotts wont have to cover for long.

[jcmanson]

The bigger concern, as Duke pointed out, will be what happens in the secondary. Was Hagen that good last year because Aikens and Fogg took the pressure off him? I think Hagen's a fine player, but we'll see what happens when he has a little less experience behind him. I thought Kenny Scott took a step forward in pass coverage last season, and I suspect he'll be fine. Wesley Scott showed some flashes, but that was as a reserve corner and nickel back. Is he ready?

Not to mention there's no one behind the Scotts with game experience.

[bluejacket]

No way they walk out of the Bill with a W.

Everyone said the same thing about Coastal and look what happened. Chadwell is a heck of a coach and last year's result against us doesn't diminish what he did at Charleston Southern last season. They were as close to getting an at large playoff bid as we have ever been.

[bluejacket]

Coastal just looks like a better team at this point.

Talent wise, we are right behind them. However, we have not shown anything from a coaching standpoint to make up for those deficiencies.

[jcmanson]

No way they walk out of the Bill with a W.

Everyone said the same thing about Coastal and look what happened. Chadwell is a heck of a coach.

What? Comparing Coastal & CSU is laughable. Not to mention Coastal was a 6.5 point favorite over LU.

[jcmanson]

They were as close to getting an at large playoff bid as we have ever been.

Very debatable.

[bluejacket]

The bigger concern, as Duke pointed out, will be what happens in the secondary. Was Hagen that good last year because Aikens and Fogg took the pressure off him? I think Hagen's a fine player, but we'll see what happens when he has a little less experience behind him. I thought Kenny Scott took a step forward in pass coverage last season, and I suspect he'll be fine. Wesley Scott showed some flashes, but that was as a reserve corner and nickel back. Is he ready?

Not to mention there's no one behind the Scotts with game experience.

To be fair to Hagen, he was playing alongside Aaron Dial and Gary Sampson. Dial was a veteran, intelligent player, but lacked athleticism. Sampson was a freshman adjusting to D-I football.

I think that people will be pleasantly surprised with the young talent in the secondary and defense on a whole. Kenny Scott and Wesley Scott will be ready, but also look to the freshmen. Justin Guillory and Tyrin Holloway lack game time, but they are supremely talented and have had red-shirt seasons to develop. I don't see the defense dropping off.

[bluejacket]

No way they walk out of the Bill with a W.

Everyone said the same thing about Coastal and look what happened. Chadwell is a heck of a coach.

What? Comparing Coastal & CSU is laughable. Not to mention Coastal was a 6.5 point favorite over LU.

Charleston Southern will likely be even odds or favored against us at home. At worst they play us at 7-3. They could be 8-2 or higher. They have a lot of talent coming back, a hungry team, and an aggressive coach looking to redeem themselves against us. If we underestimate them, we will lose.

[R i]

CSU will not be close to even odds with us this year at the Bill.

[jcmanson]

I don't get the CSU love. We have owned them. 19-2 all-time having won the past 9 meetings by an average of about 25 points per game. They will not beat Liberty this year or be anywhere near being favored in the game.

[bluejacket]

This is not the old CSU. I predict that we will win, but underestimate them at your own peril.

[BJWilliams]

We will win that game plain and simple. I remember when CSU came into Lynchburg in I think it was 06 (we blew a lead against them in 05 if memory serves). they were on a major roll, ranked in the top 25 and then we ran them out of the stadium (the game was not as close as the final score). we have had the Bucs' number in the history of the series, especialy in Lynchburg. Coastal Carolina is on a whole nother level as far as the rest of the conference is concerned

[bluejacket]

2006 was eight years ago......

The last time they were in Lynchburg, we won 26-12. Not a great game by either side, we were in control, but not dominant. Everyone on here sounds like App State fans before their game against CSU last season.

[Chippy]

I don't get the CSU love. We have owned them. 19-2 all-time having won the past 9 meetings by an average of about 25 points per game. They will not beat Liberty this year or be anywhere near being favored in the game.

They beat Coastal last year when they were ranked #7 and undefeated.

[BJWilliams]

The point in mentioning it was that the last time a good CSU squad came into Lynchburg against a supposedly down Liberty squad, they got run out of town.

[jcmanson]

I don't get the CSU love. We have owned them. 19-2 all-time having won the past 9 meetings by an average of about 25 points per game. They will not beat Liberty this year or be anywhere near being favored in the game.

They beat Coastal last year when they were ranked #7 and undefeated.

56-14

[bluejacket]

The point in mentioning it was that the last time a good CSU squad came into Lynchburg against a supposedly down Liberty squad, they got run out of town.

That means nothing. Eight years is an eternity in college football.

At least manson is arguing from last season.

[R i]

Their coach cant put the pads on for them. Hes still dealing with severe lack of depth and over all talent.

[bluejacket]

Their coach cant put the pads on for them. Hes still dealing with severe lack of depth and over all talent.

They have more depth, talent, and a more advantageous schedule than last season.

[jcmanson]

I can appreciate the respect for CSU after their season last year, but at the end of the day, when it all mattered, they had no chance against us. They had a lot more to play for in that season finale than we did.

You can point to the win over Coastal, but they've beaten them before when CCU was clearly the better team.
You can point to the win over App State, but App was clearly down last year.
You can point to the win over Charlotte, but that still was a 1st year program.

[Chippy]

I can appreciate the respect for CSU after their season last year, but at the end of the day, when it all mattered, they had no chance against us. They had a lot more to play for in that season finale than we did.

You can point to the win over Coastal, but they've beaten them before when CCU was clearly the better team.
You can point to the win over App State, but App was clearly down last year.
You can point to the win over Charlotte, but that still was a 1st year program.

I'm not questioning whether or not we will beat them, I'm just trying to give some prospective. In our game last year CSU was playing their 3rd string QB which let us focus on Reyes and take him out of the game and force them to throw which was inept at best.

[bluejacket]

Then give them respect for going 10-3 (13 games with no bye is foolish and insane) and don't make excuses for their wins against Coastal, App State, The Citadel, Charlotte, and Norfolk State. That is no excuse for their showing against us, but we would have performed nearly the same way if we played a 13 game season with no bye. We needed the bye week following ODU or we would not have played as well as we did against Coastal. And we still fell short.

They were the best team that we beat last season, even in their completely exhausted state.