Freshman QB

[ann]

I think we are all forgetting another factor that may play a big part in Liberty Football. Brock Smith is a outstanding athlete who played offense and defense and was the kicker and punter for his Highschool team. He could really be a factor when he is healthy. So I am biased but ok....

[PAmedic]

welcome aboard ANN- keep up the optimism, the rest of us are pretty jaded right now!

[PAmedic]

Well, this oughta make Antie Ann happy- Brock has been officially tabbed the "heir apparent":

Frosh QB continues to wait

Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 19, 2005

Brock Smith's time has not come.
Yet.

The freshman will continue to be Liberty University's No. 2 quarterback behind senior Brock Farrel for at least Saturday's home finale against Coastal Carolina.

If the Flames lose Saturday and fall completely out of contention for the Big South title, Smith would likely be the starting quarterback the last three weeks of the season.

"This game this week is the target game I've had all along," Liberty coach Ken Karcher said. "If we end up not playing the way we need to and we come out on wrong end of the scoreboard, the last three weeks, we'll play almost all of the freshmen. That's not to give in over the last three (weeks), but we're going to get them time for the future."

Karcher didn't insert Smith into last Saturday's 38-17 loss to Towson because it wasn't an ideal situation. Down four touchdowns in the fourth quarter, Smith would have had to run a lot of no-huddle, hurry-up offense. In a similar situation against William & Mary on Sept. 24, Smith went 2-for-9 for 21 yards and an interception.

Smith is the leading candidate to start next season at quarterback. At this point, getting him into the flow of game-week preparation as the starter would be just as important as the games themselves. If Liberty is 1-7 after Saturday's game, that education would likely begin next week.

"If he gets more reps, that will help him," Karcher said. "There's no way to get the experience at quarterback until you get on that game field and you have the bullets flying at you. He'll show some good things, I'm sure. And he'll show some mistakes."

[PAmedic]

Karcher:

"If we end up not playing the way we need to and we come out on wrong end of the scoreboard, the last three weeks, we'll play almost all of the freshmen. That's not to give in over the last three (weeks), but we're going to get them time for the future."

hoping to see Greiser get some additional time based on this report.

[eddantes]

Congratulations, Brock Smith. You're now dubbed with the same "heir apparent" moniker that seemed to work out so well for Kyle Painter, J.R. Barley and Travis Johnson.

(Run. Run now.)

[lufbfan3]

Eddantes, you always say what I immediately think. I may have to tell Brock Smith to get his shoes out--but I'd stick around to see what happens at the end of the season!

If all else fails, there's always baseball...

[aunie ann]

Dont scare me guys, I really appreciate the quick post for me, I got to talk to Brock even before he saw the article. Say a prayer that things work out well for him, He is really deserving of a good shot, Let's all think as positive as we can.. Thanks guys Auntie Ann

[PAmedic]

thats what we're here for- a cup of coffee and your morning update w/ the Flames message board.

[youcantsaythat]

According to aunt Anne, Brock played offense,defense and kicked in highschool. Put him in now and that would give the Flames 3 players...Terrell on offense,Rojas on defense and Brock as the special teams player. That's all LU needs and it would probably be better than anything we've seen so far. Or LU could re-write the vision and one day realize the dream of playing 3 on 3 flag football against some students from Notre Dame.

[PAmedic]

REGISTER

[Sly Fox]

Frosh QB continues to wait

Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 19, 2005

Brock Smith's time has not come.
Yet.

The freshman will continue to be Liberty University's No. 2 quarterback behind senior Brock Farrel for at least Saturday's home finale against Coastal Carolina.

If the Flames lose Saturday and fall completely out of contention for the Big South title, Smith would likely be the starting quarterback the last three weeks of the season.

"This game this week is the target game I've had all along," Liberty coach Ken Karcher said. "If we end up not playing the way we need to and we come out on wrong end of the scoreboard, the last three weeks, we'll play almost all of the freshmen. That's not to give in over the last three (weeks), but we're going to get them time for the future."

Karcher didn't insert Smith into last Saturday's 38-17 loss to Towson because it wasn't an ideal situation. Down four touchdowns in the fourth quarter, Smith would have had to run a lot of no-huddle, hurry-up offense. In a similar situation against William & Mary on Sept. 24, Smith went 2-for-9 for 21 yards and an interception.

Smith is the leading candidate to start next season at quarterback. At this point, getting him into the flow of game-week preparation as the starter would be just as important as the games themselves. If Liberty is 1-7 after Saturday's game, that education would likely begin next week.

"If he gets more reps, that will help him," Karcher said. "There's no way to get the experience at quarterback until you get on that game field and you have the bullets flying at you. He'll show some good things, I'm sure. And he'll show some mistakes."

Showdown in Lexington

After going winless in 2004, VMI finds itself in an interesting position late in the season: in contention for the Big South title.

VMI hosts Gardner-Webb Saturday afternoon, and if the Keydets can knock off the skidding Bulldogs, they'll be 3-0 in league play with only a trip to conference favorite Coastal Carolina remaining.

"That has created some excitement within our football program," VMI coach Cal McCombs said on Tuesday's Big South conference call. "I'm certainly excited."

The Bulldogs have lost their last four games after winning their first two against non-Division I competition. The most heartbreaking was a 34-31 overtime loss last week at Coastal Carolina.

VMI will still be without starting running back Sean Mizzer, who tried to practice last Wednesday, but stopped when his injured knee began swelling again. After a breakout game against Charleston Southern in which Bryan Royster and Nat Jackson combined for 230 rushing yards, the duo took a step back in last week's loss at Wofford. Jackson had 65 yards on eight carries and Royster was held to zero yards on four carries.

VMI's active defense is of the greatest concern to GWU coach Steve Patton.

"There's no question that this is the best VMI team I've seen in a good while, probably since their last year in the Southern Conference," Patton said. "Their defensive line has made tremendous improvement. They're causing turnovers and intercepting passes. They look like they're having a lot of fun."

National honor

Liberty's Josh McDougal was named USA Track & Field's athlete of the week Tuesday after shattering the course record at the NCAA pre-national meet in Terre Haute, Ind., last Saturday.

McDougal, a sophomore who has won all but one of the races he's entered in his career, ran the course in 23 minutes, 12.6 seconds, breaking the record set by BYU's Josh Rohatinsky by 28 seconds.

Liberty's men's team is ranked fourth in the NCAA Southeast Region.

Big South honor

Liberty outside hitter Kendall Nichols was honored as the Big South's top freshman for the second straight week.

Nichols posted 41 kills in two matches last weekend. LU lost to UNC Asheville and beat Birmingham-Southern at home. She had 21, kills, 20 digs and two blocks against UNCA.

www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767624378&path=!sports

[PAmedic]

Hey SLY: look up the page half-way. (Reply #2 at 0636, 10/19)
pretty much the point of the thread! do they serve coffee in TX? I'd recommend the espresso!

[Sly Fox]

I was in Chicago on business and I didn't see the post anywhere on here. I had just worked a 20-hour shift between Chitown & H-town. Please forgive me.

Oh yeah, how about those Astros? Think your boy Billy Wagner is jealous?

[PAmedic]

I was wondering what happened to you, good to have ya back. Yeah, hate to admit it- I thought St Louis was unstoppable. then again, I'm a Phillies fan, what do I know? Wagner's the man though!

And the way you entered the nickname for Chicago fits perfectly- I have no affection for that place, been there once and it was too many- colder than cold. YIKES

[bigsmooth]

this is a freshman QB thread guys! j.k. congrats sly on your astros...hope they win. anyway im looking forward to seeing brock smith, but where does terrell fit in?? will he be the running back next year???

[PAmedic]

sure seems like it. I believe the coaching staff has to be very happy w/ his production at tailback. Of course, bring in a new staff - who knows?!

[PAmedic]

Still would like to see how we fare w/ a steady diet of Brock at QB, Terrell and Greiser in the backfield- we'll need one speed wideout, one guy good over the middle and a good blocking TE who has hands. THATS ALL (!) shouldn't take more than a couple months to throw that together!

[eddantes]

pamedic said:

Still would like to see how we fare w/ a steady diet of Brock at QB, Terrell and Greiser in the backfield- we'll need one speed wideout, one guy good over the middle and a good blocking TE who has hands. THATS ALL (!) shouldn't take more than a couple months to throw that together!

We haven't thrown that combo together in six years, why start now? I mean, last year we sort of had that -- decent QB, Dre and Eugene in the backfield, plus Sam Gado (who ran a 4.2, I heard) got some play as a receiver and the same core of competent wideouts that we have now... But any combination of good players and a terrible coach results in "L's" in the standings.

[PAmedic]

Good point. But we'll see NEXT YEAR!