Game Day Central: Ball State
9/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Ball State Game Notes (PDF Version)
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Today's Game
Both the Flames and the Cardinals enter Saturday's game with a 1-0 record, following season opening victories, last week. On Thursday, Ball State opened the year with a 27-10 victory over Southeast Missouri State at home, while the Flames began the year with a 52-7 win over St. Francis, Pa., Saturday, at Lynchburg City Stadium.
Series with Ball State
Saturday's game will mark the first meeting in the series between Liberty and Ball State. The Cardinals will be the first of two first-time opponents that Liberty will face in 2010, as the Flames will also square off against Robert Morris next weekend for the first time.
Against the MAC
Although Saturday's meeting is the first time that Liberty has met Ball State, it is not the first time the Flames have squared off against a current member of the Mid-American Conference. Liberty is 2-6 all-time against the current membership, having posted wins over Buffalo and Eastern Michigan.
Liberty has recorded a victory over FBS opponent before, as the Flames shocked Eastern Michigan, 25-24, in Ypsilanti, Mich., on Oct. 14, 1989, for Liberty's only victory over a FBS program. The Flames' win over Buffalo, a 27-24 victory on Oct. 24, 1998, took place when the Bulls were still competing at the FCS level.
Akron - 0-1
Bowling Green - 0-1
Buffalo - 1-0
Eastern Michigan - 1-0
Kent State - 0-1
Toledo - 0-3
Total - 2-6
Rocco Is Better Against the Best
Despite a 13-point loss to West Virginia on Sept. 5, 2009, the Flames are still showing marked improvement under head coach Danny Rocco against the nation's elite programs. Since taking over the program, Liberty has dropped its three games against FBS programs by a combined 34 points (Wake Forest/34-14, Toledo/35-34, West Virginia/33-20). Prior to Rocco's arrival on Liberty Mountain, Liberty lost its last FBS contest by 59 points, in a 59-0 shutout against Connecticut on Sept. 10, 2005.
Back Against the Best
The Flames' 2008 schedule snapped a near-decade run against the nation's top level of collegiate football, as Liberty had faced a FBS opponent in nine-straight seasons. Prior to 2008, the last time Liberty did not have a FBS opponent on its slate was in 1998.
During the nine-year run, Liberty faced programs such as South Florida, Marshall, UCF, Akron, Toledo, Bowling Green, Kent State, Connecticut and Wake Forest. In 2009, Liberty opened the season at West Virginia, falling 34-20 to the BIG EAST powerhouse in Morgantown, W.Va.
The Flames are slated to continue their run against FBS foes in years to come, as Liberty has N.C. State (2011), Wake Forest (2012) and Kent State (2013) currently on future schedules.
Saturday Night Lights
Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames are 14-4 in night games. Since 1976, Liberty has compiled a 56-66-3 record in night games.
In Broad Daylight
Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames are 19-9 in games played during the day. Since 1976, Liberty is 121-116-1 in day games.
Natural Versus Artificial Surfaces
Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames are 24-10 on artificial turf and 9-3 on natural grass. Overall, Liberty is 100-108-4 on natural grass and 84-78 on artificial turf. The Flames play their home games at Williams Stadium, which has an artificial surface, as new state-of-the-art FieldTurf was installed prior to the start of the 2006 season. Liberty has posted a 21-4 record at home since the new type of surface was installed.
Overtime Update
The Flames enter Saturday's game having posted a 3-5 record in overtime games. Liberty's last overtime game came on Sept. 15, 2007, when the Flames dropped a 48-41 decision to William & Mary in double overtime in Williamsburg, Va. Liberty has only played two of its eight overtime games away from Williams Stadium. Liberty's first extra-period game was a 34-28 road loss to Morgan State on Sept. 21, 1996. Liberty's last victory in an overtime contest came on Nov. 22, 2003, when it closed out the 2003 campaign with a 49-42 home win over Hofstra.
Back in the Big South
Liberty is currently in the midst of its ninth season of competition in Big South Conference action, and is set to open league play against Charleston Southern at home on Oct. 9. Since beginning league play in 2002, Liberty has posted a 23-11 Big South record, thanks to perfect championship seasons in 2007 (4-0) and 2008 (5-0) and a shared Big South title in 2009 (5-1).
Liberty series records against Big South schools since 2002
Charleston Southern 7-1
Coastal Carolina 4-3
Elon (game from 2002) 0-1
Gardner-Webb 4-4
Presbyterian (since 2009) 1-0
Stony Brook 1-1
VMI 6-1
Raising Up No. 71
Prior to the start of the Flames' contest against Tusculum on Sept. 1, 2007, Liberty ceremonially honored founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, who had passed away the previous May, by starting a new game day tradition. Members of the University Police force raised a No. 71 flag underneath the Liberty Flames flag above the South end zone at Williams Stadium, just prior to the team taking the field, bringing the 14,925 fans in attendance to their feet. The new tradition has become a permanent part of the Flames' pregame ceremonies at all home football games. A different person/group receives the honor of raising the flag at each game.
Rocco's Road Record
Head coach Danny Rocco has put a strong emphasis on the importance of road victories since taking over the program in 2006. During his four years at Liberty, Rocco has guided the Flames to an 11-9 road record, including a 4-1 mark away from Williams Stadium in 2008.
Rocco Draws National Attention
Head coach Danny Rocco's efforts in 2008 and 2009 did not go unnoticed on the national scene, as the three-time Big South Coach of the Year recipient saw his name listed among the nation's elite both seasons. Rocco was a Top 5 finalist in the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year contest in the I-AA category in 2008 and 2009. Rocco also became the second coach in Big South history to be named to the Eddie Robinson Award list, as he was one of 20 coaches up for the top FCS coaching honor in the country for both seasons.
City Stadium Flashback
Due to an extensive renovation project to Williams Stadium, Liberty moved last weekend's season-opening football game against St. Francis, Pa., to Lynchburg City Stadium. The facility is no stranger to Liberty, as the Flames played all of their home games at City Stadium from the inception of the program in 1973 until Williams Stadium opened in 1989. During their 17-year stay at City Stadium, Liberty posted a 43-35-1 record on the historic grass gridiron.
Evening the Record
For the sixth time in the last seven years, Liberty opened up its season with a win, picking up a 52-7 victory over St. Francis, Pa., on Saturday. The lone season-opening loss during the span was a 13-point setback to West Virginia, 33-20, in Morgantown, W.Va., last year. Liberty is now 4-1 under head coach Danny Rocco in season openers and 19-19 overall in the 38-year history of the program.
Tied for Second and Climbing
With the victory on Saturday against St. Francis, Pa., Liberty moved to 33-13 under head coach Danny Rocco. The five-year skipper currently is tied for second on Liberty's all-time coaching win chart, as he shares the spot with Tom Dowling (33-38-2/1977-83). Liberty's all-time winningest coach is Sam Rutigliano, who posted a 67-53 record during 11 years with the program (1989-99).
Moving On Up
Following is 52-7 victory over St. Francis, Pa., this past weekend, Liberty moved up two spots in both FCS weekly polls. The Flames enter this week ranked No. 18 in the FCS Coaches poll and No. 19 in the Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 listing. For the first time under head coach Danny Rocco, Liberty received a preseason national ranking in both polls (No. 20 in FCS Coaches and No. 21 in Sports Network).
A Rankings Review
Dating back to the second week of the 2008 season, Liberty has been ranked inside the Top 25 for 23 out of the last 31 weekly polls (including preseason and end of the year rankings). Following their victory over Glenville State on Sept. 6, 2008, The Flames jumped into the Top 25 at No. 25 and remained there the rest of the season. Liberty was in and out of the polls in 2009, as the Flames received a Top 25 billing in nine of the 13 polls released last season.
Three Times as Nice
Liberty became the second program in Big South Conference history to win three-straight Big South titles, when it captured a share of the conference crown in 2009. Last year, the Flames shared the crown with Stony Brook, while winning the title outright in 2007 and 2008 and posting a 14-1 conference record during the span. Coastal Carolina accomplished the same feat, winning outright conference titles in 2004 and 2006 and a shared championship in 2005 (with Charleston Southern).
Best in the Big South
For the fourth-straight season, Liberty is predicted to win the Big South Conference title. Liberty finished atop the Big South Preseason Poll, earning 103 points in the annual ranking that is selected by the league's head coaches and a media panel. The Flames garnered 13 out of 15 first-place votes, while Stony Brook finished second in the listing with 81 points.
Brown is Back on Top
Mike Brown has been selected the Big South Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, as announced at Big South Football Media Day in July. The quarterback was the first sophomore in league history to be named Offensive Player of the Year, last season, when he finished second in the league with 11 total touchdowns (nine rushing and two receiving). Brown ranked second on the squad in rushing yards (442) and led the team with 698 receiving yards on 60 receptions.
Bending it with Bevins
Matt Bevins, a consensus first-team All-America kicker in 2009, finds himself atop most rankings coming into this 2010 season. The junior has been named to the Sports Network Preseason All-America first-team squad and to the 2010 Fred Mitchell Award watch list. Last year, Bevins set a new program and Big South Conference record by scoring 107 points. He ranked No. 1 in the country in field goals (2.00 per game) and No. 3 in scoring (9.73 points per game).
Big Time Prize
For the first time in league history, the winner of the Big South Conference will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA FCS Playoffs. In 2010, the NCAA FCS Playoffs will expand from 16 teams to 20 selections, creating an extra round of playoff games to be contested during the opening weekend of Nov. 27.
Stony Brook is Staying
On Sept. 1, the Big South Conference announced a contract extension with Stony Brook, keeping the associate member in the league for football for another four years. Stony Brook first joined the league in 2008 and its membership will extend through the 2015 season. In just two seasons, Stony Brook has posted an 9-3 Big South record (4-2 in 2008 and 5-1 in 2009) and claimed a share of the Big South title in 2009.
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 fifth year at the helm of the program. Liberty was 4-2 under Rocco at home in 2006, a perfect 6-0 in 2007, 6-1 under Rocco in 2008 and 5-1 on Liberty Mountain in 2009.
Oh What a Run
Head coach Danny Rocco enters the 2010 season having posted a 16-3 record against Big South teams since taking over the program in 2006. Liberty's three Big South losses under Rocco have come by a combined eight points. Liberty lost two Big South games during Rocco's first season, falling to Coastal Carolina (28-26/10-28-06) and Gardner-Webb (27-24/10-21-06), and dropped the 2009 season finale at Stony Brook (36-33/11-21-09).
Trying to be the First
Liberty enters the 2010 season trying to become the first program in Big South history to win four conference titles in a row. Coastal Carolina and Liberty have each won three-straight titles. The Chanticleers won outright titles in 2004 and 2006, while sharing the title with Charleston Southern in 2005. Liberty won outright titles in 2007 and 2008, before sharing the conference crown with Stony Brook, last season.
Offensive Explosion
Under first-year offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, a younger Liberty squad surprised many around the country, as the Flames led all FCS programs in scoring in 2009. Liberty finished the season with 400 points scored, which ranked No. 1 in the nation in FCS scoring offense (36.36). Liberty has reached the 400-point mark the last three years, including the 2007 season where they finished with a program-best 469 points scored. Liberty is off to a good start in 2010, after scoring 52 points in a 52-7 win over St. Francis, Pa., last week. The Flames were one of nine FCS programs around the country to cross the 50-point threshold during the opening weekend of college football.
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 34.4 points per game since Rocco took over the program. The figure ranks 7.7 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 34.4 1,584/46
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
Running with the Flames
The Flames have been one of the nation's top FCS programs over the past eight seasons, as Liberty has ranked among the Top 30 rushing teams in the nation seven out of the last eight years. During the time span, the Flames have surpassed the 2,000-yard mark six out of eight years and have averaged 2,138 rushing yards per season. Last year, Liberty just missed the mark, rushing for 1,937 yards, but still managed to finish the year ranked No. 21 in the country in rushing offense (176.1 yards per game).
Ground Game Success
The Flames finished the 2009 season with 31 rushing touchdowns, falling just one scoring run shy of tying the 2007 team record of 32 rushing touchdowns. Liberty finished the year ranked No. 4 in the country in total rushing touchdowns. Only Appalachian State (45), FCS national champion Villanova (36) and McNeese State (34) finished the year with more rushing touchdowns than the Flames.
Winning Ways
Last year, Liberty finished the season with an 8-3 record, marking its fourth-straight season with a winning record. The previous record was three-consecutive winning seasons from 1988-90 (1988 – last year under Morgan Hout, 1989-90 – first two years under Sam Rutigliano).
Sensational Seniors
Liberty is coming off the best four-year span in program history, as last year's senior class finished their careers with a 32-13 overall record. The previous record for wins by a senior class was 27, recorded by the 1997 and 1998 classes, who both finished their days at Liberty with 27-17 overall records.
A Decisive Number
The Flames' prolific offense in 2009 had Liberty atop the national statistical category, as the team led the nation in scoring offense (36.36 points per game). Liberty has had a Top 20 scoring offense the last three years, as the Flames ranked No. 19 in 2008 (33.67) and No. 3 in 2007 (42.64). The 30-point mark seems to be the key number for a Flames victory, as Liberty is 26-2 under head coach Danny Rocco when Liberty scores more than 30 points in a game. The Flames are 7-11 under Rocco when Liberty fails to reach the 30-point threshold.
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 18.7 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 15.7 points per game. Liberty has scored 1,584 points (34.4 average points per game), while allowing 858 points (18.7 average points allowed per game).
Demanding More Defense
Liberty's highly touted offensive schemes have caught regional and national attention during the last several seasons, but it is the play of the defense that brings a smile to head coach Danny Rocco's face. Last year, the Flames finished the season ranked No. 24 in the country in scoring defense (19.09 points per game), marking the third time in four years under Rocco that Liberty has finished the year holding opponents to less than 20 points per game and ranked inside the Top 25 in the statistical category.
Packing Them In
Last year, Liberty finished the season ranked No. 1 in the country in home attendance among FCS programs, based upon filling stadium capacity. The Flames averaged 14,931 fans per home game in Williams Stadium which only seated 12,000 fans (124.43 percent). Liberty also ranked No. 8 total home attendance (89,587) and No. 12 in average home attendance.
A Nice Number
Coming into the 2009 season, Liberty had lost 70 percent of its players who were responsible for its scoring from the previous season (33.67 points per game, which ranked No. 17 in the country in scoring offense). This year, the numbers are almost reversed, as the Flames return 72 percent of the players who were responsible for producing the No. 1 scoring offense in the country in 2009 (36.36 points per game).
Winning in Style
Six of Liberty's eight wins last year were by sizable margins, as Liberty defeated Garner-Webb by 23 points (51-28), 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).
Liberty continued the trend in its 2010 season-opener, posting a 45-point win over St. Francis, Pa. (52-7). The victory gave Liberty 16 wins under head coach Danny Rocco, where the Flames have won by 25 or more points, meaning 48.5 percent of Rocco's victories have been by a quarter-century margin or larger (16 out of 33).
Fifty is Nifty
Four out of the last six games during the 2009 season saw Liberty have an offensive explosion, as the Flames eclipsed the 50-point mark during those games. During the later part of the year, Liberty only failed its cross that threshold twice, in a 20-13 road win at Charleston Southern and in a 36-33 season-ending road loss at Stony Brook. The Flames seemed to pick up right where they left off, last weekend, as Liberty rolled up 52 points in a 52-7 win over St. Francis, Pa. The Flames have now surpassed the 50-point mark eight times under head coach Danny Rocco. The squad 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.
Eight Is Great
For the third-straight season, the Flames reached the eight-win plateau, as Liberty finished the 2009 season with an 8-3 overall record. The Flames finished the 2007 season at 8-3 and 2008 with a 10-2 mark. Liberty was one of 28 FCS programs in the nation who won eight games in 2009 and the recent run marks the first time in program history Liberty has won eight games in three-consecutive seasons.
Equally as Impressive
Liberty finished the 2009 season ranked No. 1 in scoring offense (36.36 points per game) and No. 24 in scoring defense (19.09 points per game). Liberty was one of eight FCS programs to finish the 2009 season ranked inside the Top 25 in both scoring offense and defense. The Flames were joined by: Elon, Jacksonville State, Northern Iowa, Richmond, South Carolina State, Southern Illinois and Villanova.
Moving Those Chains
One of the busiest crews on the field during a Danny Rocco-coached football game is the "chain gang," as the Flames have ranked inside the Top 30 all four years in third-down conversion rate. Last year, the Flames finished the season ranked No. 22 (42.66 percent), while the 2008 team finished the year with a 50.98 conversion rate (which ranked No. 3 in the country). Following last weekend's game against St. Francis, Pa., where the Flames finished the game 8-of-13 on third-down plays, Liberty ranks No. 5 in the country in third-down efficiency (61.54). Under Rocco, Liberty has converted on 46.1 percent of third-down plays (265-of-575) over the last four-plus seasons.
Fourth-Down Frenzy
Liberty found much success on fourth-down plays in 2009, converting on 7-of-10 fourth-down plays, which ranked No. 5 nationally in fourth-down conversion rate (70.0 percent). All seven successful fourth-down conversions eventually led to the Flames adding points to the scoreboard.
Home Turf Advantage
The Flames rushed for five touchdowns against Presbyterian last year, marking the fourth time in six home games the Flames tallied four or more rushing touchdowns. In six home games, the Flames managed to run for 24 of their 31 team rushing touchdowns (77.4 percent). Liberty scored single rushing touchdowns on the road against West Virginia, Lafayette and Charleston Southern, while scoring twice on the ground at Gardner-Webb and Stony Brook.
Over the Century Mark
With Liberty's six rushing touchdowns against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17, 2009, Liberty moved over the century mark for rushing touchdowns under head coach Danny Rocco. During Rocco's 46 games as head coach on Liberty Mountain, the Flames have rushed for 116 touchdowns (2.52 rushing touchdowns per game), including 33 games with multiple rushing touchdowns.
Still Streaking
A 12-yard scoring burst by SirChauncey Holloway late in the third quarter against St. Francis, Pa., last weekend, helped keep a streak alive for the Flames. Liberty has rushed for a touchdown in 41-straight games and in 44 out of 46 games under head coach Danny Rocco.
Getting Better and Better
For the last three years, Liberty has bettered its own school record in completion percentage. Last year, the Flames raised the new school standard to 68.06 percent, completing 211-of-310 passing attempts. Liberty finished the 2008 season with a 64.2 completion percentage and a 62.0 percentage in 2007. Only two other programs in FCS posted better completion percentages in 2009, as Stephen F. Austin led the nation (68.33) and Lafayette finished second (68.12). Liberty started the 2010 season off right in the statistical category, as well, as the Flames completed 26-of-33 passing attempts against St. Francis, Pa. (78.8 percent).
Taking Better Care of the Ball
Since taking over the program in 2006, head coach Danny Rocco has tried to instill the importance of taking care of the football. Liberty has finished inside the Top 25 all four years under Rocco in turnover margin, highlighted by the 2009 campaign, where the Flames led the country in turnover margin (+1.91). Liberty ranked No. 7 in 2007 (1.27), No. 20 in 2006 (0.55) and No. 21 in 2008 (0.67) in turnover margin.
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, doing so during the 2009 season opener. Liberty turned the ball over once on an interception, while West Virginia never coughed the ball up. Since 2006, Liberty has a +51 turnover figure as compared to its opponents, as Liberty has committed 46 turnovers, while forcing 97 giveaways. Liberty finished five games in 2009 without committing a turnover, doing so against Lafayette, Coastal Carolina, VMI and Gardner-Webb. Since Rocco took over the program in 2006, Liberty has finished 17 games (out of 46 total games) without committing a turnover, including last weekend's season-opening victory over St. Francis, Pa.
Setting a New Standard
During a five-game stretch late in the year (Oct. 17 – Nov. 14), Liberty avoided throwing an interception to set a new school record for consecutive games without a picked off pass. Under head coach Danny Rocco, Liberty's quarterbacks have thrown just 23 interceptions in 46 games (0.50 per game).
Picking Off Passes
After finishing the 2009 season ranked No. 16 in the country in interceptions with 17 picks, the Flames seem to be starting off the 2010 season right where they left off. In his first career game as a defender, Danny Broggin intercepted a pass against St. Francis, Pa., returning it for three yards and setting up a two-play, 39-yard touchdown scoring drive.
Since taking over the program in 2006, head coach Danny Rocco has helped his defenders hone their skills. Liberty has picked off 55 passes in 46 games, finishing 30 of those contests with at least one interception.
Streeter Streamlines the Passers
Under quarterback coach and second-year offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, Liberty has been one of the most effective passing units in the country. Since joining head coach Danny Rocco's staff, Streeter has seen his quarterbacks throw at a 63.5 completion percentage clip, completing 716-of-1,119 passing attempts for 9,259 yards and 62 touchdowns. During the span, Liberty has averaged 201.3 passing yards per game and has a passing efficiency rating of 147.66 since 2006.
A QB's Best Friend
Liberty finished the 2009 season allowing 15 sacks in 11 games, which ranked No. 25 in the country in sacks allowed (1.36 per game). The Flames have allowed less than a sack per game under head coach Danny Rocco (0.93/43 in 46 games) during the last four years and have finished 18 games without allowing a sack.
The Sack Attack
Liberty had its third multiple-sack game of 2009 in its home finale against Gardner-Webb, when the Flames finished the contest with two sacks for a loss of five total yards. The contest marked the 15th time Liberty has finished a Danny Rocco-coached football game with two or more sacks. Under Rocco, the Flames have averaged 1.77 sacks per game (82 total) for an average loss of 13.43 yards per game (618 total yards lost on sacks).
Red Zone Rapport
Liberty finished the 2009 season ranked No. 2 in the country in red zone offense, as the Flames found a way to add points to the scoreboard on 47 of 51 drives that reached the opponent's 20-yard line. Of Liberty's 51 trips inside its opponents' 20-yard line, Liberty scored 34 touchdowns (27 rushing/7 passing) and kicked 13 field goals.
Last weekend, Liberty scored all four times it crossed St. Francis' 20-yard line, including three touchdowns and a field goal. Since 2006, Liberty has added points to the scoreboard 84.6 percent of the time under head coach Danny Rocco (176-of-208 Red Zone opportunities) when penetrating the opponents' 20-yard line.
Nearly Perfect
The Flames managed to put points on the scoreboard all four times it crossed St. Francis' 20-yard line on Saturday, scoring three touchdowns and a field goal. Dating back to Liberty's Sept. 29, 2009, game against James Madison, Liberty has scored on 43-of-44 drives that have penetrated the opponent's 20-yard line.
Making Them Count
Liberty has scored on 43 of its last 44 drives that have crossed the opponent's 20-yard line. The Flames have made the most of those scoring chances, finding a way to record a touchdown on 31 of the 43 scoring drives (72.1 percent).
Tough Inside the 20
To score against the Flames inside their own red zone was a tough task in 2009, as Liberty ranked No. 9 in the country in red zone defense (66.7 percent). Opponents were only able to add points to the scoreboard on 24-of-36 drives that penetrated the Flames' 20-yard line, including nine times when Liberty's opponents had to settle for a field goal.
Liberty was one of seven FCS programs in the country to keep their opponent from scoring when crossing its 20-yard line, last weekend. St. Francis, Pa., penetrated Liberty's 20-yard line only once and had to settle for a 33-yard field goal attempt, which was blocked by Brent Vinson.
The Dirty Dozen
After allowing St. Francis, Pa., to score on its opening drive of the game, Liberty's defense held the Red Flash in check the remainder of the game. Their opening drive was for 65 yards and Liberty's defense held the visitors to a combined 154 yards the rest of the game. During the last 12 drives of the game, St. Francis failed to pick up more than 20 yards on 11 drives. The only time the Red Flash mounted a sustained drive was a 10-play, 77-yard drive that resulted in a blocked field goal.
A Productive Punch
Liberty failed to score the first two times it touched the ball against St. Francis, Pa., last weekend. But a 33-yard field goal by Matt Bevins seemed to jumpstart the Flames' offense, as Liberty scored on eight of the game's next 10 drives. Seven of those scores were for touchdowns, including a streak of five-straight drives that resulted in seven additional points for the Flames.
Big Time Mark
The Flames finished their season-opening game with 599 total offensive yards, marking the most offensive yards during head coach Danny Rocco's five-year tenure with the program. The previous record was 591 total offensive yards, when the Flames downed St. Francis, Pa., 68-10, on Sept. 29, 2007. Liberty has surpassed the 500-yard mark eight times under Rocco (in 46 games/17.4 percent).
Nearly a Record Day
Liberty finished its season-opening game against St. Francis, Pa., with 452 passing yards, as Mike Brown and Tyler Brennan combined to complete 26-of-33 pass attempts. The figure missed the school record by three yards, as Liberty's best passing performance in program history was 455 yards against Towson State on Oct. 26, 1991.
Nation's Best
Following Liberty's 452-yard passing performance against St. Francis, Pa., last weekend, the Flames currently rank No. 1 in the country in passing offense. The only other FCS program in the country to pass the 400-yard mark was Jackson State, who threw for 404 yards in a 32-17 victory over Delta State.
Big Time Burst
Just to put the 452-yard passing game in perspective, the performance against St. Francis marked only the fourth time in 46 games under head coach Danny Rocco that Liberty has thrown for 300 or more yards in a game.
Big South Record
Liberty's 452-yard passing game against St. Francis, Pa., last weekend, set a new Big South Conference record. The previous team standard for passing was 431 yards by Charleston Southern against North Greenville on Oct. 25, 2003.
Tandem Ties Records
The quarterbacking tandem of Mike Brown and Tyler Brennan threw six touchdown passes against St. Francis, Pa., last Saturday, tying a Big South record for most touchdown passes in a game. The six touchdown passes also ties a program record, as the Flames previously threw for six touchdowns against Mars Hill Oct. 6, 1984.
Bucking the Trend
Liberty, who has become known as a run-oriented program during the last decade, chose a different avenue to score, last weekend. The Flames finished the game with 599 total offensive yards, with 452 of those yards coming via the passing game (75.4 percent).
Big Day for Brown
Mike Brown had a career day against St. Francis, Pa., as the junior became the 10th quarterback in program history to throw for 300 yards in a game. He completed 17-of-22 passing attempts for 338 yards and four touchdown passes. His 338 passing yards marked the 15th-best single-game performance in program history, bettering Tommy Beecher's 337-yard effort against Gardner-Webb, last year.
Honors Bestowed Upon Brown
Following his 338-yard performance against St. Francis, Pa., Mike Brown was named Big South Offensive Player of the Week, marking his fourth-career Big South weekly accolade. The junior was also honored by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA), as he was named the web site's Quarterback Performer of the Week.
Crazy Career Stats
The season-opener against St. Francis, Pa., marked the second career start for Mike Brown at quarterback (the first came at Lafayette in 2009). In two career starts at quarterback, Brown has completed a combined 46-of-58 passing attempts, with zero interceptions, throwing for 580 yards and five touchdowns. Brown's career passing efficiency rating as a starting quarterback is 191.76 and his completion percentage as a starting quarterback is 79.3 (in 24 games, his passing efficiency rating is 169.96 and his completion percentage is 71.3).
Matching His Career Total
Mike Brown finished the St. Francis, Pa., season-opener with a career-high four touchdown passes. In fact, the junior, who played mostly wide receiver during his first two years at Liberty, matched his career total. Brown had previously thrown for four touchdown passes in his first 23 career games at Liberty.
Scoring Machine
SirChauncey Holloway had Liberty's lone rushing touchdown on Saturday, scoring on a 12-yard push up the middle midway through the third quarter against St. Francis, Pa. The 12-yard burst marked the sophomore's eighth career rushing touchdown in nine career games. He has scored in seven of nine career outings, only failing to break the goal line against West Virginia Wesleyan and Charleston Southern, last year.
A Triple Threat
The wide receiver trio of Chris Summers (129 yards), B.J. Hayes (110 yards) and Pat Kelly (115 yards) joined an elite group, last Saturday, as the trio became just the second group in program history to surpass the 100-yard receiving mark in the same game. The first time Liberty had three wide receivers finish a game with 100 more receiving yards was against Toledo on Sept. 17, 1994 – Tony Dews (106 yards), Robert Butz (104 yards) and Dion Cook (100).
Leader of the Pack
Chris Summers posted his second career 100-yard game, as the junior led Liberty with seven receptions for 129 yards against St. Francis, Pa. Two of his seven catches were for touchdowns, including a "Hail Mary"-type play that saw Mike Brown heave up a 40-yard pass into the end zone on the final play of the first half.
Summers became the 27th player in program history to have multiple 100-yard receiving games. His 129-yard performance was the sixth-best single game performance, last weekend, among all FCS wide receivers.
Joining the Group
B.J. Hayes and Pat Kelly became the 46th and 47th players in program history to record a 100-yard receiving game. Hayes finished the game with seven receptions for 110 yards and a score, while Kelly caught four passes for 115 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown reception.
Making His First Count
Redshirt senior wide receiver Kyle DeArmon made the most of his first career reception, as the wide receiver caught a pass from Tyler Brennan and broke two tackles to score on a 27-yard pass against St. Francis.
DeArmon, who was a former quarterback for Liberty, finished the game with four receptions for 78 yards, including a second score midway through the fourth quarter (a 10-yard strike from Brennan).
Career Numbers Together
Tyler Brennan's 27-yard touchdown pass to Kyle DeArmon early in the fourth quarter against St. Francis, Pa., last weekend, was the first touchdown pass of Brennan's career and the first reception of DeArmon's career. In six career games played at Liberty, Brennan has completed 18-of-25 passing attempts for 215 yards (72.0 completion percentage) and two touchdowns.
Moving Up the Charts
Matt Bevins finished the game with nine points, as the All-America kicker knocked down a 33-yard field goal and all six of his point after attempts (back-up kicker Ben Shipps took the final PAT for Liberty late in the fourth quarter). With the nine points scored, Bevins now ranks fifth in program history with 172 career points scored and needs just six more points to tie Jay Kelley, who finished his career with 178 points (1999-2002), for fourth place.
Heading Toward the Top
Matt Bevins' 33-yard field goal against St. Francis, Pa., on Saturday gave the junior 35 career field goals, which is tied for second all-time on Liberty's career field goal list. Phillip Harrelson finished his four-year career with 35 field goals from 1995-98. Liberty's all-time career field goals leader is Daniel Whitehead, who booted 43 field goals from 1991-94.
Mike Makes the Most of His Time
Punter Mike Larsson earned all-conference honors in 2009, despite being the starting punter with the fewest number of total punts in the Big South. When he was called upon to boot the football down the field, he did it with precision and focus. Larrson finished the year with 40 punts for 1,469 yards (36.7 yards per punt average), with 18 punts pinning Liberty's opponent inside their 20-yard line. Liberty also finished the year ranked No. 10 nationally in punt return yardage defense. Only 13 of Larrson's 40 punts resulted in attempted punt returns for a total of 44 yards (3.38 yards per opponent return).
Mayo Moves Right In
Chris Mayo made the most of his first career game at Liberty, as the freshman defensive back led the Flames in tackles against St. Francis, Pa., The former Fork Union Military standout finished the contest with 10 tackles, including seven assisted stops and a tackles for a one-yard loss.
Adjusting to the Adjuster
Head coach Danny Rocco made a few alterations to his standard "3-4" defensive scheme during the offseason, adding a hybrid linebacker-cornerback position he calls and "adjuster." Brent Vinson and Danny Broggin are the two athletes filling that role and the pair found success during the opening game against St. Francis. Broggin finished with five tackles and an interception, while Vinson added two assisted stops and a pass breakup.
A Different Vantage Point
Danny Broggin was not only playing a newly created position on defense against St. Francis, the redshirt senior also was seeing a different side of the field. For the first time in his Liberty career, Broggin is a defensive player, having made the switch during spring practice. During his previous years at Liberty, Broggin was used as a running back and wide receiver, having 225 total offensive yards and two touchdowns to his credit in 27 previous games.
Total Team Effort
Outside of Chris Mayo's 10-tackle performance against St. Francis, Pa., Liberty's dominating defensive effort was put together by the entire defensive unit. Larry Claiborne finished second on the team with six tackles, with the rest of the 28 players who recorded tackles finishing with five or fewer stops.
One Score or Less
St. Francis, Pa., opened the game strong on Saturday, scoring on the opening drive. However, Liberty clamped down and held the Red Flash from scoring again the rest of the way. The outing markied the ninth time Liberty has held an opponent to one score or fewer under head coach Danny Rocco, which includes six shutout victories.
Home Sweet Home
On Oct. 2, the Flames will welcome Savannah State to Williams Stadium, a facility Liberty has called home for the past 21 seasons. The on-campus facility was opened on Oct. 21, 1989, when the Flames rallied for a 37-18 victory over Towson State. Liberty has since won 66.1 percent of its games in the stadium, having posted a 77-39 record at the on-campus facility. In 2007, the Flames went undefeated at home for the second time in program history, posting a school-record 6-0 mark, en route to their Big South title run.
Tracking toward a Million
Following last year's Gardner-Webb crowd of 15,208 fans on Senior Day on Nov. 14, Liberty has seen 985,223 fans pass through the gates at Williams Stadium since the on-campus facility opened its doors in 1989. In 2009, Liberty ranked No. 12 in the country, averaging 14,931 fans per home game. Should Liberty continue this trend, the Flames could have its millionth fan pass through the turnstiles month when Liberty welcomes Savannah State to town on Oct. 2. The game will mark the grand re-opening of Williams Stadium, following a nine-month project to expand the stadium from a seating capacity of 12,000 to 19,200, with 18 luxury boxes and a state-of-the-art press box. Liberty will need just 14,777 fans to attend the game to pass the millionth-fan mark.
