Program's Future Looking Brighter

[Sly Fox]

Here is Chris' ray of sunshine story from Monday's fishwrap:

Liberty gets a look at its bright future

By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 31, 2005

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Liberty University has seen the same scenario play out four times now this season: Get to the final minute with a chance to win, only to falter and suffer a heartbreaking defeat.

It’s happened against VMI, Chattanooga, Coastal Carolina and most recently, Saturday night at Gardner-Webb.

So why was the look on the faces of Liberty’s players so much different after the 21-16 loss to the Bulldogs?

Sure, there was disappointment. But there wasn’t outright devastation like there had been last week after a triple-overtime home loss to Coastal Carolina.

It might have had something to do with Liberty getting a good look at its bright future on the field.

At the skill positions, the Flames are extremely young. Quarterback Brock Smith and running back Zach Terrell are freshmen. Receivers Wynton Jackson and Brandon Turner, each of whom have had 100-yard games, are sophomores, as is tight end Chris Luck.

“We haven’t arrived yet,” a hopeful Turner said in a bustling hallway outside the Flames’ locker room Saturday night. He put particular emphasis on the word “yet.”

After taking a week off to rest bruised bodies and egos, the Flames will have two more chances to “arrive” before the 2005 season closes: on the road against Charleston Southern and Norfolk State, teams that are a combined 5-12.

Liberty coach Ken Karcher seemed ready to commit to Smith as the full-time starter at quarterback after the Saturday’s game. The 6-foot-3 freshman from Hershey, Pa., gave the Flames a different dimension. Senior Brock Farrel completed eight passes for 61 yards. Smith hit on 17 passes for 261 yards.

Smith showed an ability to rifle balls into tight spots and move the ball with both long and short passes. Some balls were thrown so hard that it surprised LU’s receivers: of Smith’s nine incompletions, three were simply dropped passes. Smith also showed poise, at least until the last drive of the game in which he threw an interception that sealed the win for Gardner-Webb. The Flames needed to go 64 yards in 2:03 to score the winning touchdown and had no timeouts.

He wouldn’t use his youth as an excuse for that failed attempt at a game-winning drive.

“Of course, I’m a freshman, but I believe I’m mature enough to handle something like that,” Smith said. “I just went out and tried to make plays. That’s what Brandon (Turner) said: we need guys who can make plays. We haven’t had anybody at the quarterback spot make many plays, so hopefully, I can step up and do it.”

With Smith under center, the Flames rolled to their highest yardage total of the season (479).

With several talented skill position players in the fold, Liberty will use the last three weeks of the season as sort of an extended spring practice, albeit against other teams. Players will continue to audition for roles for the 2006 season and get valuable game experience.

As Turner would say, only playmakers need apply.

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[Stevev]

The future would look a whole heck of a lot brighter with Karcher out of the picture. If not it could be the same ol' crap all over again.

[eddantes]

Let the record show that I was not the first person to make that statement.

[HarrisburgFlame]

Very happy Brock Smith got a start and his numbers were great! Looks like we have a QB.

[rokamortis]

Do you think Karcher made a mistake by not starting Smith sooner? If he had say in week 3 or 4 you guys may have had a better chance against most of the remaining teams since Smith would have gained experience. No replies from player's aunts either ;D

[Sly Fox]

That's tough question. Obviously in retrospect it would've been great getting him experience considering we lost all the game anyway. But Farrel had earned his opportunity as a senior and it was tough to throw a true freshman to the wolves.

Clearly Zach was ready for anything & everything based on his pure athletic abililty overall. But pocket passers tend to be a little overwhelmed by hidden coverages and blitz packages. I'd hate to think we would leave a potential diamond in the rough completely shellshocked by being in over his head too soon.

[AUNTIE]

I know I was not supposed to respond, but I agree that Zach is a great player, and feel that the entire team seems to have improved. And by the weigh isnt nice to have the female prespective on this board.. I have the sensitive female side.. And you know that I think Farell seems to have handled this like a gentleman, I am really enjoying meeting Liberty fans and alum, you all seem like a special bunch.

[PAmedic]

Gotta agree w/ SLY here. He looks good b/c he's seen limited time w/ very little scouting available. Not to denigrate his obvious talent. Give CCUs coaches (and others) a few games to watch tape and they'll be teeing off on him, esp w/ our O' Line playing soft. Throw in stunts and some blitz packages and you screw up a frosh QB pretty quick. He's got some confidence now, play him more thru the rest of the year, add another off season and camp- he'll be good to go. IMHO.

and AUNTIE, you have no idea how "special" we really are. I get it all the time!

[krh44]

I believe that we have had 4 different freshman of the week in the BSC this year.

[PAmedic]

besides Noah, thats the only bright spot this season.

well, and the potential of Zach and Brock F, obviously.

[seanspeaker]

Although I have never been a fan of the Ken Karcher AS A HEAD COACH, I think his stock went down in a big way when he moved Mr. Terrell to halfback, the reasons being:

1. We will now have (barring a very possible mass exodus of talent from the team) 4 very good to excellent running backs on the depth chart (Terrell, Greiser, Fluellen, Otah) and only one decent quarterback (Smith).

2. I honestly think that Terrell is a much better passer than he is given credit for and, although his potential as a passer is extremely, extremely raw, expecially compared to Smith, I believe he has the most potential of the two.

3. I believe to advance on our long-term plan of universal domination of college football, we need to have someone under center that can move; although Smith looks extremely fluid in a three- or five-step drop, beyond that his footwork leaves MUCH to be desired (think Drew Bledsoe, although Bledsoe might actually be a better runner than Smith). When he has to move even inside the pocket, forget out of water, Smith looks like a fish in a frying pan. Not something I really want to see.

Still, I must say that the future does look positive, although Karcher will probably screw that up.

Also, I just noticed a possibility:
1. Karcher leaves. 2. Either Smith improves his athleticism or we find another athletic QB this summer (but just how many can there really be?). 3. Greiser is converted by the new coach into a FB, leaving us with a backfield of Terrell/Otah/Fluellen@HB, Greiser@FB, and an athletic Smith/>insert athletic freshman here<@qb. In short,
BRILLIANT!!!

[lufbfan3]

yes the 4 freshmen + noah players of the week have been some of the very few bright spots in the season...

and AA-I'm a female point of view on the board too! I'm just not sensitive when it comes to football. I just didn't want to mention it bc I didn't want to lose any credibility as a girl on the football board.

[PAmedic]

don't sweat the credibility thing- anyone that knows me gives me NONE. and SEAN: I kicked around the idea of Greiser at FB leading for Terrell- does he have the size though? We'll see.