Zach Terrell

[Sly Fox]

First off, I wasn't at the game and didn't even listen in on the web. But one offensive player leaps off the stat sheet ... Zach Terrell.



Passing
He didn't throw the ball much, but he was accurate completing all five of his passes. Those completions only totaled 31 yards but he didn't force any interceptions ... something that would be easy to do playing in such a deficit as a true freshman.

Rushing
He had a 12-yard scramble showing off some of his athleticism.

Receiving
He was on the receiving end of the Flames' biggest play of the day ... the 41-yard pass.

On a day when there was little positive to point to other than Noah Crouch's punting, Zach gives us a glimpse of hope for the future. He certainly has played his way into some more opportunities. Here's hoping he capitalizes on his chances.

[PAmedic]

stealing my links SLY? kidding- there were some nice shots on there, huh? liked the one w/ our DB completely horizontal- problem was, he was allowing a TD at the time.

[Sly Fox]

We weren't the only ones who recognized Zach's performance in the midst of the slaughter:

Terrell Named Big South Freshman Of The Week

September 12, 2005 · Lynchburg, Va.

Liberty’s Zack Terrell was honored by the Big South Conference for his performance against Connecticut this weekend as the rookie was named the Big South Freshman of the Week as announced by the conference office on Monday.

Terrell (Fr., 6-0, 185, Manassas Park, Va.) finished the contest against the Division I-A opponent by completing a perfect 5-of-5 passes for 32 yards in his first true career outing after playing just one down against Concord in the season-opener. Against the Huskies, he recorded a 153.76 pass efficiency rating and also caught a screen pass over the middle of the field for a 41-yard gain, giving Liberty its best field position on the afternoon. He also rushed seven times, including a 12-yard scamper on his second career run.

Coastal Carolina swept the remainder of the awards on the week after its upset victory over defending NCAA I-AA national champion James Madison as quarterback Tyler Thipgen was named Offensive Player of the Week, linebacker Jamar Leath was named Defensive Player of the Week and Josh Hoke was named Special Teams Player of the Week.

Terrell and the Flames return to Williams Stadium this weekend when they host Youngstown State on Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff, marking the third-straight year that Liberty has squared off against the Penguins.

libertyflames.com/football/news.asp?news_id=2683

[Sly Fox]

Oh yeah, is his first name spelled Zach or Zack? The LU official site lists both ways.

[eddantes]

I'm sorry, but the logo on the helmet just isn't doing it for me. If you're more than five feet away, it just looks like a blob of white. There's just not enough definition to the logo to merit it being that small.

[Chris Lang]

It's Zach. My folo, which was supposed to run today but was held because of space issues (as was the Va. Tech folo), focuses on Zach's role in the offense. It will run Tuesday.

[Sly Fox]

I had heard nothing bu Zach all along until the past few things they've posted on the LU official site.

I look forward to your story tomorrow.

[Sly Fox]

Here is Chris' story on Zach from the Tuesday fishwrap:

Secret's out for Flames on Terrell

By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
September 13, 2005

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - If anyone had stopped by a Liberty University football practice in the last month, what they saw Saturday at Connecticut would not have been much of a surprise.

Zach Terrell, LU’s highly touted freshman quarterback who was named Big South Freshman of the Week on Monday, lined up as a quarterback, running back and slot receiver during drills in the month leading up to the season. LU coach Ken Karcher kept mum about it, not wanting to tip his hand too much before the Flames played the Huskies.

After LU was stale in going three and out on its first drive, Karcher mixed things up in the Flames’ second drive Saturday at Rentschler Field. Terrell played all three positions on that drive and produced LU’s biggest play of the afternoon, catching a 41-yard pass from starting QB Brock Farrel that pushed the Flames deep into UConn territory.

“We’ve been working on it all summer,” Terrell said. “Last week against Concord, we didn’t want to use it too much so we could have a surprise against Connecticut.”

Terrell played just one snap against Concord, leading some to believe that all the talk about the freshman’s potential impact this year was simply bluster from the coaching staff.

Against Connecticut, though, Terrell was in the game early and often. He played much of the second half at quarterback, completing all five passes he threw for 32 yards in UConn’s 59-0 rout.

Now that the secret’s out, look for Terrell to continue to see time in a “slash” role for the Flames. Farrel, the senior starter who was 6-of-11 for 100 yards with an interception, understands he needs to show some improvement in the next two weeks, when LU battles tough I-AA foes Youngstown State and William & Mary, to keep the youngster at arm’s length on the depth chart.

“If I don’t get better, you might see him more,” Farrel said. “So that’s up to me, I guess.”

To be fair, Farrel didn’t have much of a chance to be effective against the bigger, stronger, deeper Huskies. Connecticut’s defensive line overwhelmed LU’s offensive front, and when Farrel did have time to seek out a receiver, he was usually covered by UConn’s young but talented defensive backs.

It was clear from the start that the Flames weren’t ready for the prodigious step up in competition. LU’s previous money games had all been against schools currently in the Mid-American Conference or Conference USA.

The Big East’s Huskies did whatever they wanted against Liberty’s overmatched defense, scoring on all of their possessions except for one. That one ended at the Liberty 33 with a punt, and had UConn coach Randy Edsall not had a heart, he could have attempted a 50-yard field goal there to push the margin even higher.

“From a standpoint of our whole goal down the road, it’s a great picture for our young kids,” Karcher said. “It’s what I told them. If you want to play I-A football, this is it. But this is it every week.

“When you’re at Tennessee, there are no off weeks. Connecticut, after us, isn’t going to have an off week. Every week, you have to do this.”

LU would be best served by stashing that picture deep in a drawer somewhere. The last two weeks haven’t really been telling for the Flames, who squeaked by Division II Concord and withered against Division I Connecticut.

Can the Flames be a good I-AA team? They’ll find out in the next two weeks. Youngstown State, a 35-16 winner over Northeastern Saturday, comes to town at 2-0 Saturday. William & Mary shook off a season-opening loss to Division I Marshall to whip Big South foe VMI 41-7 Saturday in Lexington.

So it’s up to LU’s senior leaders, especially Farrel, running back Marcus Hamilton and safety C.J. Moore, to make sure the stinging loss to UConn doesn’t linger in the minds of LU’s players.

“From here on out, we’re playing the teams we should be playing,” Hamilton said. “We’re trying to make the playoffs, so we need to play well against good teams like Youngstown State and William & Mary. We’re looking forward to it. This is our new season.”

www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031785028128&path=!sports

[HarrisburgFlame]

Great read. Jerry Edwards said during the broadcast Saturday that Manny Rojas was on crutches. If Manny doesn;t go against YSU I think we're in trouble.

Any update?

[Chris Lang]

Flame, I'll post something this evening. I'm going to Karcher's presser at 1 and then out to practice this evening, so hopefully I'll have some word for you.

I talked to the team doctor Saturday after the game and he said the crutches were more precautionary than anything, but he didn't know anything more about the severity of the injury.

[HarrisburgFlame]

You are the man Chris. Great job. You're my sources here in PA.

Maybe I'll get the chance to catch up with you at the CCU game on 10-22.

[Chris Lang]

Rojas has a sprained ankle, and it wasn't as bad as the staff thought after Saturday. He's questionable for Saturday, but on the probable side of questionable, if that makes any sense.

Kenneth Kemp (shoulder) is worse off. He didn't play at UConn and may not play against YSU. Losing any run-stopping LBs for the YSU game would be a bad, bad deal for Liberty.

[HarrisburgFlame]

Thanks for the update. We need both of those guys to go to have a shot. How was the turnout for the luncheon?

[Chris Lang]

Not sure, Flame. I only showed for the interview with Karcher afterward. The luncheons are pretty much out of the question for me because I have so many other things to catch up with on Tuesday.

[HarrisburgFlame]

Got ya. Glad to see you're earning that check! Seriously, it is great having you here - I am almost starting to like the N&A!

[krh44]

Maybe he will be playing in the spring?

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/07/AR2005050700030.html

[eddantes]

Wow, a Wash Post write-up. This kid must be good.

[PAmedic]

Did you notice the byline (sp?)

Terrell Trying to Keep His Eye on Baseball

By Preston Williams
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 8, 2005; Page PW13

A lot changes in a year!

[Sly Fox]

After his phenomenal debut a tailback for the Flames, Chris gives us a recap in Sunday's edition of the fishwrap:

A running back is born

Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 9, 2005

Several times this season, Liberty University coach Ken Karcher hinted that freshman quarterback Zach Terrell might be the Flames’ best option at tailback.

This week at practice, Terrell took off the red quarterback jersey and practiced in white, increasing the likelihood he’d start Saturday night’s game against Chattanooga somewhere other than QB.

Rajive Otah was listed as the official starter on tailback on LU’s depth chart, but it was Terrell lining up deep in the backfield on the Flames’ first play.

It looks like LU will need to change that depth chart for good.

Terrell ran for 241 yards on 32 carries and scored two touchdowns in the Flames’ 24-21 loss.

“They were working me in starting on Monday,” Terrell said. “I knew I’d have some carries today, but I didn’t think I’d start the game or play most of the game.”

After experimenting with Otah and Marcus Hamilton at running back, Karcher struck gold by moving Terrell to tailback. Freshman Rod Fluellen added 41 yards, and the Flames finished with 300.

In the first five games, LU ran for 311 yards total.

“He showed some good things (at practice),” Karcher said. “He wasn’t ready to do all of the pass protection things he needed to do, but we were willing to risk that to get some running game going, and he played fantastic.”

Tough break

Chattanooga defensive end Nick Rivers came home for a second chance.

The Chattanooga native originally signed with East Tennessee State but transferred when the Buccaneers’ program folded after the 2003 season. But in spring practice before the 2004 season, he tore an ACL and had to miss the entire season after being penciled in as the Mocs’ starting middle linebacker.

The 6-foot-2, 257-pound sophomore moved to defensive end and earned a starting role there for the 2005 season. Late in the first quarter, Rivers’ season took an unfortunate turn when his knee wrenched into the turf. He was sprawled on the field in pain for several minutes before limping off on his own power.

Rivers was in street clothes in the second half, and only said “my knee hurt” when asked about the injury. He blamed it on the stadium’s AstroTurf.

Different Stokes

Chris Stokes first saw action as a defensive end three Saturdays ago at William & Mary. He started at left end last week against VMI and started again there against Chattanooga.

Stokes started the year as LU’s backup tight end, but he had trouble with dropped passes in practices and scrimmages.

Still, the Flames wanted to find a place for the 6-1, 225-pound Stokes to use his physical skills. With Liberty’s defensive line banged up, the move made perfect sense.

Stokes had seven tackles and a quarterback hurry.

“Chris was doing OK at tight end,” Karcher said. “I mentioned to coach (Mickey) Mays, ‘Stokes is a good athlete, he’d be worth looking at on defense.’ He’s done very well for only playing it for three games.”

Power struggle

At 4 p.m. Saturday, about three hours before kickoff, the entire LU campus was dark, the result of a campus-wide power outage.

The power also went out Friday night after lightning struck a telephone pole on campus.

Power returned to Williams Stadium a shade less than three hours before kickoff, and the game went off without a hitch. Still, it led to some tense moments for LU athletics officials, who worried the lights would wink out midway through the game.

Extra points

Liberty track and field coach Brant Tolsma set a world record in his age group (55-60) at the World Double Decathlon Championship, held at LU this weekend. He was honored with several other competitors at halftime. … LU defensive captain C.J. Moore didn’t play for much of the second half after hobbling off the field with a leg injury. No further information was available. Shane thingyerson played in Moore’s place. … LB Manny Rojas, who had a game-high 13 tackles, left briefly in the second half with bruised ribs before returning.

www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767438298&path=!sports

[PAmedic]

Shane thingyerson played in Moore’s place. … LB Manny Rojas, who had a game-high 13 tackles, left briefly in the second half with bruised ribs before returning.

nice. Assuming that was some variation of "D1ckerson"?

[lufbfan3]

Shane Lancaster or Pat thingyerson?