Liberty coach Hugh Freeze smiles as defensive finish Durrell Johnson (11) arms him a fumble restoration towards Southern Miss Sept. 3, 2022, in Hattiesburg, Miss. On Monday, Freeze known as Saturday’s matchup with BYU a historic second within the historical past of the college. Matthew Hinton, Related Press
Liberty coach Hugh Freeze seems to be towards his staff throughout sport towards Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Rogelio V. Solis, Related Press
How large of deal is BYU’s go to to Liberty this Saturday for an ESPNU-televised matchup of personal, faith-based, football-playing establishments for the Flames and their followers in Lynchburg, Virginia?
Liberty coach Hugh Freeze known as it a historic second within the historical past of the college on Monday when he met with reporters to debate 6-1 Liberty’s 21-20 win over Gardner-Webb final week and this week’s matchup with the 4-3 and struggling Cougars.
“It's (a possibility) that needs to be welcomed. It's a nice, nice problem, but one we needs to be excited (about) and embrace with a religion and perception that we've performed one thing properly to make a sport that has some significance in lots of people’s minds about enjoying such a terrific program like BYU at our dwelling, being on this place.” — Liberty coach Hugh Freeze
“We're strolling within the achievement of a imaginative and prescient that began from nothing, actually, apart from a perception,” Freeze mentioned. “And to have the ability to stroll in that, I do know that Dr. (Jerry) Falwell (Sr.) could be simply ecstatic to see the gang, the ambiance and all the pieces that's going to be on Saturday afternoon (1:30 p.m. MDT) right here enjoying a staff that he has such excessive regard for, as do I, in BYU. Hopefully we embrace that a part of it additionally.”
Falwell, a Baptist pastor and televangelist, based Liberty College in 1971, and sometimes spoke of his admiration for BYU’s soccer program till his dying in 2007.
BYU and Liberty agreed to a soccer collection in 2017, with the Cougars profitable 31-24 in Provo on Nov. 9, 2019, and now making the return go to on Saturday of their closing season as a university soccer impartial earlier than becoming a member of the Massive 12 in 2023.
Liberty has been impartial in soccer, too, however is transferring to Convention USA in 2023. The Flames have performed on the FBS degree since 2018. In 1970, Falwell first shared his imaginative and prescient that Liberty athletics would develop into for evangelical Christians what BYU is to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Freeze concluded his information convention Monday with this: “We'd like the scholars and followers and we'd like all the assistance we will get to be there to offer us sufficient power to hopefully make it an thrilling fourth quarter.
“So come on out. It's going to be a terrific day of celebration of kinda the place the imaginative and prescient has come that Dr. Falwell forged a few years in the past.”
In his opening feedback, Freeze mentioned the matchup is vital to lots of people at Liberty and is a superb “alternative” for this system that began enjoying soccer in 1973.
Liberty coach Hugh Freeze seems to be towards his staff throughout sport towards Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021.
Rogelio V. Solis, Related Press
“It's (a possibility) that needs to be welcomed,” Freeze mentioned. “It's a nice, nice problem, but one we needs to be excited (about) and embrace with a religion and perception that we've performed one thing properly to make a sport that has some significance in lots of people’s minds about enjoying such a terrific program like BYU at our dwelling, being on this place.”
BYU (4-3) is coming off an embarrassing 52-35 loss to Arkansas and is barely a four- or five-point favourite Saturday.
Freeze wasn’t proud of how his staff, one among solely 16 bowl-eligible groups within the nation, performed towards 2-5 Gardner-Webb.
“We performed a really poor soccer sport offensively, and (on) third down, and (with) penalties on protection,” he mentioned. “… That’s very irritating to me. I haven’t felt like this in an extended, lengthy, very long time. Don’t know that I've ever felt prefer it, in truth.”
Freeze mentioned despite the fact that the polls “beat you up” once you lose, BYU is a “top-25 staff within the nation” and could possibly be ranked.
“Their power of schedule (is nice), I imply, Oregon, Baylor, Notre Dame, Arkansas. I imply, they should have one of many hardest power of schedules within the nation and Utah State is a very good staff, too,” Freeze mentioned. “They may play anybody. They're a Energy 5 staff that performs in all probability a more durable schedule than a variety of Energy 5 convention groups due to the place they're presently. It's a tall, tall problem.”
Former College of Utah quarterback Charlie Brewer, who misplaced 26-17 to BYU in 2021, was Liberty’s beginning QB at first of the season, however broke his hand within the season opener and was mentioned on the time to be sidelined six to eight weeks.
Freeze mentioned Brewer wasn’t near enjoying towards Gardner-Webb, however “there was drastic enchancment over the weekend” and didn’t rule him out towards BYU.
“We should see how the week progresses,” Freeze mentioned.
Listed here are extra feedback from Freeze on BYU and Saturday’s sport
On understanding BYU coach Kalani Sitake:
“Kalani Sitake is likely one of the best human beings that you'll ever meet. And he loves his gamers. I simply take pleasure in being round this man. I like his core values, what he's about, and will probably be enjoyable getting to go to with him. ... I'm excited concerning the problem. I want they weren’t superb, however they're actually good. And credit score goes to him and his employees and his gamers.
On BYU’s personnel:
“Tremendous proficient staff. Defensively they're very a number of. That may be a little completely different. Most likely the perfect linebacker group we've confronted, for certain. The D line is robust. However they've performed a variety of completely different seems to be, relying on the sport. We've to determine what they'll play us.
“Offensively, this quarterback is a real twin menace. He’s an issue. And actually good working backs. O line is large. Receivers are actually proficient. This is likely one of the greatest groups we’ve confronted. They're proper there with Wake Forest, possibly just a little higher at some locations.”
On Liberty tight finish Bentley Hanshaw, a 23-year-old switch from BYU:
“Effectively, he’s a mature younger man. However bodily he nonetheless has a methods to go. He wants to realize some girth and all of that. However he's enjoying vital snaps for us, even the place he's at.
“Kalani was unimaginable in that complete expertise, and making an attempt to assist each events. Kalani is that sort of man. He's for these younger males and children which are in our applications, and in his case, he’s received a variety of 25-year-olds. Bentley goes to be a kind of for us hopefully, and I hope he positive factors about 30 kilos for the subsequent three seasons.
“I'm certain it would imply quite a bit for Bentley to see his outdated buddies and outdated coaches. He'll need to compete and win additionally.”
On if enjoying large opponents like BYU motivates Liberty’s gamers extra:
“If we're having to leap by hoops and create some circus ambiance to get our youngsters to need to compete towards BYU or Arkansas, we're in all probability in large, large hassle. So I don’t assume our staff seems to be at it like, ‘Hey, we've checked the field to be bowl eligible and now we will simply put it on cruise.’ I actually hope not. I don’t sense that in any respect. I don’t consider that's the case.”
On the maturity of BYU’s gamers as a result of many having served missions:
“Yeah, that is big-boy soccer, for certain. And we're going to be actually undersized in a variety of matchups, and it'll take monumental straining to win on each play, for us to have an opportunity to win this within the fourth quarter. It's going to take all of our youngsters doing that. However there isn't a query that the bodily presence of their staff is daunting once you take a look at it, actually.”
On BYU quarterback Jaren Corridor’s capability:
“He's only a robust younger man. Sensible, savvy, assured. Makes use of his legs when he must, and might throw it. So he’s a tricky matchup.”
On BYU receiver Puka Nacua’s versatility:
“They're simply actually well-coached, received a very good scheme they usually received good athletes on the receiver and tight finish and working again place to go along with their twin menace quarterback and their big offensive line. In all these video games, (Sitake) didn’t say in his postgame press convention that they have been struggling offensively, I hope. As a result of they're placing up factors towards all people, some actually good groups. So they've a great scheme and good gamers.”
Cougars on the air
BYU (4-3) at Liberty (6-1)
Saturday, 1:30 p.m. MDT
Williams Stadium
Lynchburg, Virginia
TV: ESPNU
Radio: KSL NewsRadio 102.7 FM/1160 AM