Post by Sly Fox on Oct 3, 2005 18:46:22 GMT -5
Liberty can look on the bright side
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 3, 2005
If there is a silver lining to be taken from a loss to a state rival on homecoming, it is this: At least there are positives to point out on film.
That hasn’t been the case the last several weeks for Liberty University’s football team. The Flames entered Saturday’s game against VMI having been shut out in three straight games. The coaching staff had to scour pretty hard through those game tapes to find positive teaching points for a young team.
That won’t be the case this week. Liberty did plenty of things well in its 10-7 loss to the Keydets. But as has been the case all season, they faltered when they had the chance to score and ultimately lost.
Liberty coach Ken Karcher appears at least to have settled on a quarterback for now. Senior Brock Farrel played every snap at quarterback Saturday and will likely do so again next weekend when the Flames host Chattanooga.
“Right now, Brock Farrel gives us the best stability on offense,” Karcher said. “Zach (Terrell) is going to be a great one. Smitty (Brock Smith) is going to be a great one. But those two can’t manage a whole game right now.”
Farrel will be the first to admit he must show improvement for the Flames to be successful. He continues to make poor reads when the Flames get into the red zone, and his two interceptions Saturday were costly.
Still, Liberty’s offense moved fluidly against a VMI team that entered the game ranked second in the Big South in total defense, an improvement over the last couple of weeks when even moving between the 20s was a challenge.
“We have a lot of confidence in Brock,” Turner said. “Sometimes he makes bad decisions, but everybody makes bad decisions. Everyone’s got to look on the inside instead of pointing fingers at other people. You’ve got to try to make your own game better.”
The Flames made three red zone trips and scored once Saturday. Before the season, Farrel and his coaches said his decision making was his strong suit. Yet when Liberty had the ball at the VMI 9 Saturday, Farrel failed to recognize VMI defensive lineman Justin Huggard sagging in zone coverage near the line of scrimmage. When he went to throw to Turner in the end zone, Huggard pounced and intercepted the ball.
“The one positive thing I can take is that even though I screwed up all those times, we still had a chance to win the game in the end,” Farrel said.
Defensively, the Flames rebounded from a terrible showing against William & Mary in which they allowed 635 yards. VMI had 245 yards and Liberty held the Keydets to 40 yards in the second half.
Liberty avoided giving up the big play to VMI receivers Zohn Burden and Gary Price, and running backs Nat Jackson and Bryan Royster found very little running room up the gut.
“We knew we could take their run away because their linemen weren’t playing that tough,” Liberty linebacker Manny Rojas said. “We knew we could stop the run and force them to pass. In the second half, we really feel like we shut them down.”
As it becomes more evident that this Flames team is a young bunch not prepared to win a lot of games this year, building block games like Saturday’s against VMI are important.
“We’re going to be a good football team,” Karcher said. “You’ve got to continue to get them to believe and show that you’re behind them. No one likes to lose. We won’t accept losing. But this team continues to get better.”
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 3, 2005
If there is a silver lining to be taken from a loss to a state rival on homecoming, it is this: At least there are positives to point out on film.
That hasn’t been the case the last several weeks for Liberty University’s football team. The Flames entered Saturday’s game against VMI having been shut out in three straight games. The coaching staff had to scour pretty hard through those game tapes to find positive teaching points for a young team.
That won’t be the case this week. Liberty did plenty of things well in its 10-7 loss to the Keydets. But as has been the case all season, they faltered when they had the chance to score and ultimately lost.
Liberty coach Ken Karcher appears at least to have settled on a quarterback for now. Senior Brock Farrel played every snap at quarterback Saturday and will likely do so again next weekend when the Flames host Chattanooga.
“Right now, Brock Farrel gives us the best stability on offense,” Karcher said. “Zach (Terrell) is going to be a great one. Smitty (Brock Smith) is going to be a great one. But those two can’t manage a whole game right now.”
Farrel will be the first to admit he must show improvement for the Flames to be successful. He continues to make poor reads when the Flames get into the red zone, and his two interceptions Saturday were costly.
Still, Liberty’s offense moved fluidly against a VMI team that entered the game ranked second in the Big South in total defense, an improvement over the last couple of weeks when even moving between the 20s was a challenge.
“We have a lot of confidence in Brock,” Turner said. “Sometimes he makes bad decisions, but everybody makes bad decisions. Everyone’s got to look on the inside instead of pointing fingers at other people. You’ve got to try to make your own game better.”
The Flames made three red zone trips and scored once Saturday. Before the season, Farrel and his coaches said his decision making was his strong suit. Yet when Liberty had the ball at the VMI 9 Saturday, Farrel failed to recognize VMI defensive lineman Justin Huggard sagging in zone coverage near the line of scrimmage. When he went to throw to Turner in the end zone, Huggard pounced and intercepted the ball.
“The one positive thing I can take is that even though I screwed up all those times, we still had a chance to win the game in the end,” Farrel said.
Defensively, the Flames rebounded from a terrible showing against William & Mary in which they allowed 635 yards. VMI had 245 yards and Liberty held the Keydets to 40 yards in the second half.
Liberty avoided giving up the big play to VMI receivers Zohn Burden and Gary Price, and running backs Nat Jackson and Bryan Royster found very little running room up the gut.
“We knew we could take their run away because their linemen weren’t playing that tough,” Liberty linebacker Manny Rojas said. “We knew we could stop the run and force them to pass. In the second half, we really feel like we shut them down.”
As it becomes more evident that this Flames team is a young bunch not prepared to win a lot of games this year, building block games like Saturday’s against VMI are important.
“We’re going to be a good football team,” Karcher said. “You’ve got to continue to get them to believe and show that you’re behind them. No one likes to lose. We won’t accept losing. But this team continues to get better.”
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As someone having to cover the Texans on an everyday basis, I fully understand how tough a task Chris has in covering the carnage. Its not much fun.
As for the all-Farrel all the time situation, I'm not sold. But at least we don't have three guys rotating snaps anymore.
