Game Day Central: Gardner-Webb
11/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Gardner-Webb Game Day Central
No. 16/16 Liberty at Gardner-Webb
Boiling Springs, N.C.
Nov. 14, 2009
Spangler Stadium (9,000)
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (EST)
Television Coverage
Live TV Coverage:
None
Internet Video Coverage
Video Streaming:
Big South Network
Radio Coverage
(Virginia/North Carolina Radio Network)
Flagship Station:
Flames Sports Network (Radio)
88.3 – Lynchburg, Roanoke, Danville, Va.
Additional Available Networks:
89.5 – Berryville, Va.
103.5 - Clifton Forge, Covington, Va.
95.3 – Culpeper, Va.
89.5 – Winchester, Va.
95.9 – Gainesville, Va.
89.7 - Aquia Harbor, Woodbridge, Dale City, Va.
101.9 – Wytheville, Va.
101.5 – Harrisonburg, Va.
106.5 – Pulaski, Radford, Dublin, Va.
103.7 - South Boston, Va.
96.7 – Charlottesville, Va.
100.3 – Waynesboro, Va.
106.9 – Midlothian, Va.
107.5 - South Hill, Va.
105.1 – Marion, Va.
105.5 - Durham, N.C.
102.5 - Winston - Salem, N.C.
103.7 - Roxboro, N.C.
95.1 - Burlington - Graham, N.C.
98.5 - Creedmoor, N.C.
Saturday's Game
Saturday's game begins a two-game road swing to close out Liberty's 2009 regular season schedule. Liberty travels to Boiling Springs, N.C., this weekend to face Gardner-Webb at Spangler Stadium, before making its first-ever trek to Stony Brook, N.Y. for the season finale against the Seawolves on Nov. 21.
Heading in Different Directions
Two weeks ago, Saturday's battle between Gardner-Webb and Liberty looked like it might be key toward either program claiming hold of this year's Big South title. Liberty (4-0 BSC) has been able to keep to its desired course, having posted back-to-to back sizeable home victories over Presbyterian (55-19) and VMI (54-14). However, the Bulldogs have suffered consecutive losses to Stony Brook (24-14) and Coastal Carolina (26-21), dropping Gardner-Webb (2-2 BSC) out of the race for this year's conference crown.
Battling the Bulldogs
Saturday's matchup will mark the 15th meeting in the series between the two programs and the 10th-straight year the two teams have faced off on the gridiron. Liberty has won the last two meetings to cut Gardner-Webb's series lead back to 8-6-1. Liberty has only won twice in Boiling Springs (2-4-1 overall); however, the last time the two teams met a Spangler Stadium, Liberty blanked the homestanding Bulldogs, 31-0, to capture its first-ever Big South title on Nov. 17, 2007.
Record-Setting Crowd
The Flames played their home opener before a Williams Stadium and Big South Conference home record 16,112 fans on Sept. 12, 2009. The largest home attendance figure in program history bested the previous high of 15,631 fans during Liberty's Homecoming game against William & Mary on Oct. 18, 2006.
Defending Their Own House
Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames have won 21 out of 25 home games, meaning Liberty has won 84.0 percent of its home contests under the skipper, who is in his fourth year at the helm of the program. Liberty was 4-2 under Rocco at home in 2006, a perfect 6-0 in 2007, 5-1 under Rocco in 2008 and 5-1 on Liberty Mountain in 2009.
Conference Consistency
Liberty enters Saturday's Big South match-up with Gardner-Webb, having won its last 15 Big South Conference games. The 15-consecutive conference victories is the longest such streak in Big South history, besting Coastal Carolina's eight-straight wins over the course of the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Noting the Streak
During Liberty's current 15-game winning streak, the Flames have dominated their opponents, outscoring their foes by an average of more than 26 points per game (42.4 average points scored/636 to 16.2 average points allowed/243). Liberty has scored 30 or more points during 14 of those victories, including seven games with 40 or more points. Defensively, the Flames have held their opponent eight times to two touchdowns or less during the run.
Third and Holding
With their 54-14 victory over VMI last weekend, the Flames pushed their Big South Conference winning streak to 15-straight games. The winning run is the third-longest active FCS conference winning streak in the country, behind Appalachian State (18 games/Southern) and South Carolina State (17 games/MEAC).
Best Since 2006
Liberty might have the third-longest active FCS conference winning streak in the country, but in terms of length of time, the Flames' 15-game Big South winning streak is the longest. Liberty's winning streak began with a 34-20 win over Charleston Southern on Nov. 11, 2006. Appalachian State and South Carolina State both lost games in 2007 before starting their current streaks, meaning Liberty is the only FCS team in the nation to have not lost a conference game since 2006.
Senior Day Sendoff
The Flames continued a recent trend last weekend, when Liberty gave its seniors one last victory at home with a 54-14 win over VMI. The Flames have now won four-straight Senior Day contests dating back to a 34-20 victory over No. 24 Charleston Southern in 2006. Since the start of the program in 1973, Liberty has posted a 24-13 record during its final home game of the year, giving their seniors a victory on Senior Day 64.9 percent of the time.
The Last to Do So
Following back-to-back unbeaten seasons in Big South play, the Flames enter Saturday's match-up with Gardner-Webb having reeled off 15-straight conference victories. The last Big South team to down the Flames was the Chanticleers, when No. 22 Coastal Carolina held on for a 28-26 victory over Liberty in Conway, S.C., on Oct. 28, 2006.
Just to be Exact
Head coach Danny Rocco enters tonight's match-up with Gardner-Webb having posted a 15-2 record against Big South teams since taking over the program in 2006. Coastal Carolina (28-26) and Gardner-Webb (27-24) are the only two teams to defeat a Danny Rocco-led program, doing so by a combined five points during the skipper's first two Big South contests.
Finishing Strong
Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames seem to get better as the year goes on, finishing each campaign strong. Since 2006, Liberty has posted a 10-1 record during the month of November and a 15-2 mark over the season's last five games, including its past third wins against Charleston Southern, Presbyterian and VMI.
Prelude to a Title
During the last five seasons, the winner of the Liberty vs. Coastal Carolina game eventually went on to capture the Big South Conference title. Coastal Carolina, won three-straight meetings against the Flames from 2004 to 2006 en route to the Chanticleers three conference titles. Liberty claimed victory over Coastal Carolina in 2007 and 2008, helping secure the Flames' back-to-back title runs. The next two weeks of conference play will determine if Liberty can keep the streak alive, following its 58-13 victory over Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17.
Winning in Style
Five of Liberty's seven wins this year have been by sizable margins, as Liberty defeated North Carolina Central by 25 points (35-10), Presbyterian by 36 points (55-19), West Virginia Wesleyan by 38 points (45-7), Coastal Carolina by 45 points (58-13) and VMI by 40 points (54-14). The victories give Liberty 15 wins under head coach Danny Rocco, where the Flames have won by 25 or more points, meaning 48.4 percent of Rocco's victories have been by a quarter-century margin or larger (15 out of 31).
Fifty is Nifty
Fans who attended Liberty's last three home games saw an offensive explosion, as Liberty has eclipsed the 50-point mark all three times and averaged 55.7 points per game. Liberty began the run with a 58-13 win over Coastal Carolina, followed by a 55-19 victory over Presbyterian and a 54-14 win over VMI. The trio of games gives the Flames six games under head coach Danny Rocco where the Flames have scored 50 or more points. The Flames also surpassed the 50-point mark against St. Francis, Pa., (68-10), Charleston Southern (50-10) and VMI (73-34), with all three of those games coming in 2007.
Nearly the Big South's Best
Liberty just let a Big South record slip through its fingers, on Oct. 17, when a Coastal Carolina touchdown with 42 seconds left on the game clock trimmed a 52-point lead back to 45 points. The victory fell just a point shy of the Big South's largest margin of victory in a Big South game. The distinction is currently held by Gardner-Webb, who defeated Charleston Southern by 46 points, 46-0, on Nov. 8, 2003.
Road Warriors
The Flames 20-13 victory over Charleston Southern on Oct. 24 gave Liberty wins in back-to-back road games and made the Flames winners in eight of their last 10 games away from Williams Stadium. The Flames have also now won six-straight Big South road games and are 6-1 in conference road games under head coach Danny Rocco.
Finding a Way to Win
Despite the lowest offensive output during head coach Danny Rocco's four-year tenure with the program, the Flames still managed to pull off a 20-13 victory over Charleston Southern on Oct. 24. The Flames were limited to just 165 total offensive yards, which was 15 yards less than the previous low under Rocco, when the Flames compiled just 180 yards in a 10-3 road loss at Towson on Sept. 16, 2006.
Getting Some Home Cooking
Liberty's offense certainly liked playing in front of its own fans in 2009, as the Flames averaged an additional 124.5 yards of total offense at home. During Liberty's six home games, the Flames averaged 399.5 total offensive yards per game, as compared to a 275.0 average on the road. Overall, the Flames rank No. 42 nationally, as the squad is averaging 358.0 total offensive yards per game.
Righting the Ship Quickly
The Flames continued a trend in 2009, quickly following losses to West Virginia and James Madison with victories the following week. Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames have only lost consecutive games four times. Liberty dropped four-straight games in 2006 and suffered back-to-back setbacks to William & Mary and Elon in 2007. The Flames only lost two games in 2008 and they were not in successive weeks.
Dukes Down Point Production
No. 6/7 James Madison held the Flames to just 10 points in the Dukes' 24-10 victory over Liberty, on Sept. 26, at Williams Stadium. The 10 points scored by the Flames ranks as the second lowest point total in a game under head coach Danny Rocco (fewest was three points in a 10-3 loss to Towson on Sept. 16, 2006). Liberty has failed to reach the 20-point mark in just five of Rocco's 43 games as a head coach on Liberty Mountain.
A Rocco Rebound
Liberty has only dropped 12 games under head coach Danny Rocco, and most of the time the Flames have quickly rebounded the following week with a resounding victory. Since taking over the program, Rocco has followed up losses with a victory eight times, outscoring their opponents 327-63 in those eight games. Three of those seven victories have been shutouts, as the Flames blanked Savannah State (28-0) and Western Carolina (21-0) in 2006 and Charleston Southern (42-0) in 2008.
Twice as Nice
Liberty's victory over VMI on Nov. 8, 2008, coupled with Gardner-Webb's loss to Coastal Carolina the same weekend, gave the Flames the Big South Conference title for the second straight season. Liberty is one of three programs in league history to win consecutive titles. Gardner-Webb hoisted back-to-back trophies in 2002 and 2003, while Coastal Carolina reeled off three-straight championship seasons in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Sweet 16
For the second-straight week, the Flames remained ranked No. 16 in the Sports Network poll, while Liberty climbed up a spot to claim the same ranking in the FCS Coaches poll, as released by both organizations earlier this week. Liberty has now been ranked inside the Top 25 the past four-straight weeks and in seven out of 11 listings throughout the 2009 season.
A Rankings Review
Dating back to the second week of the 2008 season, Liberty has been ranked inside the Top 25 20 out of the last 26 weekly polls (including last year's final ranking and this year's preseason listing). Following their victory over Glenville State on Sept. 6, 2008, Liberty jumped into the Top 25 at No. 25 and remained there the rest of the season. Liberty has been in and out of the polls in 2009, as the Flames have received a Top 25 billing in seven of the 11 polls released this season.
Flying High at Year's End
Liberty's 10-2 record in 2008 and second-straight Big South title enabled the Flames to finish the year ranked No. 14 in the Sports Network poll and No. 15 in the FCS Coaches poll. The Sports Network ranking was the highest end-of-the-year national listing in program history. In 2008, Liberty spent a program-record, 13-straight weeks inside the national Top 25 listings.
Five is Fine
With their 54-14 victory over VMI, the Flames pushed their current winning streak to five-straight games. The winning run is the ninth-longest active winning streak in FCS football and marks the third time the Flames have reeled off five-straight wins under head coach Danny Rocco.
Offensive Obsession
Over the final nine games of 2008 and 11 out of the last 12 times the Flames took to the field, Liberty racked up 400 or more total offensive yards. Liberty finished the year ranked No. 9 nationally among FCS programs by averaging 446.67 total offensive yards per game. Liberty set a new program standard by tallying 5,360 total offensive yards in 2008, besting the previous school record of 4,856 yards set in 1994. Liberty has surpassed the mark twice this year, racking up 500-plus yards in both outings (514 yards against West Virginia Wesleyan and 575 yards against Coastal Carolina). Liberty currently ranks No. 42 nationally in total offense, averaging 358.0 yards per game.
A Decisive Number
The Flames' prolific offense in 2009 has Liberty ranked among the nation's leaders, as Liberty currently ranks No. 4 in scoring offense (35.11 points per game). Liberty finished the 2008 season inside the Top 20 in the statistical category, as the Flames ranked No. 17 in scoring offense (33.67 points per game). The 30-point mark seems to be the key number for a Flames victory, as Liberty is 24-2 under head coach Danny Rocco when Liberty scores more than 30 points in a game. The Flames are 7-10 under Rocco when Liberty fails to reach the 30-point threshold.
Finding A Way with Fewer Points
Liberty finished the Lafayette game with 19 points on its side of the scoreboard, tying for the fewest points scored by the Flames in a victory under head coach Danny Rocco. Liberty captured a 19-16 victory over Western Carolina, last year, on Sept. 13 in Cullowhee, N.C.
Don't Forget About the "D"
Despite Liberty's gaudy offensive numbers over the past three seasons, the Flames' defense has played a significant factor in the team's success, bringing a smile to head coach Danny Rocco's face, as he is a 20-plus year defensive coaching veteran. Since 2006, Liberty has held its opponents to an average of 18.3 points per game, bolstered by Rocco's first season when the Flames allowed a program-record low 172 points (15.6 points per game, which ranked No. 12 nationally in scoring defense).
Two Touchdown Favorites
Since taking over the program in 2006, head coach Danny Rocco's Flames have outscored their opponents by an average of 15.3 points per game. Liberty has scored 1,448 points (33.6 average points per game), while allowing 787 points (18.3 average points allowed per game).
Two or Less is Nice
For the sixth time this year, Liberty kept an opponent from scoring more than two touchdowns in a games, as Liberty only allowed the Keydets to find the end zone twice last Saturday night. The dominating defensive performances have allowed the Flames to enter this week ranked No. 16 nationally in scoring defense, as Liberty is allowing an average of 16.22 points per game. Since Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006, Liberty has kept 23 out of 43 opponents from scoring more than 14 points per game (53.5 percent).
Equally as Impressive
Liberty currently ranks No. 4 nationally in scoring offense (35.11 points per game) and No. 16 in scoring defense (16.22 points allowed per game). The Flames are one of six teams nationally who rank inside the Top 20 in both statistical categories, joining Elon, Jacksonville State, Northern Iowa, South Carolina and Southern Illinois among the nation's equally balanced programs.
Plentiful Points
During its outing on Oct. 17, Liberty rolled to a 58-13 victory over visiting Coastal Carolina. The 45-point victory was tied for the eighth-largest margin of victory in program history, as the Flames also accomplished the feat in a 45-0 shutout over Gallaudet on Sept. 25, 1976.
Dominating Defense
On Oct. 17, the Flames held Coastal Carolina to 175 total offensive yards, marking the second-fewest total offensive yards allowed by Liberty under head coach Danny Rocco (lowest was 57 yards during Rocco's first game in 2006 against St. Paul's). A further look at the box score reveals that 38 of those 175 total offensive yards came on Coastal Carolina's final drive late in the fourth quarter, after Liberty had pulled all of its defensive starters.
Diversifying their Downs
For the third time this year, Liberty finished a game with double-digit first down totals in both rushing and passing plays, as the Flames racked up 14 rushing and 14 passing first downs against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17. Coming into the year, Liberty had only accomplished the feat five times during head coach Danny Rocco's first three years at the helm of the program. Under Rocco, 50.9 percent of Liberty's first downs have come via rushing plays (420), 42.2 have come via the passing game (348) and 6.8 percent by penalties (56).
Moving Those Chains
One of the busiest crews on the field during a Liberty football game in 2008 was the "chain gang." Liberty finished the campaign ranked No. 3 nationally in third-down conversion rate, moving the chains 50.98 percent of the time on third-down plays. The high conversion rate allowed Liberty to set a new program record with 258 first downs last season.
Under head coach Danny Rocco, Liberty has converted on 45.7 percent of third-down plays (244-of-534). This year, Liberty ranks inside the Top 30 again in third-down efficiency, as Liberty currently ranks No. 29, having picked up a new set of downs 41.59 percent of the time when the Flames find themselves in a third-down play (47-of-113).
Fourth-Down Frenzy
Liberty has found much success on fourth-down plays in 2009, converting on 5-of-7 fourth-down plays, which ranks No. 3 nationally in fourth-down conversion rate (71.43 percent). All five successful fourth-down conversions have eventually led to Liberty adding points to the scoreboard, including the West Virginia Wesleyan game, when Mike Brown scored on a fourth-and-goal play from the two-yard line during the third quarter.
Racking it Up for Rocco
Head coach Danny Rocco has brought a high-powered offense to Liberty, as the Flames have scored an average of 33.7 points per game since Rocco took over the program. The figure ranks 7.0 points per game ahead of the next highest scoring coach in program annals, as Sam Rutigliano's crew was able to score 26.7 points per game during his 11-year tenure.
Coach Avg. Points/Games
Danny Rocco 33.7 1,448/43
Sam Rutigliano 26.7 3,205/120
Rock Royer 24.2 145/6
Tom Dowling 20.9 1,524/73
Morgan Hout 20.8 1,040/50
Ken Karcher 20.6 1,382/67
John Cartwright 20.2 565/28
Halftime Help Uncommon
No. 6/7 James Madison held a 10-7 lead over Liberty, on Sept. 26, heading into the locker room, marking the third time the Flames have trailed at halftime in 2009. Prior to the 2009 season, the Flames had only trailed at halftime six times under head coach Danny Rocco. Under Rocco, Liberty has led in 33 games (76.7 percent), while the score has been tied four times. Liberty did rally to beat North Carolina Central on Sept. 12, marking the second time in nine games that Liberty overcame a halftime deficit to win under Rocco.
Third and Final Phase
Since the opening of training camp in August, head coach Danny Rocco has talked about dividing the 2009 season up into three distinct phases. The first phase was the Flames season-opener against West Virginia, followed by the remaining non-conference slate, which was phase two. The third and final phase is Liberty's Big South schedule, which makes up the final six games of the team's regular-season schedule.
Getting Back to Their Basics
During its most recent four home games, Liberty found success on the ground. The Flames rushed for 966 combined yards during the quartet of games, racking up 264 rushing yards against West Virginia Wesleyan on Oct. 3, 300 rushing yards against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17, 232 yards against Presbyterian and 170 yards against VMI. Since Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006, Liberty has rushed for 200 or more yards in a game 19 times (out of 43 games).
Rushing Toward the Top
Liberty scored five rushing touchdowns against Presbyterian on Oct. 31, marking the fourth time in five home games the Flames have scored four or more rushing touchdowns. On the year, Liberty has rushed for 27 touchdowns, which ranks second nationally in total team rushing touchdowns. The only other FCS program with more scoring runs in 2009 is Appalachian State, as the Mountaineers have rushed for 34 touchdowns this season. Liberty's 27 rushing touchdowns is tied for second nationally, as McNeese State has also had 27 scoring runs in 2009.
Home Turf Advantage
The Flames rushed for five touchdowns on Oct. 31 against Presbyterian, marking the fourth time in five home games the Flames had tallied four or more rushing touchdowns. In six home games this year, the Flames managed to run for 24 of their 27 team rushing touchdowns (88.8 percent). Liberty has recorded one rushing touchdown during each of its three road games in 2009.
Over the Century Mark
With Liberty's six rushing touchdowns against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17, Liberty moved over the century mark for rushing touchdowns under head coach Danny Rocco. During Rocco's 43 games as head coach on Liberty Mountain, the Flames have rushed for 111 touchdowns (2.6 rushing touchdowns per game), including 31 games with multiple rushing touchdowns.
Running over the Big South
With two rushing touchdowns against VMI last weekend, the Flames have now rushed for 50 touchdowns in Big South games coached by head coach Danny Rocco. On the flipside of the field, the Flames have only allowed 19 rushing touchdowns during conference contests, including just one in 2009 as Tim Maypray scored from one-yard out last weekend to mark the first opposing Big South player to rush for a touchdown against Liberty this year.
Running with the Flames
The Flames have been one of the nation's top FCS programs over the past seven seasons, as Liberty has ranked among the Top 30 rushing teams in the nation six out of the last seven years. During the time span, the Flames have surpassed the 2,000-yard mark six out of seven years and have averaged 2,167 rushing yards per season. In 2008, Liberty rushed for 2,562 yards and ranked No. 13 nationally in rushing yards per game (213.5).
Still Streaking
Mike Brown's touchdown run with 38 seconds left before halftime against VMI helped keep a streak alive, as the sophomore scored on a one-yard run on Liberty's final possession of the opening period, last weekend. The scoring run kept a streak alive, as Liberty has rushed for a touchdown in 38-straight games and in 41 out of 43 games under head coach Danny Rocco.
Stopping the Run
Liberty was one of the nation's top FCS programs in terms of rushing defense in 2008, finishing the year ranked No. 35 nationally in the statistical category by allowing 125.92 rushing yards per game. The figure was good enough to best a school record, bettering the 2002 squad, who held opponents to 128.5 rushing yards per game.
Four times this year, the Flames have held an opponent from reaching 100 team rushing yards, doing so against North Carolina Central (43 yards), Lafayette (70 yards), Coastal Carolina (40 yards) and Presbyterian (58 yards). Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames have held an opponent under the 100-yard rushing mark in 20 out of 43 games.
Stopping them where it Counts
Liberty is allowing a few extra rushing yards in 2009, as the Flames currently rank No. 59 nationally in rushing defense (140.8 average rushing yards allowed per game). However, the Flames have only allowed eight rushing touchdowns through nine games, which has the Flames tied for No. 22 nationally in fewest total rushing touchdowns allowed.
Can't Contain the Keydets
Much like the rest of their opponents, the Flames were unable to keep the Keydets from running all over the field last weekend. VMI, who currently ranks No. 2 nationally in rushing offense (254.89 average rushing yards per game), managed to rush for 250 yards against Liberty. Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames have only allowed an opponent to rush for 200 or more yards eight times, with half of the those occurrences taking place in four meetings with VMI.
Running Game Wrapped Up
Liberty's high-powered rushing attack experienced an unusual outing in Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 24, as the Flames were held to 55 rushing yards on 30 attempts (1.8 average yards per rush). The team rushing figure was the lowest since head coach Danny Rocco took over the program (previous low was 58 yards in a 10-3 loss at Towson in 2006).
Powerful Passing Attack
Three Liberty quarterbacks combined to record 275 passing yards against one of the nation's best passing defenses during the Flames' home game on Oct. 17. Liberty's "B" hurlers (Tommy Beecher, Mike Brown and Tyler Brennan) completed 19-of-24 passing attempts for 275 yards against the Chanticleers, which came into the game ranked No. 3 nationally in passing defense. Prior to the matchup, Coastal Carolina was holding opponents to 126.2 passing yards per game.
Nation's Leading Passers
Liberty's quarterbacks combined to complete 17-of-29 passing attempts against VMI, last weekend, which dropped the Flames team completion percentage below 70 percent. Despite falling below the lofty mark, Liberty still leads the nation in team completion percentage, as Liberty's hurlers are throwing at a 69.4 percent completion rate in 2009 (163-of-235). The figure ranks just ahead of Appalachian State, who is passing at a 69.9 completion rate (187-of-271).
Getting the Job Done
During its last three home games, the Flames have taken full advantage of their possession, adding points to the scoreboard almost every time they have the ball. Outside of the drives which ended the first or second halves, Liberty has scored 28 times out of 38 drives against Coastal Carolina (9-of-10), Presbyterian (9-of-13) and VMI (10-of-15).
Finding a Different Way
Liberty might have reached the 50-point mark for the third-straight game in its 54-14 win over VMI, last weekend, but the Flames did so in somewhat of a different manor. Liberty only scored three offensive touchdowns during the 40-point victory, as the remaining 33 points was scored by the defense and special teams units.
Big-Time Bursts
During two of their last three home games, the Flames managed to put points up on the scoreboard in a hurry. Against Coastal Carolina, Liberty scored 42-unanswered points over a 15-minute period, opening up a 10-point game at the time on Oct. 17. Last weekend, Liberty lead 27-14 against VMI until the Flames scored 27-straight points over an 11-minute period in the fourth quarter to secure their 54-14 win over the Kedyets.
Fewer Flags against the Keydets
The only statistical category the Flames seem to be struggling in during their two games leading up to the VMI matchup was in the penalty column. Liberty was whistled for eight penalties for 45 yards against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17 and 11 infractions for 105 yards against Presbyterian on Oct. 31. The penalty totals marked the fifth time Liberty has finished a game with 10 or more penalties under head coach Danny Rocco and the fourth time with more than a 100 penalty yards. Liberty managed to drop the figures slightly against the Keydets, as the team was called for five infractions for 35 yards, last weekend. The Flames enter Saturday's game with Gardner-Webb ranked No. 21 nationally in fewest penalties per game (5.22) and No. 16 in fewest penalty yards per game (42.78).
Taking Better Care of the Ball
During the 2008 season, Liberty finished nine out of 12 games with a positive turnover margin, enabling the Flames to finish the year ranked No. 21 nationally in the statistical category (+0.67). Head coach Danny Rocco has tried to instill the importance of taking care of the ball on his youngsters, as Liberty ranked No. 7 in turnover margin in 2007 (+1.27) and No. 20 in 2006 (+0.55).
Tops in Turnover Margin
Following a game where VMI committed eight turnovers while not giving the ball away once, Liberty now ranks No. 1 nationally in turnover margin in 2009 (2.22). The Flames have seen their opponents give the ball away 27 times this year, while Liberty has committed just seven giveaways. The Flames currently rank ahead of Southern in the statistical category, as the Jaguars are holding to a 2.00 turnover margin in 2009.
Making the Most of the Freebies
Last weekend, the Flames saw VMI turn the ball over eight times, as the Keydets fumbled the ball away six times and Liberty intercepted two passes. The Flames took advantage of the extra opportunities with the football, as 30 of the Flames 54 points scored came following VMI turnovers.
Winning the Turnover Battle
West Virginia is one of eight teams to finish a game coached by Danny Rocco with fewer turnovers than the Flames. Liberty turned the ball over once on an interception, while West Virginia never coughed the ball up. Since 2006, Liberty has a +49 turnover figure as compared to its opponents, as Liberty has committed 45 turnovers, while forcing 94 giveaways.
Liberty has finished three games in 2009 without committing a turnover, doing so against Lafayette, Coastal Carolina and VMI. Since Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006, Liberty has finished 15 games (out of 42 total games) without committing a turnover.
Fewer Fumbles in 2009
For the sixth time this year, Liberty finished a game without fumbling the ball away, helping the Flames to a 54-14 victory over VMI, last weekend. With just three total fumbles lost in 2009, Liberty currently ranks No. 3 nationally in fewest fumbles lost. The Flames rank behind Lafayette and Youngstown State who lead the nation with just two fumbles loss.
Riding the TOP Yo-Yo
After finishing the West Virginia Wesleyan game on Oct. 3 with an 11:36 time of possession deficit, Liberty had a 180-degree turnabout against Coastal Carolina during its next trip out onto the field. The Flames dominated the game in almost every facet of the contest, including time of possession. Liberty finished the game with a 12:24 time of possession edge (36:12 to 23:48), accounting for the fifth time Liberty has finished a Danny Rocco-coached game with a double-digit time of possession advantage.
Plenty of Picks
Liberty has intercepted a pass in eight-straight games, including two picks against VMI, last weekend. The Flames picked off a season-best four passes against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17, which marked the third time the Flames have accomplished the feat under head coach Danny Rocco. The Flames currently rank No. 3 nationally with 17 total interceptions in 2009.
Pick Pays Off
Ian Childress recorded one of two interceptions for the Flames on Saturday and the senior returned the errant pass 34 yards for a score to give the Flames a 17-7 lead over VMI early in the second quarter. The interception return for a score was the first for a Flames defender since Ryan Greiser returned an interception 35 yards against Toledo on Oct. 6, 2007.
No Giveaways through Air
For the fourth-straight game and sixth time this season, the Flames finished a game without committing an interception in their 54-4 victory over VMI, last weekend. Through the first nine games of the year, Liberty's quarterbacks have thrown just four interceptions, which has the Flames ranked No. 3 nationally in fewest interceptions thrown.
Tying Last Year's New Standard
Liberty finished the last four games of 2008 without throwing an interception, tying a program record. The Flames were one of the most careful passing teams in the country in 2008, ranking No. 7 nationally in passing efficiency (158.81). Under head coach Danny Rocco, Liberty's quarterbacks have thrown just 22 interceptions in 43 games (0.51 per game). Over the last four games, the Flames have matched the mark, as Liberty has gone four games without tossing an interception.
Streeter Streamlines the Passers
Under quarterback coach and now offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, Liberty has been one of the most effective passing units in the country of late. Since joining head coach Danny Rocco's staff, Streeter has seen his quarterbacks throw at a 63.6 completion percentage clip, completing 642-of-1,011 passing attempts for 8,245 yards and 53 touchdowns. During the span, Liberty has averaged 191.7 passing yards per game and has a passing efficiency rating of 144.95 since 2006.
Big Shoes to Fill
The quarterbacking tandem of Tommy Beecher and Mike Brown have been tasked with the lofty goal of trying to replace one of Liberty's best quarterbacks. Brock Smith, who is a student assistant on this year's staff, finished his days in a Liberty uniform by ranking third in passing yards (7,036) and second in passing touchdowns (50) and completion percentage (60.0) in program history. The left-handed hurler also finished his career as the program's all-time leader in passing efficiency (148.1), nearly 16 points higher than Robby Justino's previous mark of 132.6.
A QB's Best Friend
Liberty has allowed 11 sacks in nine games in 2009. West Virginia got to Liberty's quarterback three times, while James Madison, Charleston Southern and Presbyterian finished with two sacks each. Coastal Carolina and VMI also added just one sack. The Flames' offensive line kept Liberty's hurlers from being sacked against North Carolina Central, Lafayette and West Virginia Wesleyan, which has the Flames ranked No. 18 nationally in fewest sacks allowed (1.18 per game).
Liberty, who finished the 2008 season ranked No. 3 in sacks allowed, has allowed less than a sack per game (0.86/37 in 43 games) since head coach Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006 and has finished 18 games during that span without allowing a sack.
The Sack Attack
Liberty had its second multiple-sack game of 2009 against Coastal Carolina, when the Flames finished the contest with three sacks for a loss of 29 total yards on Oct. 17. The contest marked the 15th time Liberty has finished a Danny Rocco-coached football game with three or more sacks. Under Rocco, the Flames have averaged 1.79 sacks per game (77 total) for an average loss of 13.98 yards per game (601 total yards lost on sacks). However, the Flames have finished the last three games without recording a sack against Charleston Southern, Presbyterian and VMI.
Protecting the Pass
For the sixth time this year, Liberty held an opponent's passing attack under 200 yards, when Liberty kept VMI to just 85 passing yards, last weekend. Entering Saturday's game against VMI, the Flames currently rank No. 22 nationally in passing defense, as the Flames are holding their opposing quarterbacks to 167.78 passing yards per game.
Not Scoring Through the Air
If opposing offensive coordinators are looking for a way to score against Liberty's defense, the passing attack is not their best option. Liberty currently ranks No. 5 nationally in fewest passing touchdowns allowed in 2009, as the Flames defense has allowed just eight passing touchdowns through their first nine games.
Total Team Effort
During its last three home games, Liberty's defense has been stout, keeping both Coastal Carolina, Presbyterian and VMI from reaching the 20-point mark. The dominating defensive performances have been a team effort, as no one single player racked up great defensive numbers. Against Coastal Carolina, the leading tacklers on the team were Trey Jacobs and Doncel Bolt, with both players finishing the game with five stops apiece. On Oct. 31, Bolt was above atop the defensive stat sheet with six stops against the Blue Hose, while Chad Brown led the team last weekend with nine stops.
Red Zone Rapport
Liberty currently ranks among the Top 20 teams in the nation in red zone offense, scoring on an average of 92.7 percent of its trips inside the opponent's red zone. Of Liberty's 41 trips inside its opponents' 20-yard line, Liberty has scored 29 touchdowns and kicked nine field goals, which leave Liberty ranked No. 4 nationally in red zone scoring (38-of-41). Since 2006, Liberty has added points to the scoreboard 84.0 percent of the time under head coach Danny Rocco (163-of-194 Red Zone opportunities) when penetrating the opponents' 20-yard line.
Making It Count
Liberty finished the VMI game 4-of-4 on red zone scoring chances, marking the seventh game this season Liberty has been perfect in the red zone. Entering Saturday's Gardner-Webb contest, Liberty has scored on 30-straight trips into the red zone, spanning six games. Liberty's recent successes inside the opponent's 20-yard line have helped the Flames increase their red zone efficiency to 92.7 percent, which ranks No. 4 nationally in the statistical category (38-of-41).
Two of the Nation's Best
If the ball managed to cross the 20-yard line this weekend in Boiling Springs, N.C., there is a pretty good chance someone is going to score. Gardner-Webb and Liberty are two of the nation's best red zone offenses, as the Bulldogs rank No. 3 in the statistical category (93.5 percent) and the Flames rank No. 4 (92.7 percent). Liberty is more likely to score a touchdown, as 76.3 percent of the Flames red zone scoring has been a touchdown (29 touchdowns), while Gardner-Webb is adding seven points 65.5 percent of their red zone scoring chances (19 touchdowns).
Tough Inside the 20
Liberty currently ranks as one of the nation's best red zone defenses, as the Flames have allowed opponents to score just 62.5 percent of the time (20-of-32). The figure puts the Flames No. 4 nationally in red zone defense. Of those 20 scoring drives that have penetrated the 20-yard line, nine have failed to find the end zone, as opponents had to settle for a field goal.
Bend but Don't Break
Charleston Southern tied an opponent season high with five trips inside the Flames' red zone on Oct. 24. However, Liberty's defense held strong, allowing just one touchdown and two field goals to help secure the road victory for the Flames. The following weekend, the Flames allowed a passing touchdown and a field goal when Presbyterian drove inside the 20-yard line. During their last outing, VMI drove into the red zone four times and came away with just one touchdown. On the season, the Flames currently rank No. 16 in fewest red zone touchdowns allowed in the country (11).
First Down Anomaly
Presbyterian did something only one other team has accomplished in 2009, as the Blue Hose tied West Virginia for the most first downs recorded in a game against the Flames (both finished with 22). The figure was certainly unique, as Liberty ranks among the nation's leaders in first down defense (tied for No. 22 by allowing an average of 16.11 first downs per game).
The Ideal Job
If you are looking for the "cushy" job on the Flames roster in 2009, you need not look any further than Flames punter Mike Larsson. The sophomore has been called upon to punt 34 times over the course of the first nine games, making Liberty the team with the 11th-fewest punts in the nation. Last year, Liberty did even better in the statistical category, as the Flames finished the 2008 season with 33 punts over 12 games, which ranked fourth nationally in terms of fewest punts for the year.
Bucs Make the Flames Boot the Ball
Liberty's Mike Larsson was called upon more times during the Charleston Southern game than any other time during his two years with the program. The sophomore finished the game with six punts for 207 yards, marking the most team punts since Liberty was forced to punt eight times against Elon on Sept. 22, 2007 (spanning 25 games).
Top Ranked Punt Protection
Liberty's limited number of punts in 2009 has also hampered the opposition's chances to rack up punt return yardage. Only nine of Liberty's 34 punts in 2009 have been returned for a total of 24 punt return yards, leaving the Flames ranked No. 5 nationally in punt return yardage defense (2.67 yards per punt return). There are only nine other FCS programs around the country who have allowed less than six punt returns in 2009.
Fresh New Faces
Liberty has one of its younger teams since head coach Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006. Of the various players listed on the Flames' current depth chart leading into the Gardner-Webb game, eight are true freshmen and 37 have underclassman status.
New to the Starting Line-Up
Liberty graduated 24 seniors last year, leaving several holes for head coach Danny Rocco to fill in his 2009 line-up. Of the 22 players who took to the field for the first offensive and defensive snap of the Flames' matchup with West Virginia on Sept. 5, only seven were listed as starters on Liberty's line-up in their opener against North Greenville in 2008 (LG – Bryan Mosier, RT – Josh Weaver, FB – Derek Bishop, DE – Trey Jacobs, SLB – Ian Childress, JLB – Chad Brown, LS – Chris Rocco).
The Ground Game Is Good
The Flames have scored 27 of their 35 touchdowns in 2009 via the ground, including single rushing touchdowns against West Virginia, Lafayette and Charleston Southern, two rushing touchdowns against VMI, four touchdowns against North Carolina Central, five rushing touchdowns against Presbyterian and a season-high six rushing touchdowns against West Virginia Wesleyan and Coastal Carolina.
Special Special Teams
Liberty's special teams certainly played a part in the success of the team against West Virginia on Sept. 5, as the Flames continually pressed toward Mountaineer territory by averaging 23.0 yards per kickoff return. Great special teams play from the Flames is certainly nothing strange on Liberty Mountain, as the Flames finished 2008 ranked No. 12 nationally in punt returns (14.61 average yards per return) and No. 21 in kickoff returns (22.05 average yards per return). Liberty's specialists also tallied three returns for a score last season, retuning one kickoff and two punt returns for touchdowns.
Hewlett Has His Way
Aaron Hewlett gave Liberty its first special teams touchdown of the year, when the redshirt senior returned a kickoff 80 yards for a score the first time the Flames touched the football against VMI, last weekend. The last time Liberty had returned a kickoff was against North Greenville in the Flames 2008 opener when Jonathan Crawford returned a kickoff 76 yards.
Joining the Group
Aaron Hewlett's 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against VMI last weekend helped Liberty join an elite national group. Only one of 29 FCS programs have returned a kickoff in 2009 and no teams have returned multiple kickoffs for a score.
Dirty Dozen
The Flames finished the VMI game with a season-high 167 total special teams return yards, besting the Flames 161 yards against West Virginia in the season opener. The figure marked the 12th time the Flames have finished a game with more than 150 total special teams return yards during head coach Danny Rocco's four-year tenure with the program. Following the game, Liberty currently ranks No. 13 nationally in average yards per kickoff return (23.59).
Fogg Finds the Football
Kevin Fogg did something only one other Flame had done during head coach Danny Rocco's time with the program. The true freshman was at the right place at the right time when VMI muffed a punt return and the ball bound into the end zone. Fogg pounced on the ball and was credited with a fumble return for a touchdown, which was the team's first since Alonzia Phillips returned a fumble 43 yards for a score against VMI on Nov. 18, 2006.
Keeping Them Out of the Backfield
During the 2008 season, the Flames kept their opponents from recording three or more tackles for a loss in eight out of 12 games. Liberty finished the season ranked No. 4 nationally in fewest tackles for a loss allowed, as the Flames allowed just 3.58 TFLs per game en route to a 10-2 season. Liberty is having similar success in 2009, as the Flames have allowed 42 tackles for a loss in nine games, which places the Flames No. 15 nationally in the statistical category (4.67 per game).
Big South's Best
For the fourth-straight week, Liberty had a player recognized by the Big South Conference, as Matt Bevins took home Big South Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the second time this year on Monday. Liberty has now received 12 weekly honors throughout the 2009 season, which is more than any other program in the league. Gardner-Webb ranks second behind the Flames with nine weekly award winners during this year's campaign.
Larsson's Large Numbers
Mike Larsson finished the Charleston Southern game with career-high numbers in total punts (6) and total punt yardage (207), helping him earn Big South Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the second time this year. One of his six punts sailed 71 yards, marking the third longest punt in program history (bettering Ben Rogers' 68-yard punt against Samford in 1999) and the second longest in Big South history (matching Gardner-Webb's Graham Whitlock, who booted a 71-yard against Liberty on Oct. 5, 2002, in the first-ever Big South game).
Pin-Point Accuracy
Mike Larsson has been called upon a limited number of times in 2009, but when the punter does come onto the field, he has been key to Liberty's success. The sophomore has placed 15 of his 33 punts in 2009 inside the opponent's 20-yard line, while booting three punts for more than 50 yards. For his career, Larsson has placed 21 out of 50 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line (42.0 percent).
Linebacker Loom Large
The 3-4 defensive scheme depends heavily upon the play of its linebackers and Liberty is no exception to the rule. Four of the Flames' top five tacklers are from the linebacking corps, led by middle linebacker Doncel Bolt, who has 55 stops on the season. Wes Cheek follows Bolt, as the former running back has tallied 53 stops through eight games. Following defensive back Chris Rocco and his 45 stops, linebackers Chad Brown and Ian Childress follow with 42 stops each, rounding out Liberty's top five tacklers.
Brown Listed Among the Best
With his 157 receiving yards against West Virginia on Sept. 5, Mike Brown became the 44th player in program history to eclipse the 100-receiving yard mark in a game. His 157 receiving yards is the 18th best single-game performance in program history and the seventh best in the past 10 years.
Summers Shines at Lafayette
Chris Summers had a breakout performance against Lafayette, one that left his mark on the record books. The sophomore, who came into the game with five career receptions for 58 yards, caught 14 passes for 138 yards and his first collegiate touchdown versus the Leopards. The 14 receptions is tied for the Big South record for receptions in a game (along with 14 by Gardner-Webb's Duvaughn Flagler against Wofford) while the figure ranks just behind Liberty's all-time record of 15 receptions by Josh Stofle against South Florida in 2001.
Coming Fast and Furious
Coming into the season, head coach Danny Rocco had not seen one of his players finish a game with double-figure receptions. Wynton Jackson was the last Flame to accomplish the feat with 12 catches for 100 yards against Youngstown State on Sept. 17, 2005. Earlier this year, the double-digit games are coming in bunches. Mike Brown accomplished the feat with 11 receptions for 157 yards against West Virginia, while Chris Summers hauled in 14 receptions for 138 yards against Lafayette on Sept. 19.
Spreading the Wealth
Mike Brown and Chris Summers picked up a majority of the wide receiver work against VMI, last weekend, as Brown led the team with six catches for 36 yards and Summers caught four balls for 46 yards. Seven other players managed to squeeze in a reception, giving the Flames nine different players to catch a pass during the 54-14 victory over the Keydets. Spreading the wealth has been a theme for the Flames this year, as Liberty has finished six out of nine games in 2009 with seven or more players catching a pass.
Welcome to the Club
B.J. Hayes joined an exclusive club on Sept. 12, when he rushed for 129 yards on 11 carries against North Carolina Central. The stellar effort in Liberty's home opener allowed the sophomore to become the 30th player in program history to rush for 100 or more yards in a single game.
Big Time Gain for B.J.
During the fourth quarter of Liberty's home-opening victory over North Carolina Central, B.J. Hayes broke free for a 74-yard touchdown run to help swing the momentum in the favor of the Flames. The lengthy run was the seventh longest rushing touchdown in program history and is tied for the 11th longest rushing play in Big South history.
Alright Allen
Aldreakis Allen had a breakout game against West Virginia Wesleyan, as the freshman rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns to help his team to a 38-point victory. The rookie became the second Flame this season and the 31st in program history to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark, while averaging 11.2 yards per carry.
Backing It Up
Aldreakis Allen proved that he is not a one-time wonder, when the freshman rushed for a season-best 106 yards and three touchdowns against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17. The rookie also added 83 receiving yards and 14 kickoff return yards, to finish the game with an impressive 203 all-purpose yards. For his efforts, Allen was tabbed the Big South's Freshman of the Week, his second-such honor of the 2009 season.
Rookie Ranking
Aldreakis Allen rushed for two more touchdowns against Presbyterian on Oct. 31, giving the freshman nine rushing touchdowns during his first collegiate season. Allen is averaging 6.00 points per game, which ranks No. 10 in terms of freshman scoring in the country. Of the 10 freshmen who rank ahead of Allen, eight are kickers. The only non-kicking freshmen to rank higher than Allen in scoring are quarterback Nick Doscher (7.56 points per game) and running back Dominique Williams (6.86 points per game), who both hail from Wagner.
Broggin's Big Run
Danny Broggin was one of four players to record a rushing touchdown for the Flames on Oct. 3, helping Liberty to a 45-7 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan. The 13-yard scoring run was the third longest rushing play of his career and marked the junior's first career trip across the goal line. The Brookneal, Va., native finished the game with four rushing attempts for 38 yards, nearly giving Liberty four runners with a 10.0-plus yard average run in the contest.
Danny Does It Again
Following a solid game against West Virginia Wesleyan, Danny Broggin showed his explosiveness once against Coastal Carolina. The junior finished off one of three one-play scoring drives for Liberty, as the running back broke free for an 82-yard rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The scoring burst was the second-longest touchdown run in program history, falling only behind Chip Smith's 86-yarder against Ferrum in 1976.
Holloway Has His Way
SirChauncey Holloway became the third player this season to finish a game with multiple rushing touchdowns. The rookie joined Mike Brown and Aldreakis Allen on the list, as he scored twice on runs of one and 14 yards against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17. He finished the game with 10 carries for 53 yards, after tallying just seven rushing attempts for 30 yards during the first five games of the year.
Better Against the Blue Hose
After a solid outing against Coastal Carolina, SirChauncey Holloway upped his numbers against Presbyterian, helping him earn Big South Freshman of the Week honors. The running back led the Flames rushing attack, which rushed for 232 yards and five touchdowns during the victory. Individually, Holloway finished the game with career high marks in carries (12) and rushing yards (99). The rookie scored twice, marking his second multiple rushing touchdown game of the year and pushes his season total to five scoring runs. The yardage figure against the Blue Hose more than doubled his career output coming into the game, as he had rushed 19 times for 86 yards in four previous contests.
Mike Makes It Happen
Mike Brown started his second game of the year at one of Liberty's wide receiver positions against North Carolina Central, on Sept. 12. However, the sophomore was called upon to take over for quarterback Tommy Beecher in the second quarter and finished the game by completing 10-of-12 passing attempts for 71 yards. Prior to the game, Brown had completed just 2-of-4 career passing attempts for 25 yards.
No Sophomore Slump Here
Proving his outing against North Carolina Central was no fluke, Mike Brown had a banner day in his first start under center for the Flames. Against Lafayette, the sophomore completed 29-of-36 pass attempts for 242 yards and his second career touchdown pass.
The 29 completions are tied for the sixth most in the program's single-game history and rank No. 10 on the Big South's single-game list. Brown's 80.6 completion percentage is now the No. 6 mark in Big South history.
Nearly Perfect Passing
In his first career start at quarterback, Mike Brown nearly went to the locker room with a perfect completion percentage. The sophomore completed his first 10 passing attempts for the game and did not miss until an incorrectly run route by Ervin Garner forced the Flames to punt the ball away.
No. 16/16 Liberty at Gardner-Webb
Boiling Springs, N.C.
Nov. 14, 2009
Spangler Stadium (9,000)
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (EST)
Television Coverage
Live TV Coverage:
None
Internet Video Coverage
Video Streaming:
Big South Network
Radio Coverage
(Virginia/North Carolina Radio Network)
Flagship Station:
Flames Sports Network (Radio)
88.3 – Lynchburg, Roanoke, Danville, Va.
Additional Available Networks:
89.5 – Berryville, Va.
103.5 - Clifton Forge, Covington, Va.
95.3 – Culpeper, Va.
89.5 – Winchester, Va.
95.9 – Gainesville, Va.
89.7 - Aquia Harbor, Woodbridge, Dale City, Va.
101.9 – Wytheville, Va.
101.5 – Harrisonburg, Va.
106.5 – Pulaski, Radford, Dublin, Va.
103.7 - South Boston, Va.
96.7 – Charlottesville, Va.
100.3 – Waynesboro, Va.
106.9 – Midlothian, Va.
107.5 - South Hill, Va.
105.1 – Marion, Va.
105.5 - Durham, N.C.
102.5 - Winston - Salem, N.C.
103.7 - Roxboro, N.C.
95.1 - Burlington - Graham, N.C.
98.5 - Creedmoor, N.C.
Saturday's Game
Saturday's game begins a two-game road swing to close out Liberty's 2009 regular season schedule. Liberty travels to Boiling Springs, N.C., this weekend to face Gardner-Webb at Spangler Stadium, before making its first-ever trek to Stony Brook, N.Y. for the season finale against the Seawolves on Nov. 21.
Heading in Different Directions
Two weeks ago, Saturday's battle between Gardner-Webb and Liberty looked like it might be key toward either program claiming hold of this year's Big South title. Liberty (4-0 BSC) has been able to keep to its desired course, having posted back-to-to back sizeable home victories over Presbyterian (55-19) and VMI (54-14). However, the Bulldogs have suffered consecutive losses to Stony Brook (24-14) and Coastal Carolina (26-21), dropping Gardner-Webb (2-2 BSC) out of the race for this year's conference crown.
Battling the Bulldogs
Saturday's matchup will mark the 15th meeting in the series between the two programs and the 10th-straight year the two teams have faced off on the gridiron. Liberty has won the last two meetings to cut Gardner-Webb's series lead back to 8-6-1. Liberty has only won twice in Boiling Springs (2-4-1 overall); however, the last time the two teams met a Spangler Stadium, Liberty blanked the homestanding Bulldogs, 31-0, to capture its first-ever Big South title on Nov. 17, 2007.
Record-Setting Crowd
The Flames played their home opener before a Williams Stadium and Big South Conference home record 16,112 fans on Sept. 12, 2009. The largest home attendance figure in program history bested the previous high of 15,631 fans during Liberty's Homecoming game against William & Mary on Oct. 18, 2006.
Defending Their Own House
Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames have won 21 out of 25 home games, meaning Liberty has won 84.0 percent of its home contests under the skipper, who is in his fourth year at the helm of the program. Liberty was 4-2 under Rocco at home in 2006, a perfect 6-0 in 2007, 5-1 under Rocco in 2008 and 5-1 on Liberty Mountain in 2009.
Conference Consistency
Liberty enters Saturday's Big South match-up with Gardner-Webb, having won its last 15 Big South Conference games. The 15-consecutive conference victories is the longest such streak in Big South history, besting Coastal Carolina's eight-straight wins over the course of the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Noting the Streak
During Liberty's current 15-game winning streak, the Flames have dominated their opponents, outscoring their foes by an average of more than 26 points per game (42.4 average points scored/636 to 16.2 average points allowed/243). Liberty has scored 30 or more points during 14 of those victories, including seven games with 40 or more points. Defensively, the Flames have held their opponent eight times to two touchdowns or less during the run.
Third and Holding
With their 54-14 victory over VMI last weekend, the Flames pushed their Big South Conference winning streak to 15-straight games. The winning run is the third-longest active FCS conference winning streak in the country, behind Appalachian State (18 games/Southern) and South Carolina State (17 games/MEAC).
Best Since 2006
Liberty might have the third-longest active FCS conference winning streak in the country, but in terms of length of time, the Flames' 15-game Big South winning streak is the longest. Liberty's winning streak began with a 34-20 win over Charleston Southern on Nov. 11, 2006. Appalachian State and South Carolina State both lost games in 2007 before starting their current streaks, meaning Liberty is the only FCS team in the nation to have not lost a conference game since 2006.
Senior Day Sendoff
The Flames continued a recent trend last weekend, when Liberty gave its seniors one last victory at home with a 54-14 win over VMI. The Flames have now won four-straight Senior Day contests dating back to a 34-20 victory over No. 24 Charleston Southern in 2006. Since the start of the program in 1973, Liberty has posted a 24-13 record during its final home game of the year, giving their seniors a victory on Senior Day 64.9 percent of the time.
The Last to Do So
Following back-to-back unbeaten seasons in Big South play, the Flames enter Saturday's match-up with Gardner-Webb having reeled off 15-straight conference victories. The last Big South team to down the Flames was the Chanticleers, when No. 22 Coastal Carolina held on for a 28-26 victory over Liberty in Conway, S.C., on Oct. 28, 2006.
Just to be Exact
Head coach Danny Rocco enters tonight's match-up with Gardner-Webb having posted a 15-2 record against Big South teams since taking over the program in 2006. Coastal Carolina (28-26) and Gardner-Webb (27-24) are the only two teams to defeat a Danny Rocco-led program, doing so by a combined five points during the skipper's first two Big South contests.
Finishing Strong
Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames seem to get better as the year goes on, finishing each campaign strong. Since 2006, Liberty has posted a 10-1 record during the month of November and a 15-2 mark over the season's last five games, including its past third wins against Charleston Southern, Presbyterian and VMI.
Prelude to a Title
During the last five seasons, the winner of the Liberty vs. Coastal Carolina game eventually went on to capture the Big South Conference title. Coastal Carolina, won three-straight meetings against the Flames from 2004 to 2006 en route to the Chanticleers three conference titles. Liberty claimed victory over Coastal Carolina in 2007 and 2008, helping secure the Flames' back-to-back title runs. The next two weeks of conference play will determine if Liberty can keep the streak alive, following its 58-13 victory over Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17.
Winning in Style
Five of Liberty's seven wins this year have been by sizable margins, as Liberty defeated North Carolina Central by 25 points (35-10), Presbyterian by 36 points (55-19), West Virginia Wesleyan by 38 points (45-7), Coastal Carolina by 45 points (58-13) and VMI by 40 points (54-14). The victories give Liberty 15 wins under head coach Danny Rocco, where the Flames have won by 25 or more points, meaning 48.4 percent of Rocco's victories have been by a quarter-century margin or larger (15 out of 31).
Fifty is Nifty
Fans who attended Liberty's last three home games saw an offensive explosion, as Liberty has eclipsed the 50-point mark all three times and averaged 55.7 points per game. Liberty began the run with a 58-13 win over Coastal Carolina, followed by a 55-19 victory over Presbyterian and a 54-14 win over VMI. The trio of games gives the Flames six games under head coach Danny Rocco where the Flames have scored 50 or more points. The Flames also surpassed the 50-point mark against St. Francis, Pa., (68-10), Charleston Southern (50-10) and VMI (73-34), with all three of those games coming in 2007.
Nearly the Big South's Best
Liberty just let a Big South record slip through its fingers, on Oct. 17, when a Coastal Carolina touchdown with 42 seconds left on the game clock trimmed a 52-point lead back to 45 points. The victory fell just a point shy of the Big South's largest margin of victory in a Big South game. The distinction is currently held by Gardner-Webb, who defeated Charleston Southern by 46 points, 46-0, on Nov. 8, 2003.
Road Warriors
The Flames 20-13 victory over Charleston Southern on Oct. 24 gave Liberty wins in back-to-back road games and made the Flames winners in eight of their last 10 games away from Williams Stadium. The Flames have also now won six-straight Big South road games and are 6-1 in conference road games under head coach Danny Rocco.
Finding a Way to Win
Despite the lowest offensive output during head coach Danny Rocco's four-year tenure with the program, the Flames still managed to pull off a 20-13 victory over Charleston Southern on Oct. 24. The Flames were limited to just 165 total offensive yards, which was 15 yards less than the previous low under Rocco, when the Flames compiled just 180 yards in a 10-3 road loss at Towson on Sept. 16, 2006.
Getting Some Home Cooking
Liberty's offense certainly liked playing in front of its own fans in 2009, as the Flames averaged an additional 124.5 yards of total offense at home. During Liberty's six home games, the Flames averaged 399.5 total offensive yards per game, as compared to a 275.0 average on the road. Overall, the Flames rank No. 42 nationally, as the squad is averaging 358.0 total offensive yards per game.
Righting the Ship Quickly
The Flames continued a trend in 2009, quickly following losses to West Virginia and James Madison with victories the following week. Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames have only lost consecutive games four times. Liberty dropped four-straight games in 2006 and suffered back-to-back setbacks to William & Mary and Elon in 2007. The Flames only lost two games in 2008 and they were not in successive weeks.
Dukes Down Point Production
No. 6/7 James Madison held the Flames to just 10 points in the Dukes' 24-10 victory over Liberty, on Sept. 26, at Williams Stadium. The 10 points scored by the Flames ranks as the second lowest point total in a game under head coach Danny Rocco (fewest was three points in a 10-3 loss to Towson on Sept. 16, 2006). Liberty has failed to reach the 20-point mark in just five of Rocco's 43 games as a head coach on Liberty Mountain.
A Rocco Rebound
Liberty has only dropped 12 games under head coach Danny Rocco, and most of the time the Flames have quickly rebounded the following week with a resounding victory. Since taking over the program, Rocco has followed up losses with a victory eight times, outscoring their opponents 327-63 in those eight games. Three of those seven victories have been shutouts, as the Flames blanked Savannah State (28-0) and Western Carolina (21-0) in 2006 and Charleston Southern (42-0) in 2008.
Twice as Nice
Liberty's victory over VMI on Nov. 8, 2008, coupled with Gardner-Webb's loss to Coastal Carolina the same weekend, gave the Flames the Big South Conference title for the second straight season. Liberty is one of three programs in league history to win consecutive titles. Gardner-Webb hoisted back-to-back trophies in 2002 and 2003, while Coastal Carolina reeled off three-straight championship seasons in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Sweet 16
For the second-straight week, the Flames remained ranked No. 16 in the Sports Network poll, while Liberty climbed up a spot to claim the same ranking in the FCS Coaches poll, as released by both organizations earlier this week. Liberty has now been ranked inside the Top 25 the past four-straight weeks and in seven out of 11 listings throughout the 2009 season.
A Rankings Review
Dating back to the second week of the 2008 season, Liberty has been ranked inside the Top 25 20 out of the last 26 weekly polls (including last year's final ranking and this year's preseason listing). Following their victory over Glenville State on Sept. 6, 2008, Liberty jumped into the Top 25 at No. 25 and remained there the rest of the season. Liberty has been in and out of the polls in 2009, as the Flames have received a Top 25 billing in seven of the 11 polls released this season.
Flying High at Year's End
Liberty's 10-2 record in 2008 and second-straight Big South title enabled the Flames to finish the year ranked No. 14 in the Sports Network poll and No. 15 in the FCS Coaches poll. The Sports Network ranking was the highest end-of-the-year national listing in program history. In 2008, Liberty spent a program-record, 13-straight weeks inside the national Top 25 listings.
Five is Fine
With their 54-14 victory over VMI, the Flames pushed their current winning streak to five-straight games. The winning run is the ninth-longest active winning streak in FCS football and marks the third time the Flames have reeled off five-straight wins under head coach Danny Rocco.
Offensive Obsession
Over the final nine games of 2008 and 11 out of the last 12 times the Flames took to the field, Liberty racked up 400 or more total offensive yards. Liberty finished the year ranked No. 9 nationally among FCS programs by averaging 446.67 total offensive yards per game. Liberty set a new program standard by tallying 5,360 total offensive yards in 2008, besting the previous school record of 4,856 yards set in 1994. Liberty has surpassed the mark twice this year, racking up 500-plus yards in both outings (514 yards against West Virginia Wesleyan and 575 yards against Coastal Carolina). Liberty currently ranks No. 42 nationally in total offense, averaging 358.0 yards per game.
A Decisive Number
The Flames' prolific offense in 2009 has Liberty ranked among the nation's leaders, as Liberty currently ranks No. 4 in scoring offense (35.11 points per game). Liberty finished the 2008 season inside the Top 20 in the statistical category, as the Flames ranked No. 17 in scoring offense (33.67 points per game). The 30-point mark seems to be the key number for a Flames victory, as Liberty is 24-2 under head coach Danny Rocco when Liberty scores more than 30 points in a game. The Flames are 7-10 under Rocco when Liberty fails to reach the 30-point threshold.
Finding A Way with Fewer Points
Liberty finished the Lafayette game with 19 points on its side of the scoreboard, tying for the fewest points scored by the Flames in a victory under head coach Danny Rocco. Liberty captured a 19-16 victory over Western Carolina, last year, on Sept. 13 in Cullowhee, N.C.
Don't Forget About the "D"
Despite Liberty's gaudy offensive numbers over the past three seasons, the Flames' defense has played a significant factor in the team's success, bringing a smile to head coach Danny Rocco's face, as he is a 20-plus year defensive coaching veteran. Since 2006, Liberty has held its opponents to an average of 18.3 points per game, bolstered by Rocco's first season when the Flames allowed a program-record low 172 points (15.6 points per game, which ranked No. 12 nationally in scoring defense).
Two Touchdown Favorites
Since taking over the program in 2006, head coach Danny Rocco's Flames have outscored their opponents by an average of 15.3 points per game. Liberty has scored 1,448 points (33.6 average points per game), while allowing 787 points (18.3 average points allowed per game).
Two or Less is Nice
For the sixth time this year, Liberty kept an opponent from scoring more than two touchdowns in a games, as Liberty only allowed the Keydets to find the end zone twice last Saturday night. The dominating defensive performances have allowed the Flames to enter this week ranked No. 16 nationally in scoring defense, as Liberty is allowing an average of 16.22 points per game. Since Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006, Liberty has kept 23 out of 43 opponents from scoring more than 14 points per game (53.5 percent).
Equally as Impressive
Liberty currently ranks No. 4 nationally in scoring offense (35.11 points per game) and No. 16 in scoring defense (16.22 points allowed per game). The Flames are one of six teams nationally who rank inside the Top 20 in both statistical categories, joining Elon, Jacksonville State, Northern Iowa, South Carolina and Southern Illinois among the nation's equally balanced programs.
Plentiful Points
During its outing on Oct. 17, Liberty rolled to a 58-13 victory over visiting Coastal Carolina. The 45-point victory was tied for the eighth-largest margin of victory in program history, as the Flames also accomplished the feat in a 45-0 shutout over Gallaudet on Sept. 25, 1976.
Dominating Defense
On Oct. 17, the Flames held Coastal Carolina to 175 total offensive yards, marking the second-fewest total offensive yards allowed by Liberty under head coach Danny Rocco (lowest was 57 yards during Rocco's first game in 2006 against St. Paul's). A further look at the box score reveals that 38 of those 175 total offensive yards came on Coastal Carolina's final drive late in the fourth quarter, after Liberty had pulled all of its defensive starters.
Diversifying their Downs
For the third time this year, Liberty finished a game with double-digit first down totals in both rushing and passing plays, as the Flames racked up 14 rushing and 14 passing first downs against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17. Coming into the year, Liberty had only accomplished the feat five times during head coach Danny Rocco's first three years at the helm of the program. Under Rocco, 50.9 percent of Liberty's first downs have come via rushing plays (420), 42.2 have come via the passing game (348) and 6.8 percent by penalties (56).
Moving Those Chains
One of the busiest crews on the field during a Liberty football game in 2008 was the "chain gang." Liberty finished the campaign ranked No. 3 nationally in third-down conversion rate, moving the chains 50.98 percent of the time on third-down plays. The high conversion rate allowed Liberty to set a new program record with 258 first downs last season.
Under head coach Danny Rocco, Liberty has converted on 45.7 percent of third-down plays (244-of-534). This year, Liberty ranks inside the Top 30 again in third-down efficiency, as Liberty currently ranks No. 29, having picked up a new set of downs 41.59 percent of the time when the Flames find themselves in a third-down play (47-of-113).
Fourth-Down Frenzy
Liberty has found much success on fourth-down plays in 2009, converting on 5-of-7 fourth-down plays, which ranks No. 3 nationally in fourth-down conversion rate (71.43 percent). All five successful fourth-down conversions have eventually led to Liberty adding points to the scoreboard, including the West Virginia Wesleyan game, when Mike Brown scored on a fourth-and-goal play from the two-yard line during the third quarter.
Racking it Up for Rocco
Head coach Danny Rocco has brought a high-powered offense to Liberty, as the Flames have scored an average of 33.7 points per game since Rocco took over the program. The figure ranks 7.0 points per game ahead of the next highest scoring coach in program annals, as Sam Rutigliano's crew was able to score 26.7 points per game during his 11-year tenure.
Coach Avg. Points/Games
Danny Rocco 33.7 1,448/43
Sam Rutigliano 26.7 3,205/120
Rock Royer 24.2 145/6
Tom Dowling 20.9 1,524/73
Morgan Hout 20.8 1,040/50
Ken Karcher 20.6 1,382/67
John Cartwright 20.2 565/28
Halftime Help Uncommon
No. 6/7 James Madison held a 10-7 lead over Liberty, on Sept. 26, heading into the locker room, marking the third time the Flames have trailed at halftime in 2009. Prior to the 2009 season, the Flames had only trailed at halftime six times under head coach Danny Rocco. Under Rocco, Liberty has led in 33 games (76.7 percent), while the score has been tied four times. Liberty did rally to beat North Carolina Central on Sept. 12, marking the second time in nine games that Liberty overcame a halftime deficit to win under Rocco.
Third and Final Phase
Since the opening of training camp in August, head coach Danny Rocco has talked about dividing the 2009 season up into three distinct phases. The first phase was the Flames season-opener against West Virginia, followed by the remaining non-conference slate, which was phase two. The third and final phase is Liberty's Big South schedule, which makes up the final six games of the team's regular-season schedule.
Getting Back to Their Basics
During its most recent four home games, Liberty found success on the ground. The Flames rushed for 966 combined yards during the quartet of games, racking up 264 rushing yards against West Virginia Wesleyan on Oct. 3, 300 rushing yards against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17, 232 yards against Presbyterian and 170 yards against VMI. Since Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006, Liberty has rushed for 200 or more yards in a game 19 times (out of 43 games).
Rushing Toward the Top
Liberty scored five rushing touchdowns against Presbyterian on Oct. 31, marking the fourth time in five home games the Flames have scored four or more rushing touchdowns. On the year, Liberty has rushed for 27 touchdowns, which ranks second nationally in total team rushing touchdowns. The only other FCS program with more scoring runs in 2009 is Appalachian State, as the Mountaineers have rushed for 34 touchdowns this season. Liberty's 27 rushing touchdowns is tied for second nationally, as McNeese State has also had 27 scoring runs in 2009.
Home Turf Advantage
The Flames rushed for five touchdowns on Oct. 31 against Presbyterian, marking the fourth time in five home games the Flames had tallied four or more rushing touchdowns. In six home games this year, the Flames managed to run for 24 of their 27 team rushing touchdowns (88.8 percent). Liberty has recorded one rushing touchdown during each of its three road games in 2009.
Over the Century Mark
With Liberty's six rushing touchdowns against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17, Liberty moved over the century mark for rushing touchdowns under head coach Danny Rocco. During Rocco's 43 games as head coach on Liberty Mountain, the Flames have rushed for 111 touchdowns (2.6 rushing touchdowns per game), including 31 games with multiple rushing touchdowns.
Running over the Big South
With two rushing touchdowns against VMI last weekend, the Flames have now rushed for 50 touchdowns in Big South games coached by head coach Danny Rocco. On the flipside of the field, the Flames have only allowed 19 rushing touchdowns during conference contests, including just one in 2009 as Tim Maypray scored from one-yard out last weekend to mark the first opposing Big South player to rush for a touchdown against Liberty this year.
Running with the Flames
The Flames have been one of the nation's top FCS programs over the past seven seasons, as Liberty has ranked among the Top 30 rushing teams in the nation six out of the last seven years. During the time span, the Flames have surpassed the 2,000-yard mark six out of seven years and have averaged 2,167 rushing yards per season. In 2008, Liberty rushed for 2,562 yards and ranked No. 13 nationally in rushing yards per game (213.5).
Still Streaking
Mike Brown's touchdown run with 38 seconds left before halftime against VMI helped keep a streak alive, as the sophomore scored on a one-yard run on Liberty's final possession of the opening period, last weekend. The scoring run kept a streak alive, as Liberty has rushed for a touchdown in 38-straight games and in 41 out of 43 games under head coach Danny Rocco.
Stopping the Run
Liberty was one of the nation's top FCS programs in terms of rushing defense in 2008, finishing the year ranked No. 35 nationally in the statistical category by allowing 125.92 rushing yards per game. The figure was good enough to best a school record, bettering the 2002 squad, who held opponents to 128.5 rushing yards per game.
Four times this year, the Flames have held an opponent from reaching 100 team rushing yards, doing so against North Carolina Central (43 yards), Lafayette (70 yards), Coastal Carolina (40 yards) and Presbyterian (58 yards). Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames have held an opponent under the 100-yard rushing mark in 20 out of 43 games.
Stopping them where it Counts
Liberty is allowing a few extra rushing yards in 2009, as the Flames currently rank No. 59 nationally in rushing defense (140.8 average rushing yards allowed per game). However, the Flames have only allowed eight rushing touchdowns through nine games, which has the Flames tied for No. 22 nationally in fewest total rushing touchdowns allowed.
Can't Contain the Keydets
Much like the rest of their opponents, the Flames were unable to keep the Keydets from running all over the field last weekend. VMI, who currently ranks No. 2 nationally in rushing offense (254.89 average rushing yards per game), managed to rush for 250 yards against Liberty. Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames have only allowed an opponent to rush for 200 or more yards eight times, with half of the those occurrences taking place in four meetings with VMI.
Running Game Wrapped Up
Liberty's high-powered rushing attack experienced an unusual outing in Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 24, as the Flames were held to 55 rushing yards on 30 attempts (1.8 average yards per rush). The team rushing figure was the lowest since head coach Danny Rocco took over the program (previous low was 58 yards in a 10-3 loss at Towson in 2006).
Powerful Passing Attack
Three Liberty quarterbacks combined to record 275 passing yards against one of the nation's best passing defenses during the Flames' home game on Oct. 17. Liberty's "B" hurlers (Tommy Beecher, Mike Brown and Tyler Brennan) completed 19-of-24 passing attempts for 275 yards against the Chanticleers, which came into the game ranked No. 3 nationally in passing defense. Prior to the matchup, Coastal Carolina was holding opponents to 126.2 passing yards per game.
Nation's Leading Passers
Liberty's quarterbacks combined to complete 17-of-29 passing attempts against VMI, last weekend, which dropped the Flames team completion percentage below 70 percent. Despite falling below the lofty mark, Liberty still leads the nation in team completion percentage, as Liberty's hurlers are throwing at a 69.4 percent completion rate in 2009 (163-of-235). The figure ranks just ahead of Appalachian State, who is passing at a 69.9 completion rate (187-of-271).
Getting the Job Done
During its last three home games, the Flames have taken full advantage of their possession, adding points to the scoreboard almost every time they have the ball. Outside of the drives which ended the first or second halves, Liberty has scored 28 times out of 38 drives against Coastal Carolina (9-of-10), Presbyterian (9-of-13) and VMI (10-of-15).
Finding a Different Way
Liberty might have reached the 50-point mark for the third-straight game in its 54-14 win over VMI, last weekend, but the Flames did so in somewhat of a different manor. Liberty only scored three offensive touchdowns during the 40-point victory, as the remaining 33 points was scored by the defense and special teams units.
Big-Time Bursts
During two of their last three home games, the Flames managed to put points up on the scoreboard in a hurry. Against Coastal Carolina, Liberty scored 42-unanswered points over a 15-minute period, opening up a 10-point game at the time on Oct. 17. Last weekend, Liberty lead 27-14 against VMI until the Flames scored 27-straight points over an 11-minute period in the fourth quarter to secure their 54-14 win over the Kedyets.
Fewer Flags against the Keydets
The only statistical category the Flames seem to be struggling in during their two games leading up to the VMI matchup was in the penalty column. Liberty was whistled for eight penalties for 45 yards against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17 and 11 infractions for 105 yards against Presbyterian on Oct. 31. The penalty totals marked the fifth time Liberty has finished a game with 10 or more penalties under head coach Danny Rocco and the fourth time with more than a 100 penalty yards. Liberty managed to drop the figures slightly against the Keydets, as the team was called for five infractions for 35 yards, last weekend. The Flames enter Saturday's game with Gardner-Webb ranked No. 21 nationally in fewest penalties per game (5.22) and No. 16 in fewest penalty yards per game (42.78).
Taking Better Care of the Ball
During the 2008 season, Liberty finished nine out of 12 games with a positive turnover margin, enabling the Flames to finish the year ranked No. 21 nationally in the statistical category (+0.67). Head coach Danny Rocco has tried to instill the importance of taking care of the ball on his youngsters, as Liberty ranked No. 7 in turnover margin in 2007 (+1.27) and No. 20 in 2006 (+0.55).
Tops in Turnover Margin
Following a game where VMI committed eight turnovers while not giving the ball away once, Liberty now ranks No. 1 nationally in turnover margin in 2009 (2.22). The Flames have seen their opponents give the ball away 27 times this year, while Liberty has committed just seven giveaways. The Flames currently rank ahead of Southern in the statistical category, as the Jaguars are holding to a 2.00 turnover margin in 2009.
Making the Most of the Freebies
Last weekend, the Flames saw VMI turn the ball over eight times, as the Keydets fumbled the ball away six times and Liberty intercepted two passes. The Flames took advantage of the extra opportunities with the football, as 30 of the Flames 54 points scored came following VMI turnovers.
Winning the Turnover Battle
West Virginia is one of eight teams to finish a game coached by Danny Rocco with fewer turnovers than the Flames. Liberty turned the ball over once on an interception, while West Virginia never coughed the ball up. Since 2006, Liberty has a +49 turnover figure as compared to its opponents, as Liberty has committed 45 turnovers, while forcing 94 giveaways.
Liberty has finished three games in 2009 without committing a turnover, doing so against Lafayette, Coastal Carolina and VMI. Since Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006, Liberty has finished 15 games (out of 42 total games) without committing a turnover.
Fewer Fumbles in 2009
For the sixth time this year, Liberty finished a game without fumbling the ball away, helping the Flames to a 54-14 victory over VMI, last weekend. With just three total fumbles lost in 2009, Liberty currently ranks No. 3 nationally in fewest fumbles lost. The Flames rank behind Lafayette and Youngstown State who lead the nation with just two fumbles loss.
Riding the TOP Yo-Yo
After finishing the West Virginia Wesleyan game on Oct. 3 with an 11:36 time of possession deficit, Liberty had a 180-degree turnabout against Coastal Carolina during its next trip out onto the field. The Flames dominated the game in almost every facet of the contest, including time of possession. Liberty finished the game with a 12:24 time of possession edge (36:12 to 23:48), accounting for the fifth time Liberty has finished a Danny Rocco-coached game with a double-digit time of possession advantage.
Plenty of Picks
Liberty has intercepted a pass in eight-straight games, including two picks against VMI, last weekend. The Flames picked off a season-best four passes against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17, which marked the third time the Flames have accomplished the feat under head coach Danny Rocco. The Flames currently rank No. 3 nationally with 17 total interceptions in 2009.
Pick Pays Off
Ian Childress recorded one of two interceptions for the Flames on Saturday and the senior returned the errant pass 34 yards for a score to give the Flames a 17-7 lead over VMI early in the second quarter. The interception return for a score was the first for a Flames defender since Ryan Greiser returned an interception 35 yards against Toledo on Oct. 6, 2007.
No Giveaways through Air
For the fourth-straight game and sixth time this season, the Flames finished a game without committing an interception in their 54-4 victory over VMI, last weekend. Through the first nine games of the year, Liberty's quarterbacks have thrown just four interceptions, which has the Flames ranked No. 3 nationally in fewest interceptions thrown.
Tying Last Year's New Standard
Liberty finished the last four games of 2008 without throwing an interception, tying a program record. The Flames were one of the most careful passing teams in the country in 2008, ranking No. 7 nationally in passing efficiency (158.81). Under head coach Danny Rocco, Liberty's quarterbacks have thrown just 22 interceptions in 43 games (0.51 per game). Over the last four games, the Flames have matched the mark, as Liberty has gone four games without tossing an interception.
Streeter Streamlines the Passers
Under quarterback coach and now offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, Liberty has been one of the most effective passing units in the country of late. Since joining head coach Danny Rocco's staff, Streeter has seen his quarterbacks throw at a 63.6 completion percentage clip, completing 642-of-1,011 passing attempts for 8,245 yards and 53 touchdowns. During the span, Liberty has averaged 191.7 passing yards per game and has a passing efficiency rating of 144.95 since 2006.
Big Shoes to Fill
The quarterbacking tandem of Tommy Beecher and Mike Brown have been tasked with the lofty goal of trying to replace one of Liberty's best quarterbacks. Brock Smith, who is a student assistant on this year's staff, finished his days in a Liberty uniform by ranking third in passing yards (7,036) and second in passing touchdowns (50) and completion percentage (60.0) in program history. The left-handed hurler also finished his career as the program's all-time leader in passing efficiency (148.1), nearly 16 points higher than Robby Justino's previous mark of 132.6.
A QB's Best Friend
Liberty has allowed 11 sacks in nine games in 2009. West Virginia got to Liberty's quarterback three times, while James Madison, Charleston Southern and Presbyterian finished with two sacks each. Coastal Carolina and VMI also added just one sack. The Flames' offensive line kept Liberty's hurlers from being sacked against North Carolina Central, Lafayette and West Virginia Wesleyan, which has the Flames ranked No. 18 nationally in fewest sacks allowed (1.18 per game).
Liberty, who finished the 2008 season ranked No. 3 in sacks allowed, has allowed less than a sack per game (0.86/37 in 43 games) since head coach Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006 and has finished 18 games during that span without allowing a sack.
The Sack Attack
Liberty had its second multiple-sack game of 2009 against Coastal Carolina, when the Flames finished the contest with three sacks for a loss of 29 total yards on Oct. 17. The contest marked the 15th time Liberty has finished a Danny Rocco-coached football game with three or more sacks. Under Rocco, the Flames have averaged 1.79 sacks per game (77 total) for an average loss of 13.98 yards per game (601 total yards lost on sacks). However, the Flames have finished the last three games without recording a sack against Charleston Southern, Presbyterian and VMI.
Protecting the Pass
For the sixth time this year, Liberty held an opponent's passing attack under 200 yards, when Liberty kept VMI to just 85 passing yards, last weekend. Entering Saturday's game against VMI, the Flames currently rank No. 22 nationally in passing defense, as the Flames are holding their opposing quarterbacks to 167.78 passing yards per game.
Not Scoring Through the Air
If opposing offensive coordinators are looking for a way to score against Liberty's defense, the passing attack is not their best option. Liberty currently ranks No. 5 nationally in fewest passing touchdowns allowed in 2009, as the Flames defense has allowed just eight passing touchdowns through their first nine games.
Total Team Effort
During its last three home games, Liberty's defense has been stout, keeping both Coastal Carolina, Presbyterian and VMI from reaching the 20-point mark. The dominating defensive performances have been a team effort, as no one single player racked up great defensive numbers. Against Coastal Carolina, the leading tacklers on the team were Trey Jacobs and Doncel Bolt, with both players finishing the game with five stops apiece. On Oct. 31, Bolt was above atop the defensive stat sheet with six stops against the Blue Hose, while Chad Brown led the team last weekend with nine stops.
Red Zone Rapport
Liberty currently ranks among the Top 20 teams in the nation in red zone offense, scoring on an average of 92.7 percent of its trips inside the opponent's red zone. Of Liberty's 41 trips inside its opponents' 20-yard line, Liberty has scored 29 touchdowns and kicked nine field goals, which leave Liberty ranked No. 4 nationally in red zone scoring (38-of-41). Since 2006, Liberty has added points to the scoreboard 84.0 percent of the time under head coach Danny Rocco (163-of-194 Red Zone opportunities) when penetrating the opponents' 20-yard line.
Making It Count
Liberty finished the VMI game 4-of-4 on red zone scoring chances, marking the seventh game this season Liberty has been perfect in the red zone. Entering Saturday's Gardner-Webb contest, Liberty has scored on 30-straight trips into the red zone, spanning six games. Liberty's recent successes inside the opponent's 20-yard line have helped the Flames increase their red zone efficiency to 92.7 percent, which ranks No. 4 nationally in the statistical category (38-of-41).
Two of the Nation's Best
If the ball managed to cross the 20-yard line this weekend in Boiling Springs, N.C., there is a pretty good chance someone is going to score. Gardner-Webb and Liberty are two of the nation's best red zone offenses, as the Bulldogs rank No. 3 in the statistical category (93.5 percent) and the Flames rank No. 4 (92.7 percent). Liberty is more likely to score a touchdown, as 76.3 percent of the Flames red zone scoring has been a touchdown (29 touchdowns), while Gardner-Webb is adding seven points 65.5 percent of their red zone scoring chances (19 touchdowns).
Tough Inside the 20
Liberty currently ranks as one of the nation's best red zone defenses, as the Flames have allowed opponents to score just 62.5 percent of the time (20-of-32). The figure puts the Flames No. 4 nationally in red zone defense. Of those 20 scoring drives that have penetrated the 20-yard line, nine have failed to find the end zone, as opponents had to settle for a field goal.
Bend but Don't Break
Charleston Southern tied an opponent season high with five trips inside the Flames' red zone on Oct. 24. However, Liberty's defense held strong, allowing just one touchdown and two field goals to help secure the road victory for the Flames. The following weekend, the Flames allowed a passing touchdown and a field goal when Presbyterian drove inside the 20-yard line. During their last outing, VMI drove into the red zone four times and came away with just one touchdown. On the season, the Flames currently rank No. 16 in fewest red zone touchdowns allowed in the country (11).
First Down Anomaly
Presbyterian did something only one other team has accomplished in 2009, as the Blue Hose tied West Virginia for the most first downs recorded in a game against the Flames (both finished with 22). The figure was certainly unique, as Liberty ranks among the nation's leaders in first down defense (tied for No. 22 by allowing an average of 16.11 first downs per game).
The Ideal Job
If you are looking for the "cushy" job on the Flames roster in 2009, you need not look any further than Flames punter Mike Larsson. The sophomore has been called upon to punt 34 times over the course of the first nine games, making Liberty the team with the 11th-fewest punts in the nation. Last year, Liberty did even better in the statistical category, as the Flames finished the 2008 season with 33 punts over 12 games, which ranked fourth nationally in terms of fewest punts for the year.
Bucs Make the Flames Boot the Ball
Liberty's Mike Larsson was called upon more times during the Charleston Southern game than any other time during his two years with the program. The sophomore finished the game with six punts for 207 yards, marking the most team punts since Liberty was forced to punt eight times against Elon on Sept. 22, 2007 (spanning 25 games).
Top Ranked Punt Protection
Liberty's limited number of punts in 2009 has also hampered the opposition's chances to rack up punt return yardage. Only nine of Liberty's 34 punts in 2009 have been returned for a total of 24 punt return yards, leaving the Flames ranked No. 5 nationally in punt return yardage defense (2.67 yards per punt return). There are only nine other FCS programs around the country who have allowed less than six punt returns in 2009.
Fresh New Faces
Liberty has one of its younger teams since head coach Danny Rocco took over the program in 2006. Of the various players listed on the Flames' current depth chart leading into the Gardner-Webb game, eight are true freshmen and 37 have underclassman status.
New to the Starting Line-Up
Liberty graduated 24 seniors last year, leaving several holes for head coach Danny Rocco to fill in his 2009 line-up. Of the 22 players who took to the field for the first offensive and defensive snap of the Flames' matchup with West Virginia on Sept. 5, only seven were listed as starters on Liberty's line-up in their opener against North Greenville in 2008 (LG – Bryan Mosier, RT – Josh Weaver, FB – Derek Bishop, DE – Trey Jacobs, SLB – Ian Childress, JLB – Chad Brown, LS – Chris Rocco).
The Ground Game Is Good
The Flames have scored 27 of their 35 touchdowns in 2009 via the ground, including single rushing touchdowns against West Virginia, Lafayette and Charleston Southern, two rushing touchdowns against VMI, four touchdowns against North Carolina Central, five rushing touchdowns against Presbyterian and a season-high six rushing touchdowns against West Virginia Wesleyan and Coastal Carolina.
Special Special Teams
Liberty's special teams certainly played a part in the success of the team against West Virginia on Sept. 5, as the Flames continually pressed toward Mountaineer territory by averaging 23.0 yards per kickoff return. Great special teams play from the Flames is certainly nothing strange on Liberty Mountain, as the Flames finished 2008 ranked No. 12 nationally in punt returns (14.61 average yards per return) and No. 21 in kickoff returns (22.05 average yards per return). Liberty's specialists also tallied three returns for a score last season, retuning one kickoff and two punt returns for touchdowns.
Hewlett Has His Way
Aaron Hewlett gave Liberty its first special teams touchdown of the year, when the redshirt senior returned a kickoff 80 yards for a score the first time the Flames touched the football against VMI, last weekend. The last time Liberty had returned a kickoff was against North Greenville in the Flames 2008 opener when Jonathan Crawford returned a kickoff 76 yards.
Joining the Group
Aaron Hewlett's 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against VMI last weekend helped Liberty join an elite national group. Only one of 29 FCS programs have returned a kickoff in 2009 and no teams have returned multiple kickoffs for a score.
Dirty Dozen
The Flames finished the VMI game with a season-high 167 total special teams return yards, besting the Flames 161 yards against West Virginia in the season opener. The figure marked the 12th time the Flames have finished a game with more than 150 total special teams return yards during head coach Danny Rocco's four-year tenure with the program. Following the game, Liberty currently ranks No. 13 nationally in average yards per kickoff return (23.59).
Fogg Finds the Football
Kevin Fogg did something only one other Flame had done during head coach Danny Rocco's time with the program. The true freshman was at the right place at the right time when VMI muffed a punt return and the ball bound into the end zone. Fogg pounced on the ball and was credited with a fumble return for a touchdown, which was the team's first since Alonzia Phillips returned a fumble 43 yards for a score against VMI on Nov. 18, 2006.
Keeping Them Out of the Backfield
During the 2008 season, the Flames kept their opponents from recording three or more tackles for a loss in eight out of 12 games. Liberty finished the season ranked No. 4 nationally in fewest tackles for a loss allowed, as the Flames allowed just 3.58 TFLs per game en route to a 10-2 season. Liberty is having similar success in 2009, as the Flames have allowed 42 tackles for a loss in nine games, which places the Flames No. 15 nationally in the statistical category (4.67 per game).
Big South's Best
For the fourth-straight week, Liberty had a player recognized by the Big South Conference, as Matt Bevins took home Big South Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the second time this year on Monday. Liberty has now received 12 weekly honors throughout the 2009 season, which is more than any other program in the league. Gardner-Webb ranks second behind the Flames with nine weekly award winners during this year's campaign.
Larsson's Large Numbers
Mike Larsson finished the Charleston Southern game with career-high numbers in total punts (6) and total punt yardage (207), helping him earn Big South Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the second time this year. One of his six punts sailed 71 yards, marking the third longest punt in program history (bettering Ben Rogers' 68-yard punt against Samford in 1999) and the second longest in Big South history (matching Gardner-Webb's Graham Whitlock, who booted a 71-yard against Liberty on Oct. 5, 2002, in the first-ever Big South game).
Pin-Point Accuracy
Mike Larsson has been called upon a limited number of times in 2009, but when the punter does come onto the field, he has been key to Liberty's success. The sophomore has placed 15 of his 33 punts in 2009 inside the opponent's 20-yard line, while booting three punts for more than 50 yards. For his career, Larsson has placed 21 out of 50 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line (42.0 percent).
Linebacker Loom Large
The 3-4 defensive scheme depends heavily upon the play of its linebackers and Liberty is no exception to the rule. Four of the Flames' top five tacklers are from the linebacking corps, led by middle linebacker Doncel Bolt, who has 55 stops on the season. Wes Cheek follows Bolt, as the former running back has tallied 53 stops through eight games. Following defensive back Chris Rocco and his 45 stops, linebackers Chad Brown and Ian Childress follow with 42 stops each, rounding out Liberty's top five tacklers.
Brown Listed Among the Best
With his 157 receiving yards against West Virginia on Sept. 5, Mike Brown became the 44th player in program history to eclipse the 100-receiving yard mark in a game. His 157 receiving yards is the 18th best single-game performance in program history and the seventh best in the past 10 years.
Summers Shines at Lafayette
Chris Summers had a breakout performance against Lafayette, one that left his mark on the record books. The sophomore, who came into the game with five career receptions for 58 yards, caught 14 passes for 138 yards and his first collegiate touchdown versus the Leopards. The 14 receptions is tied for the Big South record for receptions in a game (along with 14 by Gardner-Webb's Duvaughn Flagler against Wofford) while the figure ranks just behind Liberty's all-time record of 15 receptions by Josh Stofle against South Florida in 2001.
Coming Fast and Furious
Coming into the season, head coach Danny Rocco had not seen one of his players finish a game with double-figure receptions. Wynton Jackson was the last Flame to accomplish the feat with 12 catches for 100 yards against Youngstown State on Sept. 17, 2005. Earlier this year, the double-digit games are coming in bunches. Mike Brown accomplished the feat with 11 receptions for 157 yards against West Virginia, while Chris Summers hauled in 14 receptions for 138 yards against Lafayette on Sept. 19.
Spreading the Wealth
Mike Brown and Chris Summers picked up a majority of the wide receiver work against VMI, last weekend, as Brown led the team with six catches for 36 yards and Summers caught four balls for 46 yards. Seven other players managed to squeeze in a reception, giving the Flames nine different players to catch a pass during the 54-14 victory over the Keydets. Spreading the wealth has been a theme for the Flames this year, as Liberty has finished six out of nine games in 2009 with seven or more players catching a pass.
Welcome to the Club
B.J. Hayes joined an exclusive club on Sept. 12, when he rushed for 129 yards on 11 carries against North Carolina Central. The stellar effort in Liberty's home opener allowed the sophomore to become the 30th player in program history to rush for 100 or more yards in a single game.
Big Time Gain for B.J.
During the fourth quarter of Liberty's home-opening victory over North Carolina Central, B.J. Hayes broke free for a 74-yard touchdown run to help swing the momentum in the favor of the Flames. The lengthy run was the seventh longest rushing touchdown in program history and is tied for the 11th longest rushing play in Big South history.
Alright Allen
Aldreakis Allen had a breakout game against West Virginia Wesleyan, as the freshman rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns to help his team to a 38-point victory. The rookie became the second Flame this season and the 31st in program history to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark, while averaging 11.2 yards per carry.
Backing It Up
Aldreakis Allen proved that he is not a one-time wonder, when the freshman rushed for a season-best 106 yards and three touchdowns against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17. The rookie also added 83 receiving yards and 14 kickoff return yards, to finish the game with an impressive 203 all-purpose yards. For his efforts, Allen was tabbed the Big South's Freshman of the Week, his second-such honor of the 2009 season.
Rookie Ranking
Aldreakis Allen rushed for two more touchdowns against Presbyterian on Oct. 31, giving the freshman nine rushing touchdowns during his first collegiate season. Allen is averaging 6.00 points per game, which ranks No. 10 in terms of freshman scoring in the country. Of the 10 freshmen who rank ahead of Allen, eight are kickers. The only non-kicking freshmen to rank higher than Allen in scoring are quarterback Nick Doscher (7.56 points per game) and running back Dominique Williams (6.86 points per game), who both hail from Wagner.
Broggin's Big Run
Danny Broggin was one of four players to record a rushing touchdown for the Flames on Oct. 3, helping Liberty to a 45-7 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan. The 13-yard scoring run was the third longest rushing play of his career and marked the junior's first career trip across the goal line. The Brookneal, Va., native finished the game with four rushing attempts for 38 yards, nearly giving Liberty four runners with a 10.0-plus yard average run in the contest.
Danny Does It Again
Following a solid game against West Virginia Wesleyan, Danny Broggin showed his explosiveness once against Coastal Carolina. The junior finished off one of three one-play scoring drives for Liberty, as the running back broke free for an 82-yard rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The scoring burst was the second-longest touchdown run in program history, falling only behind Chip Smith's 86-yarder against Ferrum in 1976.
Holloway Has His Way
SirChauncey Holloway became the third player this season to finish a game with multiple rushing touchdowns. The rookie joined Mike Brown and Aldreakis Allen on the list, as he scored twice on runs of one and 14 yards against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17. He finished the game with 10 carries for 53 yards, after tallying just seven rushing attempts for 30 yards during the first five games of the year.
Better Against the Blue Hose
After a solid outing against Coastal Carolina, SirChauncey Holloway upped his numbers against Presbyterian, helping him earn Big South Freshman of the Week honors. The running back led the Flames rushing attack, which rushed for 232 yards and five touchdowns during the victory. Individually, Holloway finished the game with career high marks in carries (12) and rushing yards (99). The rookie scored twice, marking his second multiple rushing touchdown game of the year and pushes his season total to five scoring runs. The yardage figure against the Blue Hose more than doubled his career output coming into the game, as he had rushed 19 times for 86 yards in four previous contests.
Mike Makes It Happen
Mike Brown started his second game of the year at one of Liberty's wide receiver positions against North Carolina Central, on Sept. 12. However, the sophomore was called upon to take over for quarterback Tommy Beecher in the second quarter and finished the game by completing 10-of-12 passing attempts for 71 yards. Prior to the game, Brown had completed just 2-of-4 career passing attempts for 25 yards.
No Sophomore Slump Here
Proving his outing against North Carolina Central was no fluke, Mike Brown had a banner day in his first start under center for the Flames. Against Lafayette, the sophomore completed 29-of-36 pass attempts for 242 yards and his second career touchdown pass.
The 29 completions are tied for the sixth most in the program's single-game history and rank No. 10 on the Big South's single-game list. Brown's 80.6 completion percentage is now the No. 6 mark in Big South history.
Nearly Perfect Passing
In his first career start at quarterback, Mike Brown nearly went to the locker room with a perfect completion percentage. The sophomore completed his first 10 passing attempts for the game and did not miss until an incorrectly run route by Ervin Garner forced the Flames to punt the ball away.
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