Post by Sly Fox on Oct 12, 2005 12:21:53 GMT -5
Here's is Chris' LU notebook for Wednesday:
www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767489329&path=!sports
I find it hard to believe we can't find someone to boot some FGs from inside the 35-yardline. 95% of high schools in America can accomplish that feat. Somebody needs to step up. Its not an exaggeration to say that the kicking game probably was the difference in our last two losses.
Flames audition kickers
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 12, 2005
Zac Kolegue was too slow. Ben Beasley was too inaccurate. And now, Liberty University has a kicker problem.
After each place kicker missed a field goal in Saturday's 24-21 loss to Chattanooga, LU coach Ken Karcher is opening the competition at practice this week.
May the most accurate kicker win.
Originally, Kolegue was slated to kick field goals of 40 yards and under, and Beasley, who is LU's kickoff man, would attempt field goals of longer than 40 yards.
Kolegue missed a 28-yard game-tying attempt in the closing minute against VMI on Oct. 1 then had his 38-yard attempt blocked against Chattanooga.
"We weren't real sure if it was our right wing (not blocking well) or if it was Zac being late," Karcher said. "It turned out to be a combination of both."
Karcher brought Beasley in to try a 26 yarder in the fourth quarter Saturday, but he missed wide right.
Combined, LU's kickers have missed five of six field goal attempts.
"We think Zac Kolegue and Ben Beasley are very capable of being good kickers at this level," Karcher said. "Some of the problems on the field goals is shocking and mind-boggling to both (special teams coach Mickey) Mays and I."
Digging out
One reason for Liberty's defensive struggles in the first four weeks of the season was that the Flames far too often allowed opponents to convert 3rd-and-long situations.
Through the Sept. 24 game against William & Mary, teams converted 14 of 38 opportunities when facing 3rd-and-7 or longer and scored after converting six times.
Not surprisingly, LU was outscored 163-17 in those games.
"It's a killer, especially when you've got some young guys back there, because then you start to get a little dejected," Karcher said.
In the last two weeks, LU has done a better job of getting off the field in those situations, allowing just 5 of 18 conversions.
Still, every time VMI or Chattanooga converted 3rd-and-long, it scored.
Tough defense
VMI has ridden its senior-laden defense to a 2-0 start in Big South play.
The Keydets, who were 0-11 last season, got huge performances from linebackers Justin Huggard and Todd Baldwin in those victories.
Huggard was the Big South defensive player of the week after VMI beat Liberty 10-7. Baldwin won the award this week after a 16-tackle performance in VMI's 34-12 win over Charleston Southern.
Baldwin also recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass deep in VMI territory that thwarted a CSU scoring drive.
Baldwin spent the summer in Lexington training to be a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. The ROTC training was so intense that he lost a lot of weight. He compensated by hitting the weight room harder than ever, VMI coach Cal McCombs said.
"Todd's one of those guys, he's got good instincts, but he studies the game," McCombs said on Tuesday's Big South conference call. "He's in here studying film an hour before the first meeting. The kids really respect him for that."
Not so fast
Many Coastal Carolina fans are already making party plans for the Division I-AA playoff selection show at the end of November.
CCU coach David Bennett would ask those fans to kindly temper their enthusiasm a bit.
The Chanticleers (4-1) have wins over Top 25 teams South Carolina State and James Madison, and they'll be favored in every game the rest of the way.
But one slip and those playoff chances will likely slip away. It's a message Bennett is trying to hammer home to his team.
"We appreciate their vote of confidence, but if we don't show up to play with intensity and emotion, anybody else on our schedule can up and beat us," said Bennett, whose team hosts Gardner-Webb in both teams' Big South opener Saturday. Coastal travels to Liberty on Oct. 22.
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 12, 2005
Zac Kolegue was too slow. Ben Beasley was too inaccurate. And now, Liberty University has a kicker problem.
After each place kicker missed a field goal in Saturday's 24-21 loss to Chattanooga, LU coach Ken Karcher is opening the competition at practice this week.
May the most accurate kicker win.
Originally, Kolegue was slated to kick field goals of 40 yards and under, and Beasley, who is LU's kickoff man, would attempt field goals of longer than 40 yards.
Kolegue missed a 28-yard game-tying attempt in the closing minute against VMI on Oct. 1 then had his 38-yard attempt blocked against Chattanooga.
"We weren't real sure if it was our right wing (not blocking well) or if it was Zac being late," Karcher said. "It turned out to be a combination of both."
Karcher brought Beasley in to try a 26 yarder in the fourth quarter Saturday, but he missed wide right.
Combined, LU's kickers have missed five of six field goal attempts.
"We think Zac Kolegue and Ben Beasley are very capable of being good kickers at this level," Karcher said. "Some of the problems on the field goals is shocking and mind-boggling to both (special teams coach Mickey) Mays and I."
Digging out
One reason for Liberty's defensive struggles in the first four weeks of the season was that the Flames far too often allowed opponents to convert 3rd-and-long situations.
Through the Sept. 24 game against William & Mary, teams converted 14 of 38 opportunities when facing 3rd-and-7 or longer and scored after converting six times.
Not surprisingly, LU was outscored 163-17 in those games.
"It's a killer, especially when you've got some young guys back there, because then you start to get a little dejected," Karcher said.
In the last two weeks, LU has done a better job of getting off the field in those situations, allowing just 5 of 18 conversions.
Still, every time VMI or Chattanooga converted 3rd-and-long, it scored.
Tough defense
VMI has ridden its senior-laden defense to a 2-0 start in Big South play.
The Keydets, who were 0-11 last season, got huge performances from linebackers Justin Huggard and Todd Baldwin in those victories.
Huggard was the Big South defensive player of the week after VMI beat Liberty 10-7. Baldwin won the award this week after a 16-tackle performance in VMI's 34-12 win over Charleston Southern.
Baldwin also recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass deep in VMI territory that thwarted a CSU scoring drive.
Baldwin spent the summer in Lexington training to be a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. The ROTC training was so intense that he lost a lot of weight. He compensated by hitting the weight room harder than ever, VMI coach Cal McCombs said.
"Todd's one of those guys, he's got good instincts, but he studies the game," McCombs said on Tuesday's Big South conference call. "He's in here studying film an hour before the first meeting. The kids really respect him for that."
Not so fast
Many Coastal Carolina fans are already making party plans for the Division I-AA playoff selection show at the end of November.
CCU coach David Bennett would ask those fans to kindly temper their enthusiasm a bit.
The Chanticleers (4-1) have wins over Top 25 teams South Carolina State and James Madison, and they'll be favored in every game the rest of the way.
But one slip and those playoff chances will likely slip away. It's a message Bennett is trying to hammer home to his team.
"We appreciate their vote of confidence, but if we don't show up to play with intensity and emotion, anybody else on our schedule can up and beat us," said Bennett, whose team hosts Gardner-Webb in both teams' Big South opener Saturday. Coastal travels to Liberty on Oct. 22.
www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767489329&path=!sports
I find it hard to believe we can't find someone to boot some FGs from inside the 35-yardline. 95% of high schools in America can accomplish that feat. Somebody needs to step up. Its not an exaggeration to say that the kicking game probably was the difference in our last two losses.
