Rocco Weekly Review: VMI
11/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Rocco Weekly Review Audio Link
As the web site did last year, LibertyFlames.com met with head football coach Danny Rocco following Thursday's afternoon practice to get a final update on the team's preparation for its Saturday afternoon's match-up with Big South foe VMI at Foster Stadium.
Below is a list of questions LibertyFlames.com asked Rocco, wrapping up comments from the team's setback to future Big South foe Presbyterian, the squad's force this week during practice and what the Flames are expecting from the Keydets when they take to the gridiron up in Lexington, Va.:
1. Following a very difficult loss last Saturday to Presbyterian, what have you told your team this week to get them back on track and to stay focused for the final three games of the year?
2. Following losses it is not uncommon for one or several upperclassmen or key individuals on a team to step up and act as "coaches on the field" to redirect the team. Have you seen any of this type of action from your players the past few days and if so, how has it helped reshape the team this week?
3. Your team seemed to score points in spurts last week, scoring on their first two possessions of the game and adding two more touchdowns over a short span of time in the third quarter. What can you do to develop a more balanced attack that leads to points throughout the entire game?
4. Last week, Dominic Bolden continued to showcase some of his big play ability. Have you been impressed with this senior's development this year as he seems to have become Liberty's go-to receiver?
5. Saturday's match-up with the Keydets is going to pit two of the nation's best rushing attacks against each other, as both Liberty and VMI rank among the Top 10 rushing teams in FCS football. Does VMI's style different from the Flames and if so in what way?
6. VMI's quarterback Tim Maypray is a multifaceted athlete, who gives the Keydets numerous options on the football field. With someone that is so diverse in his abilities, how do you as a coach prepare your team to face such an athlete?
7. On Tuesday at your media press conference, you mentioned that this year's VMI team is much different than the one the Flames faced last year in Lynchburg. How does this year's team differ and in what specific areas should fans look to see a difference on the field this weekend?
8. Rashad Jennings seems to be putting up 150-plus yard games week in and week out. Have you ever had the privilege of coaching such an athlete of his caliber and what sets those types of athletes apart from your average collegiate athlete?
9. With VMI being just over the Blue Ridge Mountains and in very close proximity to Liberty, how rejuvenating and exhilarating would it be for your team to come out of the locker room on Saturday to a sea of red Liberty Flames shirts in the visiting stands up in Lexington, Va.
10. On Saturday, the Flames will be looking to extend the Big South's Conference longest conference winning streak to 10 games. How impressive is such a run and how difficult is it to continue to defeat a team year in and year out considering how familiar they become with your program?
On Saturday, the Flames will face their Blue Ridge Mountain neighbors for the seventh-consecutive season. Liberty will be looking to take two in a row from the Keydets up in Lexington, Va., following a 32-28 victory in 2006, while VMI will be looking to even the overall series record at 4-4 following back-to-back Liberty victories over the last two seasons.
As the web site did last year, LibertyFlames.com met with head football coach Danny Rocco following Thursday's afternoon practice to get a final update on the team's preparation for its Saturday afternoon's match-up with Big South foe VMI at Foster Stadium.
Below is a list of questions LibertyFlames.com asked Rocco, wrapping up comments from the team's setback to future Big South foe Presbyterian, the squad's force this week during practice and what the Flames are expecting from the Keydets when they take to the gridiron up in Lexington, Va.:
1. Following a very difficult loss last Saturday to Presbyterian, what have you told your team this week to get them back on track and to stay focused for the final three games of the year?
2. Following losses it is not uncommon for one or several upperclassmen or key individuals on a team to step up and act as "coaches on the field" to redirect the team. Have you seen any of this type of action from your players the past few days and if so, how has it helped reshape the team this week?
3. Your team seemed to score points in spurts last week, scoring on their first two possessions of the game and adding two more touchdowns over a short span of time in the third quarter. What can you do to develop a more balanced attack that leads to points throughout the entire game?
4. Last week, Dominic Bolden continued to showcase some of his big play ability. Have you been impressed with this senior's development this year as he seems to have become Liberty's go-to receiver?
5. Saturday's match-up with the Keydets is going to pit two of the nation's best rushing attacks against each other, as both Liberty and VMI rank among the Top 10 rushing teams in FCS football. Does VMI's style different from the Flames and if so in what way?
6. VMI's quarterback Tim Maypray is a multifaceted athlete, who gives the Keydets numerous options on the football field. With someone that is so diverse in his abilities, how do you as a coach prepare your team to face such an athlete?
7. On Tuesday at your media press conference, you mentioned that this year's VMI team is much different than the one the Flames faced last year in Lynchburg. How does this year's team differ and in what specific areas should fans look to see a difference on the field this weekend?
8. Rashad Jennings seems to be putting up 150-plus yard games week in and week out. Have you ever had the privilege of coaching such an athlete of his caliber and what sets those types of athletes apart from your average collegiate athlete?
9. With VMI being just over the Blue Ridge Mountains and in very close proximity to Liberty, how rejuvenating and exhilarating would it be for your team to come out of the locker room on Saturday to a sea of red Liberty Flames shirts in the visiting stands up in Lexington, Va.
10. On Saturday, the Flames will be looking to extend the Big South's Conference longest conference winning streak to 10 games. How impressive is such a run and how difficult is it to continue to defeat a team year in and year out considering how familiar they become with your program?
On Saturday, the Flames will face their Blue Ridge Mountain neighbors for the seventh-consecutive season. Liberty will be looking to take two in a row from the Keydets up in Lexington, Va., following a 32-28 victory in 2006, while VMI will be looking to even the overall series record at 4-4 following back-to-back Liberty victories over the last two seasons.
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