Post by bigsmooth on Aug 20, 2005 6:12:09 GMT -5
from the lynchburg fishwrap....thanks to chris lang again for the great coverage on the flames, and i like the "around the big south notes" great job CL! Is anyone going to the scrimmage tonight? im thinking of driving up.
Banged-up defensive line a major concern for Flames
Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Liberty University’s pass rush wasn’t exactly fearsome last season. The Flames managed just nine sacks and only six came from the defensive line.
But improving that number isn’t the biggest of LU coach Ken Karcher’s concerns. Getting enough healthy players on the practice field is.
So while it’s easy to say improvement is imperative, there’s a more pressing question at hand for Liberty - who will play on the line?
No unit has been more banged up during the early part of camp than the defensive line. Dan Hughes (mononucleosis), Steve Ackley (shoulder), Matt Reid (knee) and Tyler Turner (knee) have missed substantial practice time.
“Most of our second-team d-linemen have been on the first team,” Karcher said. “So it was not only a concern going in, but it’s a major concern until we get four or five guys back. Hopefully, it’s sooner than later.
“It’s difficult to tell anything. We might be running the ball great, but who are we running it against? That’s part of the football game, though - injuries. We’ve got to get some of these guys ready to play, and hopefully we’ll get some of these injured guys back.”
Andre Gould, who led the Flames with two sacks last season, didn’t return this fall after discovering he had a benign tumor on his spine during the summer.
Ackley is the only returning starter on the line. Karcher was expecting junior college transfers Reid and Turner to step in and start, but neither has been able to practice much. Jason Horn, a transfer from Glendale (Ariz.) Community College, is penciled in as the other starter.
Another test
Tonight’s second intrasquad scrimmage will go a long way in determining who will be in the starting lineup Sept. 3 when Liberty suits up for its opener against Concord (W. Va.).
The scrimmage, set to start at 7 p.m. at Williams Stadium, will be another 75- to 125-play session designed to shed some light on key position battles in the offensive and defensive backfields.
At running back, Ryan Greiser, Rod Fluellen, Marcus Hamilton and Rajive Otah are battling for playing time. While freshmen Greiser and Fluellen have been impressive in practice, Karcher hasn’t decided who will start the season opener.
In the backfield, both cornerback spots and at least one safety spot are up for grabs, though senior C.J. Moore is a fairly safe bet to start at free safety. Freshman cornerback Patrick Calvary is pushing Jared Brogden and Josh Wallace, who will be out at least two weeks with a broken hand. Anthony Porter, another freshman, is pushing for playing time at both safety positions.
“Next week we’re going to start saying, ‘What does our starting lineup look like? Who are our backups? Who’s our nickel guy?’” Karcher said. “We’ll start paring down what we’re doing and have guys win specific things.”
LU quarterback Brock Farrel, who criticized his own poor decision making during last Saturday’s scrimmage, is looking forward to getting back on the field after breaking down last week’s film.
“It’s important for me, so I can get some confidence back,” Farrel said. “And it’s important for the offense so they can see that I can lead them and we can win games.”
Around the Big South
VMI quarterback Jonathan Wilson completed 11 of 15 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns during the Keydets’ first scrimmage Thursday afternoon in Lexington. Wilson is returning to the lineup after missing nearly all of last season with a broken ankle. The highlight was a 60-yard pass to senior receiver Zohn Burden. Running back Sean Mizzer carried the ball nine times for 91 yards and two scores. … Coastal Carolina is getting thin at cornerback. According to the Myrtle Beach Sun News, Rashiek Buchanan, expected to be the Chanticleers’ top starter at CB, was declared academically ineligible for the 2005 season. CB David Parker’s status is up in the air. CCU coach David Bennett didn’t know if Parker would play this season, saying only that the issue was disciplinary and unrelated to football, the Sun News reported.
Banged-up defensive line a major concern for Flames
Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Liberty University’s pass rush wasn’t exactly fearsome last season. The Flames managed just nine sacks and only six came from the defensive line.
But improving that number isn’t the biggest of LU coach Ken Karcher’s concerns. Getting enough healthy players on the practice field is.
So while it’s easy to say improvement is imperative, there’s a more pressing question at hand for Liberty - who will play on the line?
No unit has been more banged up during the early part of camp than the defensive line. Dan Hughes (mononucleosis), Steve Ackley (shoulder), Matt Reid (knee) and Tyler Turner (knee) have missed substantial practice time.
“Most of our second-team d-linemen have been on the first team,” Karcher said. “So it was not only a concern going in, but it’s a major concern until we get four or five guys back. Hopefully, it’s sooner than later.
“It’s difficult to tell anything. We might be running the ball great, but who are we running it against? That’s part of the football game, though - injuries. We’ve got to get some of these guys ready to play, and hopefully we’ll get some of these injured guys back.”
Andre Gould, who led the Flames with two sacks last season, didn’t return this fall after discovering he had a benign tumor on his spine during the summer.
Ackley is the only returning starter on the line. Karcher was expecting junior college transfers Reid and Turner to step in and start, but neither has been able to practice much. Jason Horn, a transfer from Glendale (Ariz.) Community College, is penciled in as the other starter.
Another test
Tonight’s second intrasquad scrimmage will go a long way in determining who will be in the starting lineup Sept. 3 when Liberty suits up for its opener against Concord (W. Va.).
The scrimmage, set to start at 7 p.m. at Williams Stadium, will be another 75- to 125-play session designed to shed some light on key position battles in the offensive and defensive backfields.
At running back, Ryan Greiser, Rod Fluellen, Marcus Hamilton and Rajive Otah are battling for playing time. While freshmen Greiser and Fluellen have been impressive in practice, Karcher hasn’t decided who will start the season opener.
In the backfield, both cornerback spots and at least one safety spot are up for grabs, though senior C.J. Moore is a fairly safe bet to start at free safety. Freshman cornerback Patrick Calvary is pushing Jared Brogden and Josh Wallace, who will be out at least two weeks with a broken hand. Anthony Porter, another freshman, is pushing for playing time at both safety positions.
“Next week we’re going to start saying, ‘What does our starting lineup look like? Who are our backups? Who’s our nickel guy?’” Karcher said. “We’ll start paring down what we’re doing and have guys win specific things.”
LU quarterback Brock Farrel, who criticized his own poor decision making during last Saturday’s scrimmage, is looking forward to getting back on the field after breaking down last week’s film.
“It’s important for me, so I can get some confidence back,” Farrel said. “And it’s important for the offense so they can see that I can lead them and we can win games.”
Around the Big South
VMI quarterback Jonathan Wilson completed 11 of 15 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns during the Keydets’ first scrimmage Thursday afternoon in Lexington. Wilson is returning to the lineup after missing nearly all of last season with a broken ankle. The highlight was a 60-yard pass to senior receiver Zohn Burden. Running back Sean Mizzer carried the ball nine times for 91 yards and two scores. … Coastal Carolina is getting thin at cornerback. According to the Myrtle Beach Sun News, Rashiek Buchanan, expected to be the Chanticleers’ top starter at CB, was declared academically ineligible for the 2005 season. CB David Parker’s status is up in the air. CCU coach David Bennett didn’t know if Parker would play this season, saying only that the issue was disciplinary and unrelated to football, the Sun News reported.
