Liberty's Not So Daunting FB Schedule

[TexasTerror]

Liberty has made things easy this go around. That's just fine for the Flames program which has suffered through some very long and agonizing seasons. Perhaps with an easier schedule heading into Big South play, they can hang around and be more competitive...

LU's football schedule not as daunting

By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
March 8, 2006

Liberty's 2006 football schedule doesn't have the glitz and glamour that the 2005 slate did.

But, as new Flames coach Danny Rocco will point out, that 2005 schedule, filled with I-AA powers and a I-A money game, was a big reason why Liberty stumbled its way through a program-worst 1-10 season.

"These kids had no confidence," said Rocco, who finalized the schedule Wednesday. "They had very little self-esteem. We just wanted to give ourselves a chance early on, to give ourselves some confidence."

The Flames opened last season with a harder-than-it-should-have been 17-6 home win against Division II Concord before setting off on its record 10-game losing streak. A brutal stretch of games - at Connecticut, vs. Youngstown State, at William & Mary - set the tone for the season. Liberty lost the three by a combined 157-0 count, and the Flames never recovered. Instead of preparing the Flames for the conference schedule, the non-conference slate beat Liberty down.

http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834601590&path=!sports

[DTSpider]

"Also, Presbyterian College, a Division II school interested in joining the Big South, has been tentatively penciled into future schedules for all conference schools."

I don't know if this had been discussed already, but it would give the Big South its 6th school. However, it would be tough for the conference to get the autobid.

[AppGuy04]

so they will go 3-8, wow, so much better

[walliver]

"Also, Presbyterian College, a Division II school interested in joining the Big South, has been tentatively penciled into future schedules for all conference schools."

I don't know if this had been discussed already, but it would give the Big South its 6th school. However, it would be tough for the conference to get the autobid.

PC would be the 6th school only if Coastal Carolina stays put, if the Beach Chickens leave then they are back at 5 (And don't forget that Liberty is going I-A soon according to Mr. Falwell)

I found it interesting that the article referred to Savannah State as a I-AA bottom feeder. The statement is true, but a team coming off a 1-10 year with no Division I wins should be careful about calling anybody a "bottom feeder."

[carney2]

Didn't I read somewhere that these clowns are looking to move up to I-A?

[WCU LawCat]

The last time Liberty decided to play the Catamounts they went home with a 63-0 chip on their shoulder. Should be another "interesting" matchup.

[Cap'n Cat]

Man, this is a schedule that Youngstown and Western Illinois would just drool over!

[Mr. C]

I guess this is how Jerry Falwell gets the Flames ready to make that jump to I-A. At least Coastal Carolina from the Big South is willing to take on all comers.

[catamount man]

The last time Liberty decided to play the Catamounts they went home with a 63-0 chip on their shoulder. Should be another "interesting" matchup.

Nope. Kent Brigg's 1st game as WCU head coach was a 23-3 win over the Flames in 2002. The 63-0 win was in 2001 at Cullowhee. GO CATAMOUNTS!!!

[IaaScribe]

I guess this is how Jerry Falwell gets the Flames ready to make that jump to I-A. At least Coastal Carolina from the Big South is willing to take on all comers.

To address two comments:

The one about being careful about calling Savannah State a I-AA bottom-feeder: Why should I? Danny Rocco should be careful about it, and he didn't say it. But I'm not part of the Liberty program, so I'm just pointing out a fact. You want to dispute it?

Mr. C: Ken Karcher was willing to take on all comers and it got him poor records, terrible attendance and eventually cost him his job. Rocco is trying to build up a non-existant fan base in Lynchburg, and he knows it isn't going to happen by starting the season at 1-2 by playing UConn and Youngstown State back-to-back.

[IaaScribe]

Actually, Mr. C, let me rephrase as not to come off sounding combative:

How would you schedule if you're the new head coach of a program coming off the worst season in school history, one that exists in a vacuum in a town that's split evenly between Virginia and Virginia Tech? I don't think the casual fan here can make a distinction between Glenville State and Youngstown State. I try to educate as much as I can on what is a good I-AA football opponent (Western Carolina) and what is a bad one (Savannah State), but it all kind of runs together to people who don't follow I-AA much.

That's Rocco's conundrum in a nutshell. Karcher always scheduled up, and had the Flames won enough of those games, it was a schedule conducive to earning a playoff bid. But who was he kidding? He never had enough talent to compete against such a schedule. Rocco knows he has to win games to build some excitement in this community. Those of us in the know will look at a potentially 3-0 Liberty and say, "uh, well duh, they played two DIIs and Savannah State." Some casual fans in town, however, may go, "huh, Liberty's 3-0? Maybe worth a look."

I think he's trying to get that casual fan out to the stadium, and it won't happen if LU has its typical 1-4 start against good competition.

[OL FU]

Actually, Mr. C, let me rephrase as not to come off sounding combative:

How would you schedule if you're the new head coach of a program coming off the worst season in school history, one that exists in a vacuum in a town that's split evenly between Virginia and Virginia Tech? I don't think the casual fan here can make a distinction between Glenville State and Youngstown State. I try to educate as much as I can on what is a good I-AA football opponent (Western Carolina) and what is a bad one (Savannah State), but it all kind of runs together to people who don't follow I-AA much.

That's Rocco's conundrum in a nutshell. Karcher always scheduled up, and had the Flames won enough of those games, it was a schedule conducive to earning a playoff bid. But who was he kidding? He never had enough talent to compete against such a schedule. Rocco knows he has to win games to build some excitement in this community. Those of us in the know will look at a potentially 3-0 Liberty and say, "uh, well duh, they played two DIIs and Savannah State." Some casual fans in town, however, may go, "huh, Liberty's 3-0? Maybe worth a look."

I think he's trying to get that casual fan out to the stadium, and it won't happen if LU has its typical 1-4 start against good competition.

I would schedule the games on Sunday hoping Falwell will be at church instead of at the stadium:D

[Go...gate]

Rocco's doing the right thing - no different than Georgetown. Liberty will get it turned around, but IMO, I-A is as long way off.

[Hansel]

I guess this is how Jerry Falwell gets the Flames ready to make that jump to I-A. At least Coastal Carolina from the Big South is willing to take on all comers.
CCU backed out of a deal with us last year to play Mansfield (they line was that they concerned with the travel costs for the follwoing year when they would travel to Fargo)

had they played (and beat us) they might have been in the playoffs

[rokamortis]

CCU backed out of a deal with us last year to play Mansfield (they line was that they concerned with the travel costs for the follwoing year when they would travel to Fargo)

had they played (and beat us) they might have been in the playoffs

Had we beaten CSU we would have been in the playoffs.

Is it fair to say 'backed out' of the deal? I didn't think there was a deal in the first place, just talk.

As far as travel costs are concerned our AD has been mentioned to say something like - 'If we have to fly to a game out west, I want to play UCLA'.

[The Gadfly]

Don't let Mrs.C get under your skin Scribe. His adopted school is about to go to I-A to get creamed by Middle Tennesee State and Idaho :nod: . They don't want anyone else to cut in line for the whoopings. They're weird like that :smiley_wi .

[Coastal89]

Don't let Mrs.C get under your skin Scribe. His adopted school is about to go to I-A to get creamed by Middle Tennesee State and Idaho :nod: . They don't want anyone else to cut in line for the whoopings. They're weird like that :smiley_wi .
I Appy makes the jump to I-A, does Mr. C also make the jump?:confused: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: