CTK's Big South Preview: VMI

Audio Interview with VMI Head Coach Sparky Woods

Audio Interview with Liberty Head Coach Danny Rocco

LibertyFlames.com is here to help prepare each Flames fan for the upcoming season, providing the most in-depth coverage prior to Liberty's home opener against North Greenville on Aug. 30 at Williams Stadium.

As part of the web site's Countdown to Kickoff coverage, we will be previewing each of the six Big South foes Liberty will face this year, including future league member Presbyterian. The six-part series will give fans some much-needed insight into the foes the Flames will square off against on the gridiron this year, as Liberty looks to defend its 2007 Big South Conference championship.

We will open up the six-part conference opponent series by previewing Liberty's closest geographic foe in VMI. The Keydets garnered 18 votes in the annual Big South preseason poll, as selected by the league's head coaches and select members of the media, finishing sixth in the annual ranking.

VMI returns 29 letterwinners and 18 starters, including three all-conference performers from last year's squad which finished the conference season with a winless 0-4 mark (2-9 overall).

First team all-conference kickoff return specialist Tim Maypray, was named to the Big South preseason all-conference team last month. Also returning for the Keydets are a trio of second-team all-conference honorees in quarterback Kyle Hughes and fullback Howard Abegesah, while Maypray was a second-team selection at wide receiver.

Head Coach Sparky Woods was tabbed the 30th skipper in VMI program history on Feb. 12, 2008, but the third in the last four years. Woods brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Lexington, Va., private institution, most recently having served as an assistant coach at Alabama for four years.

The 33-year coaching veteran has also had collegiate assistant coaching stops at Tennessee, Kansas, North Alabama, Iowa State, Memphis, Virginia and Mississippi State. Woods also brings 10 seasons of head coaching experience to the Keydets, having directed Appalachian State (1984-88) and South Carolina's (1989-93) programs.

While at Appalachian State, Woods guided the Mountaineers to back-to-back Southern Conference championships (1986 and 1987) and two substantial NCAA I-AA Playoffs runs, including a semifinal appearance in 1987.

Woods will have to deal with the loss of seven total starters, with four coming on the offensive side of the ball and three defenders. The most significant defensive loss was first-team all-conference honoree Tommy Lloyd, as the defensive end ranked second in the Big South in tackles for a loss (1.27 per game) and third in sacks (0.50 per game).

Second-team all-conference offensive lineman Robert Brown highlights four offensive losses, joined by wide receiver Robert Goodwin, offensive lineman Jeff Marcey and slot back Joey Robinson.

The Keydets have three considerable challenges on their non-Big South slate, highlighted by a road trip to Ohio on Sept. 27. VMI will also squad off against in-state foes William & Mary and Richmond, facing the Tribe in Williamsburg on Sept. 13 and hosting Richmond on Oct. 4.

Liberty travels to Lexington, Va., on Nov. 8, to face the Keydets in a key Big South battle between two Blue Ridge programs. The Flames lead the overall series between the Keydets, with the series tied at 2-2 in games played at Foster Stadium.

The last time the Flames made the trek up to Lexington, Liberty held on for a 32-28 victory on Nov. 18, 2006. Liberty jumped out to an early 17-point lead and withstood a strong second-half effort from VMI en route to the season-ending victory.

The win, Liberty's third straight and second against a league opponent in 2006, raised the Flames' record to 6-5 on the season and 2-2 in Big South play. With the season-ending victory, Liberty's five-win improvement over 2005's 1-10 season ties for the best turnaround in the nation, ending Rocco's inaugural season at Liberty on a triumphant note.

Game No. 10 – Liberty at VMI
Nov. 8, 2008 (1:30 p.m.)
Lexington, Va.
Foster Stadium (10,000)

VMI Quick Facts
General Information
Location: Lexington, Va.
Enrollment: 1,250
Founded: 1839
Nickname: Keydets
Colors: Red, White and Yellow
Conference: Big South
Stadium: Wesley P. Foster, Jr. Stadium (10,000)
Field: Alumni Memorial Field
Surface: Bermuda
Superintendent: General J.H. Binford Peay III
Athletic Director: Donny White

Coaching Information
Head Coach: Sparky Woods
Record at School: First Year
Career Record: 63-46-5 (10 years)
Assistant Coaches:
Bob Bodine - Offensive Line
A.J. Christoff - Defensive Coordinator
Brent Davis - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Greg Harris - Defensive Line Assistant
Steven Humphrey - Wide Receivers
Winston October - Secondary
Greg Shockley - Slot Backs
Paul Soltis - Linebackers
Don Woods - Defensive Line

Player & Team Information
2007 Record: 2-9
Conference Record/Finish: 0-4/5th
Offensive Formation: Spread Option
Defensive Formation: 3-4
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 29/18
Starters Returning/Lost: 16/7
Offensive/Defensive Starters Returning: 7/8
Offensive Starters Returning: Howard Abegesah (FB), Bryan Barnson (WR), James Boatwright (OL), George Handler (OL), Kyle Hughes (QB), Tim Maypray (RB), Bo Wren (OL)
Defensive Starters Returning: Ben Brandt (DL), Patrick McKinney (LB), Jacob Rochester (LB), Levi Swindell (SS), Joe Taylor (LB), Keith Taylor (FS), Andy Viola (DL), Josh Wine (DL)

Key Web Site Links:
Athletics Web Site: www.vmikeydets.com
Football Web Site
2008 Schedule
2008 Roster
2008 Coaching Staff
2008 Football Media Guide
2007 Results
2007 Statistics

Series Results
Series Record: Liberty leads, 4-3
Last Meeting: Nov. 10, 2007 (Liberty, 73-34)
In Big South Games: Liberty leads, 4-2
Current Series Streak: Liberty, W2

Record in Lynchburg: 2-1
at Williams Stadium: 2-1
Rocco vs. VMI: 2-0
Longest Liberty win streak: 2, twice
Longest Liberty losing streak: 2
Biggest Liberty win: 73-34 (2007)
Biggest Liberty loss: 14-38 (2002)
Last Liberty home win: 73-34 (2007)
Last Liberty road win: 32-28 (2006)

Record in Lexington, Va.: 2-2
at Foster Stadium: 2-2
Woods vs. Liberty: 1-0
Longest VMI win streak: 2
Longest VMI losing streak: 2, twice
Biggest VMI win: 38-14 (2002)
Biggest VMI loss: 34-73 (2007)
Last VMI home win: 38-14 (2002)
Last VMI road win: 10-7 (2005)

Year-By-Year Results
9/9/95 – L - 30-51 - Lexington, Va.
10/26/02 – L - 14-38 * - Lexington, Va.
10/4/03 – W - 31-28 * - Lynchburg, Va.
11/6/04 – W - 38-17 * - Lexington, Va.
10/1/05 – L - 7-10 * - Lynchburg, Va.
11/18/06 – W - 32-28 * - Lexington, Va.
11/8/07 – W - 73-34 * - Lynchburg, Va.
* - Big South Conference game

Keydet Players to Watch
Note: Information provide courtesy of the Big South Conference football media guide

Kyle Hughes
QB, Jr., 6-3, 190
Notes: 2007 Big South second-team all-conference … rushed for 444 yards and five touchdowns … completed 51.3 percent of his passes for 1,097 yards and 11 touchdowns … became the second player in VMI history to both rush for and pass for 100 yards in a game vs. Robert Morris and 108 yards passing … recorded back-to-back 300 total offense games against Coastal Carolina (317) and Charleston Southern (308) in 2007 … named Big South Offensive Player of the Week following the Robert Morris game (136 yards rushing, two touchdowns, 108 yards passing, two touchdowns) … tossed a touchdown pass in seven-straight games … completed 10-of-17 passes for 229 yards passing and two touchdowns against Coastal Carolina.

Tim Maypray
SB, Jr., 5-8, 165
Notes: 2007 Big South first-team all-conference selection as a kickoff returner … 2007 Big South second-team honoree as a wide receiver … led the team in touchdown receptions (7) … the most by a VMI receiver since 2002 … set a Big South season record for all-purpose yards with 1,975, which was the fifth-most in VMI history … produced five games of 200-plus all-purpose yards, including a Big South and school record 346 yards against Charleston Southern … named big South Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 15 (against Presbyterian) and Nov. 5 (Charleston Southern) … scored a touchdown in six-straight games … caught five passes for 209 yards against Charleston Southern … had an 87-yard touchdown reception against Charleston Southern, tying for the longest in league history … returned two kickoffs for touchdowns (86 yards against James Madison and 99 yards against The Citadel) … became the second player in league history with two kickoff returns for a touchdown in the same season.

Patrick McKinney
LB, R-Jr., 6-3, 245
Notes: Started all 11 games at linebacker in 2007 and led the team in tackles for the second-straight year with 78 stops, including 32 solo tackles and 46 assisted takedowns … had 6.0 tackles for a loss of 25 total yards … posted double-digit tackle games against James Madison with a season-high 11 stops (five solo and six assisted) … also had 10 tackles (five solo and five assisted) against The Citadel … had eight tackles against Coastal Carolina, including a tackle for a loss of six yards … seven tackles against Gardner-Webb, including two tackles for a loss of three yards … ranked seventh in the Big South in tackles per game (6.8).

Howard Abegesah
RB, Jr., 6-0, 220
Notes: Big South second-team all-conference selection … led VMI in rushing 10 out of 11 games … became the seventh VMI and Big South running back to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season … produced five 100-yard rushing games, including three against conference foes … his five 100-yard rushing performances were the second most by a Big South running back last year … rushed for a career-high 180 yards against Gardner-Webb … ran for 120 yards against Liberty … rushed for 116 yards against Coastal Carolina … other 100-yard games include 157 yards against Robert Morris and 132 yards against Lock Haven … averaged 101.9 rushing yards per game … his 1,121 rushing yards was the eighth-highest season rushing total in school history … had five rushing touchdowns, which finished tied for the team lead … averaged 122.5 rushing yards per game against Big South foes.

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