Anything and everything about Liberty Flames football. Your comments on games, recruiting and the direction of the program as we move into new era.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke, Class of 20Something

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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#633473
After a night to sleep on the experience, I have a few thoughts. First off, the protection for Malik was pourous nearly all night. He was off schedule within moments of the snap. Of course, that is often where he is most dangerous. He had a rough night throwing the ball. That happens to everyone.

His 1st INT he was legitmately trying to throw it away and just misfired into the field of play. The 2nd & 3rd INTs were clearly miscommunications between his receivers and him. There was plenty of velocity on his passes but they soared a bit as the night moved on.

I love his family. His dad pacing all night and his mom & grandmother over in the front row behind the bench praying shows what a great structure he has surrounding him. He had a huge crew of supporters around him after the game and they were encouraging him one after another.

Was the playcalling suspect? Monday morning QBing is rather easy and I admit wondering about the obsession of forcing it between the tackles when outside seemed to be where the opportunities were being realized. But that is water under the bridge.

This is far from a wasted season. A disappointing season? Sure. But we have plenty to play for moving forward. We can't let the Louisiana letdown result in a Texan two-step. We really need to recover quickly in Denton. Malik's grandmother didn't know me from Adam but stopped on her way out and told me that she had prayed to God and claimed victory over the team next week. I told her affirm her prayer. :lol:

For the record, I have taken two father-son football trips in the past three years: Our loss at Louisiana-Lafayette two years ago and last night. Ugh. My son has pledged to not attend another LU game with me ever again in the State of Louisiana. He suggested he might make an exception for the Sugar Bowl down the line. :mrgreen: Of course he was with me in Waco on a night we'll never forget. So Denton is in play.
LU 57, rtb72, ballcoach15 and 3 others liked this
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By alabama24
Registration Days Posts
#633485
I have not read any posts in this thread other than SLY's right above mine.

A pet peeve of mine perhaps cost us the game. There is no excuse to not call a fair catch on a kickoff. Period.
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By BlueBlood
Posts
#633493
That was miserable. Too miserable to post after the game.

After a day to reflect - came to the conclusion that we would be watching a whole lot of games like that if we didn't have Ian, coach and MW. As much as that sucked, I'm thankful that we have become used to so much more.

Oh - and also thankful for the environment at Williams stadium. We may complain about not being able to crack 20K, but the LU game day environment and experience is so much better than what I'm seeing at G5 schools. I watch a lot of CFB. Outside of UCF and Cincy (neither of which will be G5 much longer), and a few MWC schools, I just don't see a Williams-type atmosphere at many G5 schools.
jmclaughlin, Liberty22, Ill flame and 4 others liked this
By LibertyMan
Posts
#633497
LU 57 wrote: October 17th, 2021, 8:34 am
LibertyMan wrote: October 16th, 2021, 10:58 pm
flameshaw wrote: October 16th, 2021, 8:43 pm

Yes, given the number of plays, Green is obviously the best back we have. More opportunities will produce better results.
Don't understand putting Louis in, in goal line situations. He is waaaaaaay too easy to tackle.
I said it last week, it looks to me that MW, has slowed a step or two. Not sure he is 100%. Still a great performer.
I don't why you're hating on Mack. It doesn't matter who starts the game, the offense is all about Willis. The run game has become a non-factor for the coaching staff this season. Willis is a one-man show and you can't win consistently with that. He has NO concept of dumping the ball off to the backs. Both interceptions Mack and Luis were WIDE OPEN, but Willis chose to force the ball into coverage down filed. All three backs combined had 28 carries and Willis had 23. Instead of you guys worrying about who is the obvious" best RB" I would be more concerned with why we just lost to one of the worst teams in the country. I guess that was because Mack started the game off? Oh yeah, that's why we lost...Give me a break!
No hate here, just would like to see what TJ can do with more touches.

You obviously have inside knowledge. I have never been a RB, but have coached a few. Guess I just prefer more of a one cut and go approach.

Totally agree that team was not ready to play.
I've just always believed in giving the seniors their time to lead. Green may have some upside, but Mack has been a top perfomer in the program for the past 2 seasons. There is no reason he should not be getting the bulk of the carries as a super senior. The bigger problem is the failed 3-back rotation. Regardless of who gets the bulk of the carries, no RB can build momentum if they are sidelined as soon as they get started. It shows a huge lack of Coaching knowledge and poor decision making in the rungame. I was a RB throughout college...why I'm partial to the RBs. I also coached for many years. Our RB scheme is equivalent to Pop Warner or PAL youth football where you have to make sure each kid gets 8 plays!
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By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#633499
I was a little puzzled that we didn't run more when we went up 21-0 on MTSU. Just wondering if we lit a fire under their D with that move. Take the two and three yard chunks with Mack/Green. Run the clock. Pass on 3rd and 5 or run a draw.

You gotta force the run between the tackles to keep the opposing defense honest. We were up 14-0 on ULM...and then the pick 6. Why are we making things harder on ourselves?

I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I mean if they feel that Mack isn't picking up blocks then I would understand him falling out of favor with the coaching staff. Otherwise, go smash-mouth w/Mack or Green.

Lastly, if they do have concerns with Mack's or Green's blocking, then why not use Huntley for third and longs. Huntley is another head scratcher. Big blocker and safety valve in pass game.
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By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#633503
paradox wrote: October 18th, 2021, 2:46 pm I was a little puzzled that we didn't run more when we went up 21-0 on MTSU. Just wondering if we lit a fire under their D with that move. Take the two and three yard chunks with Mack/Green. Run the clock. Pass on 3rd and 5 or run a draw.

You gotta force the run between the tackles to keep the opposing defense honest. We were up 14-0 on ULM...and then the pick 6. Why are we making things harder on ourselves?

I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I mean if they feel that Mack isn't picking up blocks then I would understand him falling out of favor with the coaching staff. Otherwise, go smash-mouth w/Mack or Green.

Lastly, if they do have concerns with Mack's or Green's blocking, then why not use Huntley for third and longs. Huntley is another head scratcher. Big blocker and safety valve in pass game.
We need a 230 pound back for inside the 5.
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By Chippy
Registration Days Posts
#633504
TH Spangler wrote: October 18th, 2021, 3:23 pm
paradox wrote: October 18th, 2021, 2:46 pm I was a little puzzled that we didn't run more when we went up 21-0 on MTSU. Just wondering if we lit a fire under their D with that move. Take the two and three yard chunks with Mack/Green. Run the clock. Pass on 3rd and 5 or run a draw.

You gotta force the run between the tackles to keep the opposing defense honest. We were up 14-0 on ULM...and then the pick 6. Why are we making things harder on ourselves?

I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I mean if they feel that Mack isn't picking up blocks then I would understand him falling out of favor with the coaching staff. Otherwise, go smash-mouth w/Mack or Green.

Lastly, if they do have concerns with Mack's or Green's blocking, then why not use Huntley for third and longs. Huntley is another head scratcher. Big blocker and safety valve in pass game.
We need a 230 pound back for inside the 5.
Malik Caper 235!
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#633505
Yeah, it's gonna be a challenge for us to put it in from 5 yards out with this o-line. I was simply talking about taking the smaller chunks on first and second downs, especially with a sizable lead. Yeah, our interior line is suspect, but pound it between the tackles anyway. Keep the defense honest. Run a little play action. Mix it up. Right now, it's Malik pass/Malik run. Are we trying to kill the guy? He's as strong as an ox, but he's absorbing multiple hits, nearly every play.
LUOrange liked this
By Humble_Opinion
Registration Days Posts
#633506
It’s been a long time since I posted here, but I figured I would make my way back to discuss some LU football. I watched the whole game and it was evident we were missing something on offense. However, even in the situation we found ourselves in, we still should have walked away with the W. At a pivotal point in the game when it was close, we found ourselves in the same situation we did just a few weeks ago at ‘cuse. 1st & goal inside the 5 yd line and we run it. 4 times. We gain a few yards but with the ball on the 1 yd line, we fail to punch it in. We are basically a couple yards from having a perfect record right now. One thing is evident though… we aren’t a power I / goal line offense. For some reason we march the ball down the field with relative ease using the spread and then change our identity at the goal line. Either take the 3 points from now on, or change the play calling and give Malik a chance to use his arm or legs to get 6.
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By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#633507
Chippy wrote: October 18th, 2021, 3:51 pm
TH Spangler wrote: October 18th, 2021, 3:23 pm
paradox wrote: October 18th, 2021, 2:46 pm I was a little puzzled that we didn't run more when we went up 21-0 on MTSU. Just wondering if we lit a fire under their D with that move. Take the two and three yard chunks with Mack/Green. Run the clock. Pass on 3rd and 5 or run a draw.

You gotta force the run between the tackles to keep the opposing defense honest. We were up 14-0 on ULM...and then the pick 6. Why are we making things harder on ourselves?

I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I mean if they feel that Mack isn't picking up blocks then I would understand him falling out of favor with the coaching staff. Otherwise, go smash-mouth w/Mack or Green.

Lastly, if they do have concerns with Mack's or Green's blocking, then why not use Huntley for third and longs. Huntley is another head scratcher. Big blocker and safety valve in pass game.
We need a 230 pound back for inside the 5.
Malik Caper 235!
Give the man the ball! :football
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By Ill flame
Posts
#633510
I think having a 6' 4" top 1000 WR coming in next year will make a big difference. We need a big outside receiver to complement Douglas and Daniels on the inside. Mack is reliable but hasn't looked as explosive behind a struggling o line. I wouldn't mind us bringing in another RB because I have concerns about depth next year
By LibertyMan
Posts
#633525
paradox wrote: October 18th, 2021, 2:46 pm I was a little puzzled that we didn't run more when we went up 21-0 on MTSU. Just wondering if we lit a fire under their D with that move. Take the two and three yard chunks with Mack/Green. Run the clock. Pass on 3rd and 5 or run a draw.

You gotta force the run between the tackles to keep the opposing defense honest. We were up 14-0 on ULM...and then the pick 6. Why are we making things harder on ourselves?

I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I mean if they feel that Mack isn't picking up blocks then I would understand him falling out of favor with the coaching staff. Otherwise, go smash-mouth w/Mack or Green.

Lastly, if they do have concerns with Mack's or Green's blocking, then why not use Huntley for third and longs. Huntley is another head scratcher. Big blocker and safety valve in pass game.
I don't think the concern is Mack or Green blocking. They certainly do their share. But you gotta give these guys the ball so they can run and stop pulling it out in the RPO. Mack had 8 carries, Green had 10 and Malik created 23 for himself. We haven't had a chance to see what these guys can do much this season because Willis is padding his stats at the expense of the RBs. He's not handing them the ball and he's not dumping them off a pass when they are open. If you are in love with all the hype and attention Willis was getting, then you probably don't see it. He is not superman and he should not be running the ball more than all 3 RBs combined. That's ludicrous and it has caught up to us. The Willis ride was new and exciting last year, but we should be playing a more balanced-style offense this year. And for God's sake, please take Shedro out of the tailback position and put him in space where he can do the most damage with catching, jet sweeps, etc. If HCHF feels that our roster is not much better than ULM (after an 8-5, 10-1 season), then why doesn't he run a basic smashmouth football scheme instead of all of the complicated RPO stuff that seems to favor Willis even to his demise? He keeps saying that Willis gotta learn when the play is over it's over. Well, he's gotta learn when the RPO is over it's over! Adjust your offense to the strength of your personnel, and not just the QB!
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#633530
You can see the fire in Mack's eyes. He wants the ball. I agree. Give him more touches. Green too. Even when you're only getting a couple of yards at a time, it keeps the defense on their toes. Forget the stats. Play physical. Keep pushing our o-line to get tougher. I'm all for that.

Malik with 23 tough carries and 7 sacks against UML? And a loss at that? In addition, we're leaving too many points on the table and squandering leads. Gotta play smarter. Coaches need to own that. They set the tempo.

It's all about accountability now. They'll bounce back.
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By Racenut
Registration Days Posts
#633531
Wow! "A huge lack of coaching knowledge and poor decision making in the run game", "our run game is equivalent to Pop Warner" and "Willis padding his stats at the expense of the RB's" What a piece of work you are. Too bad we didn't have you coaching last year, we could have taken down Alabama in the Championship game!
I'm sure Coach Freeze has forget more football knowledge than you will ever know, and I'm sure that Malik Willis hasn't given the first thought to padding his stats. Weather it is the fault of the o-line, play calling, injuries or playing with a roster of guys that started as FBS recruits, it really shouldn't matter to a fan supporting a team. Offering suggestions instead of insulting our coaches and players might make readers think that you were actually a thoughtful fan instead of being some self aggrandizing wannabe pour mouthing a team during a rough stretch by trying to pad your own non existent stats. If you had any coaching knowledge, you would see that we had one legitimate deep threat before the season started and he decided to leave the team and concentrate on school. Demario Douglas has made himself into a deep threat and couldn't play Saturday night. Our other guys are slot receivers doing all they can to fill that void. So second half adjustments by two very experienced coaches on the other team shrunk the field and reduced the field to 15-20 yards from the line of scrimmage and rush 7 or 8 for a couple of series in the 3rd quarter before we made adjustments. We still almost won the game and the three games that we have lost this year and last are by a total of 7 points. I agree that some adjustments need to be made and I have confidence in this coach and staff to do it. They have made us the "Super Bowl" of these Sun Belt teams and after all our success, we are going to get everybody's best shot. So instead of suggesting we take our 2 yards and a cloud of dust by running up the middle every play, why don't you go out and get some more Flames Club members and try being a real athletic supporter instead of a frustrated washed up jock.
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By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#633537
It can work. The o-line is the real problem. They need to coach around that. I'm pretty sure our game-plan wasn't Malik 23 tough carries along with 7 sacks in a game we were favored to win by 32.5. If we learned anything about Malik, it's that he has linebacker strength and he's tough as nails. That wasn't Vick. Vick was nowhere near Malik's level of accuracy either. This guy breaks tackles and throws darts on the run. And that speed is legit. He's mostly power, but he can turn it on when he needs it. He can beat you from the pocket as well...but limited opportunities for clean pockets to work from. Not overrated. He's a winner. 15-3. We've been in position to win every game. With a little more help, could easily be 18-0.
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By Racenut
Registration Days Posts
#633539
Not saying there are not issues. But we have three good backs, neither of which is Najee Harris. All have strengths and weaknesses, but we're in week seven of 10 weeks without a break and we as fans have ZERO first hand knowledge of those who are playing with injuries or how they practice. If the offense had never exploded for big yardage in other games you might say it is the scheme, but that's not the case. I have confidence the coaches will work that out the best they can with what they have. Our immediate challenge as a program is getting people involved in backing the program. We are 110 out of 130 odd FBS schools in attendence at a 3rd year FBS program with awesome facilities and legitimate great coaches that emulate the values a Christ centered mentor should have. They represent the school and the mission with great respect and humility. Perhaps some of our "fans" should do the same.
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By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#633541
ballcoach15 wrote: October 19th, 2021, 5:28 am Running back "by committee " seldom works.
Easy to say you should pick a back and go with him if you have a stud. When you have 3 backs of fairly equal talent who each have their own strengths and weaknesses, at the very least you benefit from fresh legs when you rotate them.
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By LUOrange
Posts
#633542
I thought we went away from Mack way too soon Saturday and Freeze acknowledged that yesterday as well. I do think we have to find a way to lighten Malik's load some and worry that t he hits and the late bye week are taking a toll on him and the team. I think the coaches know that too just by Freeze pointing out that they were sluggish last week, his player criticism has calmed some, and by Malik sliding and going out of bounds more on Saturday.

That said, I'm confident enough in our team to know that they'll rebound and go into Oxford 7-2. I'll add that I'm proud of this team. They all represent Christ and Liberty very well. Probably, much better than I could've hoped for and much better than me. I do think the "golden child" remark is ridiculous, especially when he's one of the most humble "golden child" I've ever seen.
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