#144 R.P.I. Virginia Tech @ #3o R.P.I. Liberty:

Today’s word of the day is… due.

due
/d(y)o͞o/

Latin: and Middle English (in the sense ‘payable’): and from Old French deu ‘owed’, based on Latin debitus ‘owed’, from debere ‘owe’.

adjective.

1. expected at or planned for at a certain time.

noun.

1. a person’s right; what is owed to someone.
2. an obligatory payment; a fee.
3. 4 PM Saturday comes… due?

Liberty Head Coach: Danny Hugh Freeze Jr.: age=53, (34–13 @Liberty and 56–45 overall); Freezy has a rep’ for offense, (optioning in particular), and recruiting.
$3,000,000.oo. (Freeze got a kool 1-mill bump since we saw him, last!)

Freeze.edu attended Senatobia High School and the University of Southern Mississippi, from which he graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and a minor in coaching and sports administration. Oddly enough, he never played football… tho’ was good enough to campaign for two seasons of JuCo baseball at Northwest Mississippi Community College where he picked up a 2-year Associate Degree.

It was while attending So.Miss’ that Freeze became active in mission projects, serving as a missionary in Houston, Salt Lake City, St. Petersburg, Russia (St.Xenia bless!), and Australia. Freeze also served as the state president of the Mississippi Baptist Student Union.

A successful high school football coach at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee, big-whistle Freeze coached Michael Oher and Greg Hardy. He subsequently served as the head football coach at Lambuth University from 2008 to 2009, Arkansas State University in 2011, and the University of Mississippi (Olè Miss) from 2012 to 2016

Under Freeze, the Olè Miss football program committed various recruiting and academic violations that figured in the NCAA’s decision to expunge 27 of Freeze’s wins and ban the Reb’s from post-season play for two years. He resigned from Olè Miss after officials discovered that he had used a university cellphone to call escort services multiple times over the course of five years.

Coach Freeze does have a mess of championships and awards when he is not doing/into this/that off-field. Among ’em would be… 1 Sun Belt (2011), 1 Mid-South Conference West Division (2009), 2 Tennessee HS 8-AA (2002, 2004), and 6 Tennessee HS 8-AA Regional (1995–1998, 2001, 2002). That does not suck. And neither does… AFCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year (2009), Mid-South Conference COY (2009), 4× AP High School COY, and 5× Region 8-AA COY! You do not do all of that just on bum-fighting alone men.

In his first year with the team, the Liberty Flames played to a 7-5 record, qualified for a bowl game for the first time in school history, and accepted an invitation to the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida. On December 10, 2019, Freeze signed a 5-year extension with Liberty. Coach Freeze enjoys Arbor Day as well… as he has already spawned two coaching-tree roots: Tom Allen: Indiana (2016–present) and Matt Luke: Ole Miss (2017–2019). All other things aside, make no misQ here… this is a good dang ‘ball coach.

Freeze and his wife Jill have three daughters; Ragan, Jordan, and Madison.
Freeze is a born-again Christian and has been outspoken about his
faith throughout his coaching career.

God Bless!
As Coach God does, Forgive

2021 record:  8 up 5 down and o-o in the NO conference. (Stilly Indy here).

 Liberty Defense: (starters back=)

• Oddball true-Ng, Dt, De, Hybrid; 2-Lb’ers and Nickle behind that set.
• 3oth in Total D!
• 43th vs. the run.
• 38th vs. the throw.
• 13th best in Passing Efficiency D!!!
• 34th in zone D!

  

• 9 outta 1o in dLine Havoc. Both interior linemen (Ralfs Rusins and Elijah James) are gonzo at Dt1 and Dt1a. The same drill as below… this is a very reasonable place to chin-check and whisker, test. In lieu of them… now Dt(1) Kendy Charles moves up the depth chart after recording 4.5 sacks last season. Kendy must take the next step(s). Newcomer Dre Butler (Auburn) is expected to line up alongside Charles at Ng (this seems more willing to us); with freshman Bryce Dixon finding his way into the rotation. Chris Boti should see more playing time after recording 17 tackles in nine games last season. So, they are missing a few, they are getting a few, and this is a dLine in retooling flux. Tho’ there is some measure of Talent here; just not as much as last year internally. The edges are strong, TreShaun Clark will be one of the best De’s Liberty opponents will deal with all year, and De2 Durrell Johnson is not all that far behind. Some are higher than me on this dLine, tho’ if another Dt can emerge the error, is all mine. They are almost good overall, due to near greatness at the Bookends. A decent-sized front wall, tho’ only one guy is a mauler. And they do make negative plays happen, plural(s)! As at least 75% of them start for us upfront on D.
• 8 in 1o in Linebacking Havoc. The unit has to replace both inside linebackers (Storey Jackson and Rashaad Harding); they were strong for the twice consecutive 11th-ranked D in Total D and this is no small ask here. 182 departed combined stops between ’em later say so. Mike Smith Jr. (ankle-roll, St.Phillip bless), from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, is expected to start at Mike-Lb alongside outside-Lb1 Tyren Dupree. Former De Aakil Washington has moved to linebacker for first and second downs. Mike should be steady at, well; Mike. The rest need to show us a bit more. Aikil Washington is a pass rusher who will likely play a hybrid De3/Lb3 role. Washington is your X-factor for this 2nd-layer. The mo’ whacko plays he makes the less whacked this middle unit will be. Barely ‘okay’ sized (2-man) Linebacking corps. Tho’ then Lb3 now Lb2 Ahmad Walker has been a pleasant surprise.
• 7 of 1o in Secondary Havoc. LU plays the man not the ball. And here Javon Scruggs leads a secondary that ranked sixth in passing defense in 2o21. Robert Rahimi replaces Cedric Stone at LU’s hybrid Rover position and converted Cb1 Quinton Reese gets his chance to start at Ss after missing the final seven games of 2o21 with a torn meniscus (St.Culbreth bless). Kinda similar to the front wall up above… there is likewise some measure of Talent here, it too is in flux. And reshaping both ends of an 11th-ranked D at the very same time seems to signal an end to being 11th best to us. That said… Scruggs is a physically tough Fs who will be among the team’s top tacklers, and the corners should be okay. However, this group did not pick off enough passes last year –just seven of the nine INTs– and most of that production is actually gone. So, where will this steady if not spectacular hind-4 go next? As they surely play the ball not the man… as you will glean below… More reasonable metrics/sizes roam here. Handsy group that will make more than their share of ball-hawking plays. And they are sided, 1 better Cb and S than 1 lesser Cb and S per side.

  

• D Overall: As you, Dt and ILb see above… middle of the front-7 seems inviting if not obvious here.
  (Film-Study): in theory, this is a forty-three or 4-3 base. Tho’ it morphs and/or moves all over the place. Arrowheads or triades from the 2nd and occasionally the 3rd-layer. Even or odd fronts with 3o (standup De), 5o, or even 6o looks. Very variable Man intensity(s). To be as highly ranked as they are they musta done something(s) right. However, to me upon breaking UConn tape they looked: smaller than listed, a bit listless itself, and not that physical or that speedy. D will even stack ILb’ing twins off their 2o look, with two-down and three-up upfront. Oddities live here to be sure. D even has something of a double-Joe Green angular pinch-fit from the ostensible two Dt’s upfront. And they are run-dawggs on the inside. Outside was a little less difficult.. tho’ that is in relative terms. This D is undulled, it will try to steal peeps, and although not exactly cheap, they do get inexpensive here-n-there. Not verbally shy to boot. D will medium to softer zone a bit mo’ in obvious passing situations Cover-2 up to near Cover-4 tho’ with one deeper or delay blitzer thrown in for oddball measure. Not the best tackling D Eye’ve ever seen, tho’ just odd/unusually schemed. Did I mention the oddities, yet?
• ∑ (summary): returning D production=50% (118th)! is your conflict defender here. What with zero defensive points tallied. Which is odd for the 6th most opposing passes pilfered D.
  Odder yet for the Beta stat-line analytics… which were C+, or B- or A- nearly straight across. Liberty takes the ball, they work the strip-club front door, side door, backdoor, and trap door alike. Gotta rep’ up Gauntlet Drill this week or the Hokiebird will lay a football egg on the turf as the Flames live to liberate ball carriers and receivers from the same. This is a solid D that is nearly epic at generating big plays or outright takeaways.

Defensive letter-grade:

(READERS note: the only real Beta foible from both the Liberty O & D alike was… S.O.S. or strength of schedule. Which admittedly was not exactly murder’s row in Independent (non-conferential) terms).

Liberty Offense: (returning starters=)

• 46th in Total O.
• 31st in ground O.
• 78th in aerial O.
• 85th in Passing Efficiency O.
• 1o4th in zone O!
• 1o4th in completion percentage O!
• 126th worst in passes intercepted (14 Flames outs chucked here).

  

• Rb(s): Scatback; and downright slender 176 lb. Shedro Louis gives you east-west and north-south stretch when he and his 8.4 ypc squirts free. And combo’-‘back Joshua Mack does it both inside and at least out to the off-Tackle edge. LOTTSA versatility carries the mail here gents. As “big” Mack had over 2K rushing in two Maine rushing years; and was merely the 3rd ranked long-jumper in N.Y. H.S. T&F. Lewis has been dinged off/on, tho’ he tore it up as a nearly 1.8K H.S. Wr and ATH (athlete) freak play-maker in sunshine state scholastic space. Mack (former: elbow staph infection, St.Julia bless) is said to be a starting-caliber Rb1 on a lotta collegiate campi as well. And Peytton’s Place is merely that of having been a double transferring: (Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas; then on to UMass and now Liberated indeed). This Pickett’s charge (total=308 on 5.0 ypc), has shocked every recruiting service indeed. Or, Emeralds in the Lynchburg rough. T.J. Green and Dae Dae Hunter could have anchoring potential in the backfield. Hunter adds Hawaiian-(transfer)-(possible)-Rb, punch. ex-Utah Ute T.J. Green has had a very sharp ypc look since midway last season (~7 ypc if you are keeping longitudinal score @home). Has a little ‘tude to cop when he turns northward too. A true burner, with a Georgia AAAAAAA State bling who was a 110m hurdles and 100m relay specialist. So, you know he can kick T&F rocks. **** or 4-star recruit who has had a mostly-cloudy career— no thanks to nagging hammie and shoulder dings/dents (St.Christopher bless). Tho’ TeeJay can go when he is 100%, make no long-range misQ here. Dae^2 was only Colorado’s Offensive Player of the Year. Can 2-way at Db in a pinch. Said to be the best catcher outta the backfield as well. Interesting dual-threat prospect at the moment. The whispers hint that Hunter deploys: “takeover” Talent. Time=tell there…

  

• Qb1: Utah transfer Charlie Brewer could start at quarterback… and Freeze did very well finding this veteran Qb1 Charlie Brewer in the portal. Brewer may just keep the offense humming along. Brewer played in big games at Baylor and Utah over the past five seasons and accumulated more than 11,000 yards of total offense. That’s 11K+ folks! Brewer has a deep wide receiving corps to work with at Liberty. That never hurt a Qb1. Scholastically, as a Texan Sr. Pivot, Brewer was only named the Associated Press Texas Player of the Year. This after setting a national high school record with a 77.4% completion rate on 340 pass attempts for 3,908 yards and 54 touchdowns against three interceptions. Married to: 746 rushing yards and nine touchdowns per his AAAAAA or septa-A Tx. State Championship Friday Night Lights, bling. That does not suck. Then it got, itinerate… S.m.u. commit, S.m.u., decomitt. Baylor Bear gone Utah Ute went Liberty Flame. Normally Eye write that 3 schools in as many years is disconcerting, tho’ this is 4 schools in 6 seasons and there has gotta be a reason(s) for dats. That truth truthfully struck, the Pivotal Family Tree is entirely willing here. Check it out… Brewer’s father, Robert Brewer, was the starting quarterback for the University of Texas and was the MVP of the 1982 Cotton Bowl; dang! His grandfather, Charley Brewer, and uncle, Rob Moerschell were also starting quarterbacks for Texas. Brewer’s brother, Michael Brewer, played quarterback at Texas Tech and Virginia Tech— you may have heard of him? (Or, that Malik Willis is no longer the LU Qb1, tho’ Eye tangent…). Still yet, 68 collegiate total TD chucks to date is 68 mo’ than you and I combined, see. Although, a staggering 114 collegiate total Sacks registered against is 114 mo’ than you and I combined as well. This, however, does make the net +1,o55 total career yards gained rushing all the mo’ remarkable. This kid can dart upfield, when he’s not too busy getting backfield, sacked. Little bro’ Brew’ has also field 2-career catches for 56-yards gained receiving. So, a trick play is in his wheelhouse. Histori9cally, this Brewer Qb1 does (actually) play a bit better @Away than @Home. he also turns it on late (same as big bro’) and balls out with closing-type characteristics per his: 69.5% 4Q passing connect percentage. That’s a good sign, as is his cutting his Picks by half (1stH to 2ndH) and adding about 70% more TD hurls in the bottom of the 9th (or 4Q). That’s can ride, clutch. Overall, not sure he is the better pure passer, (might be less deft); or if rather he is healthier than his dinged/dented older bro? Tho’ I am sure you could do vastly worse as replacement Qb1’s go. Industry insiders described this Brewer is a “veteran game-manager”, I would add ‘extraordinaire’. Waiting in the wings, however, is… redshirt freshman Qb2 Kaiden Salter; who is whispered to possibly be able to shoot for the stars. Qb3, Johnathan Bennett provides depth. Three in fact.
  UPDATE: however, Brewer is hurtin’… (St.Julia bless, broken-mitt).
  In lieu of him cue one double-number-one (#11), Jonathan Bennett. Who is a chunky-looking relief pitching Qb2 or so. As Liberty has been liberated of courting a true Qb1 for most of the year; as not less than 3 kids have started here and 4 have logged real live Pivotal P.T. (Kaidon Salter, now Qb2 could be seen as well. As (St.Phillip bless) his turned ankle is now back up to: PROBABLE. Tho’ he has not balled since: near September until a couple of opening snaps last week). That plus “groan” I mean groin surgery (St.Elmo’ bless) and this is one beat-up Qb2.
  Anyhoo… cue: Jon Bennett. A 5′12″, 222 lb. baller who looks the fleshy part. Kinda reminds me a bit of Vince Hall as a Qb1 in point of fact. Presuming Bennett gets most of the work(s)… he is a VERY up-n-down Qb(?#). V, e, r, y. As in… all the way down to o.3 then all the way up to t tasty 77 QBR Qb(n)one. 38% passing up to 83% passing is a Smothers Brothers yo-yo routine (per game) just like dats. Not a pure runner, tho’ has the heft to lower his shoulder for –11 yards up to +47 yards rushing. r-Junior Pivot, with a gray shirt, and a year missed due to injury (Coach God bless). (He got hurt left-leg during a post-play freak play celebration). : (
  He only lists a momma bear on his bio; God Help. Was a: *** or 3-star recruit by 247Sports.com with a lotta D-1aa caliber offers. Bennet has chucked at least one Pick in every single start so far (hence: 4:3 passing ratio). 12:9 for ’22 if you need to know. 17:13 career passer as well. Tends to get sacked at least twice per contest. Is however +8% better when hurling @home, and improves 1Q to 2Q by +5% and again from 3Q to 4Q by a nearly handsome +8%. Like he needs to warm into each game, or loosen something windmill up itself. Tho’ he does grow stronger as the game grows longer and that is typically a clutch typea sign. The high-side guy could wipe us out every bit as much as the low-side Bennett might just keep us in the game. Hard one to read with so many outcome movement(s) all in historic play. Qb2 Salter did go AT&T and telegraph a bit on film, and at least Bennett has a 25/8, yearbook, totally cheddar grin on his face year ’round. Likable kid no matter anything else.
• Wr’s/Te1: Campbell transfer Wr1 Caleb Snead was merely an F.C.S. All-American in 2o21 and gives the Flames a dynamic Outside playmaker to complement Slot Receiver Demario Douglas. CJ Yarbrough returns following a one-year sabbatical and is a reliable option on the boundary. Returning would be… Demario Douglas and CJ Daniels… who went 1-2, respectively, in catches last season— tho’ Daniels is coming off a torn A.c.l. (St.Nikon bless). And between all of ’em, Liberty is suddenly 3-deep in quality Wideouts all a sudden. Possibly closer to four maybe even five on quality to serviceable Wr1-Wr5. Less the shortie (5′7″, mighty-mite: Demario ‘pop’ Douglas), everyone else is pretty dang sizey here. Truly. Tho’ Demario is a pint-sized dynamo Douglas super-Mario. He of a gathering 311% mo’ snags than anyone else. As this #3 is Wr1 by far. As he (literally) says that his story is written in braille, and you gotta feel it to understand. And this Y or Slot-Wr1, only averages 25-ypcarry! wow!!!

  

• oLine: …the somewhat skeptical-looking (returning) oLine was upgraded through the transfer portal. Cam Reddy will start at C1 after transferring from Boston College/Colorado State, he is downright solid. Said to be a heady high football I.Q. Point-G playing C kinda guy. That, and Kentucky transfer Nassir Watkins will protect Brewer’s blind side at left or odd-Ot1. That said, 128th (3rd worst) and 98th in TFL (tackles for a loss) allowed last year might be a clue why they went off-season shopping upfront this year. Some think that Cam in particular is a camshaft of an all-conference caliber C1. These are pretty dang right-sized trenches. Kinda surprised me, and they are all 100% upperclassmen and 100% r-shirt upperclassmen at that. (Makes for: a whopping 2.4 decades worth of blocking experience across them). wow. The even mo’ k.Kong-sized ginormous “WOW” is just how many TFL and Sacks such a well-seasoned oLine does allow. It is mind-boggling as you will examine down below… Finally, oLine may or may not have enuff men toeing the LOS (line-of-scrimmage). Offsets (Wide side) or a mixture of 3 and 2-point stancing says so. Might wanna work the Linesmen here.
• ∑ (summary): returning O production=53% (103rd)! Last year… the LU O became too reliant on Malik Willis, the running backs were not tearing off yards in chunks as they did in 2o2o, and turnovers became a problem. However, there are a lotta D-1s who wish they had LU’s 2o21 35th ranked nationally Total O possession problems.
  (Film-Study): …typical ‘gun/Spread set, with a deeper offset Hb however (at times). Liberty will kick it 2 to 4-wide off of that and they line up with a Will or wide side favor stretch to stress that side max’. Then they will short-side flood with an inline Te1 or the same Hb including bringing wide-side guys into the short-side field-of-play. Elastic O in E to W terms. Will play-action and ‘stalk’ things only to reverse the field 180°. Down-n-Ins (suddenly) become Down-n-Outs and whatnot. O has countering, crossbuck, and misdirection/deception to it. It will go Oct.31st and trick or treat with you. O nearly has sandlot looks in the redzone. Anything and everything can and will be run or thrown at you here. Nice medium to short throw quick/darty O; that does very well on Y.A.C. (yards after the catch) or in the open field. Lotta quicksters who jitterbug WW2 style swell enuff here. Rb2 (Louis, Sherdo) was burying his father last week and is hinted to be: QUESTIONABLE for it. God Bless. With him gone and star Rb1 (Dae Dae Hunter, L.c.l. tear, St.Culbreth) like done for the duration… Rb3, (T.J. Green) ex-of-Utah, finally lived up to all his hype last week with a 119-yard downhill day vs. UConn. Tho’ make no misQ, Rb is weakened here, quite a bit on Dae Dae alone. The Oline does a lotta occupying or turn/shied and not as much upfield ‘fire’ off the ball kinda run-shapes. Kinda like a bored Patton for a spell in Bavaria post-WWII.
• 59% run:pass 41% mix. is your secret sauce offender here=? Tho’ Liberty will throw to Rb3 T.J a bit as well; so, I guess that makes him the secret sauce guy alone.
  The Liberty O did not score super Beta stat-line high. They did score well in both Explosiveness and on their run-shapes and everything else was fair-to-middling. They are not a long, slow-driving O; they are a BIG-O. Sudden, thrashing, cat-clawing, screaming O. As they have a lotta team-speed and they really do put in work in the open field. You let them pop free and they will house things on you. As their Top-4 catch cadre all conspire to average 13 or better per catch and overall, Liberty has rung your bell for a whopping nine, that’s (9) HR plays for 40-yards or more! The one lifeline being… their (now) Qb1 (Bennett) never met a throw he did not ‘hike’ or try to make. He can make a good (ATH) playing Qb throw and then make a has no home position (ATH) playing Qb throw just the same. A lotta them get caught, and he does not discriminate based upon jersey-colour itself.

Offensive letter-grade:

READERS note: …whispers say this is a very Turnover Prone O when it has to press or really scoreboard chase. Too much Complexity can wet the higher P.S.I. bed just like dat.

BONUS: this O will go fo’ it on 4th-D. Pretty good at going for it instead of punting to boot.

Flamers Special Teams: (return)

Liberty is a decent enough 48th in Net Punting; and so is Liberty punter Aidan Alves. Aidan Alves is an Ampipe Bulldog from my home Keystone state (Pa.). Well, actually he hails from Dillsburg, Pa., tho’ that’s close enough.

AA stands in at 6′1″ and tips the Toledo’s at 2o5 r-Jr. year lbs. Alves has a rep’ for leg reps on your local gym’s leg machine. As he blasted nine 50-plus yard punts, including a pair of 70-yard punts last year as a Ray Guy finalist. He also has 4 mo’ career coverage tackles than you and I do combined; so, he is not your typical afraid-to-stick-his-nose-in-the-fan footsie fondue finger-food afterparty specialist. Alex was a soccer and lacrosse Olympic crossover star in scholastic terms— where he had a tag of being a clutch-K with several game-winning FG makes. Alex did not have any national listings that I could find, tho’ he won every leg-work award regionally from a pretty smaller or lowercase classification non-football-factory school. This is a good punter with a better-than-good leg.

• 127th best in Punt Returns | 86th best in KO returns.
• 115th best in punt coverage | tho’ 38th best in suicide-squad.
• Liberty has blocked 2 kicks and allowed 2 kicks to be blocked.
• Liberty has blocked 2 punts and allowed 1 punt to be blocked.

Alex Barbir is your K1 here and frankly, (ST’s pun intended) Eye am a little surprised he is still the K1 for Liberty at this point. As this Barbir-doll has missed 2 P.A.T.’s and is only .333% from ≥27-yards thus 2020 far. i.e. not everyone gets to keep their gold contrast as a “one” when you miss like dat. Still yet, Alex is a 5′9″, downright sawed-off sparkplug-looking, plucky 223 lb. K1! LOL. This dood looks like a lower-level college-ball Lb or Rb at first blush. Alex is also a pretty big-deal Penn.State transfer ex-K1 for the Nitty-Lions. Where he was KO1 (kick-off specialist) and that tends to suggest that leg-oomph is not wanting here. Tho’ that was 2017 Happy Valley and since Alex got to Liberty, he has been kicking it wif the bench. However, Alex did tally a whopping 125 touchbacks on KO’s down in Georgia High School play. So there is that, and there is also a striking 66-yard FGA scholastic make! This merited Alex the 7th K in the nation spot courtesy of 247Sports. So again, again, again, leg strength is not wanting here, as Alex can boot it from here to Tennessee, even if it sometimes lands in… Kentucky. And oddly enough… he seems to have more ‘bang’ on the ball on FGA’s than he does on KO’s themself… go fig’ on that?

Also (place)-Kicking would be K1a, Nick Brown. Brown can do 36 outa 36 P.A.T.’s and yet he can undo 9 outta 15 F.G.A.’s good for a modest-looking modern-era 60.0% kicking percentage. The thingy is, Nick be quick to make and miss from all over distance wise. r-Fresh, and a true string bean 6′5″, 155 lb. one who could mix in a protein shake or six. Nick also has 0% bio’ information. Must be a shy reluctant sort, tho’ the middle-parted early 70’s Greaser kicking Soc’ ass hairstyle takes cahones. 3 at least.

READERS note: 3-different non Qb’s have pass attempts for Liberty since 2o21; trickeration shy they ain’t). And… Four different Kickers attempted extra points in the last season+, so they are not 1,000% settled here.

Flamers Special Teams letter-grade:
Well, this sure seems a sloppy and in-flux or fluxed-up not very special crew to me. Could be some Talent(s) here somewheres? Tho’ discipline is nowhere. D+.

Unit Rankings:

1. Liberty D!
2. Liberty O.
3. …gap…
4. VT D.
5. …gap…
6. VT O.

X-factor(s):

• motive: …gotta be them to beat (or possibly slay) big, bad, Atlantic Coast Conference VeeTee. EDGE=Liberty.
• weather: Just starting to cool enuff it won’t help O’s 1ι (one-iota). Tho’ sunny enuff to not favor either here. EDGE=push.
• health/off-field: VeeTee has some dings and dents tho’ the Liberty skill guys nearly have metric tons of the same. (Including Michael Brewer’s younger high-quality Baylor Bear transfer Qb1: Charlie Brewer (now: DOUBTFUL). EDGE=VT.
• penalties: Freezer teams do need to chill out on yellow laundry. They play hard, they play fast, and they play loose; frankly speaking in rulebook terms. It is just that the Hokies play even looser or loser under Prybar.  EDGE=Liberty.
• intangibles: All-important Turnover Margin nearly sees Liberty twice ahead or to the good compared to Butterfinger VeeTee. That, and Liberty has a decent TOP (time of possession) edge as well. EDGE=Liberty.
• fatigue: The Flames sleep in their own beds, hosting us on a rarefied 88-mile D-1 bussing roadie, and are actually +5 in R&R in the last fortnight+++ of ball. EDGE=Liberty.

 

Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of Flames who could fire off @Tech=13

the takeaway:

…the takeaway here is… there are 46 reasons to be taken with Liberty football.

And, there are –1o reasons NOT to be taken with Virginia Tech football.

---

---

Forty-six is the rather impressive and downright surging post-season margin of VicTory in Liberty’s favor who have never missed a bowling post-season under Hugh Freeze. And likewise have never been beaten in a bowing post-season under Hugh, Freeze.

VeeTee on the other hand has one, that’s (1) single solitary post-season victory in the last… 2,151… days!

You do the, maths!

As this one could indeed be glossed as one of my pet sayings of… “two ships passing in the nite.”

That, except one ship, passes better whereas the other ship is shipping h20 as Eye, type!

***

xxx’s & ooo’s
…gotta be Hugh and his Tasty-Freeze.

What with so much off-season turnover and so little returning experience. This is coaching them up; the, verb. (Or, matriculation 1o1).

formulae here favors…
…the club with the 90-spot gap in play from their Total D to our Total O. And also, with the slighter 25-spot gap in play from their Total O to our Total D.

…recall, industry insiders opined that the 2o21 Flames were young and due to fall. They did, by 2-whole-games to 8-wins, and another bowl triumph. They year they are more experienced and that includes experiencing a very decent Portaling uptick in upperclassmen. Or, could they maybe be 2o22 better in top-44 ballers overall?

Game Ball or mag·num o·pus:
…Charlie Brewer if they let him dress and go, Cyrus Lawrence, for one, final; snap.

WWI: “The Great War”…

Trench Warfare favors… the Flames dLine to go James Douglas Morrison and “Light (our) Fire”!

As you can see… the Liberty oLine is okay on run-shapes and needs to shape up in their passing V-cup terms.

The harshing part is our pass-rush lacks oomph from Coach Shrek & Co.

The Liberty dLine is however is a real, live; beeyotch!

(And Rudolph the O&M-nosed reindeer only courts one ranking better than 81st)… dang.

permutations:

1. Δ1=84% chance that Liberty is just too good and we have too little O and they run away (pun and foreshadowing alike intended) and hide in this game here.
2. Δ2=15% chance that VeeTee hangs around a while or that Liberty is still playing UConn and rather allows VeeTee to hang around a spell. (Before closing out by double ho-hum digits).
3. Δ3=1% that Liberty (somehow) goes Ceti or C-game flat and VeeTee (somehow) alphas and rises A-game up.

#ChallangeA.c.c.epted… there are 1,440 minutes in a day and it would seem to take extra innings or 65+ to lift this one here. As in… LU rolls 4-o at home this season and 19-3 in Williams Stadium in their four seasons with Hugh Freeze as coach. 87% swagg.

Although… the Flames have never beaten a Power Five program at home.

the skinny…

Lo.FM (Long-field Management©)

• Liberty is a centrist 59th best in 1st-down O inflicted | while VeeTee is close to matching 66th or so-so best in 1st-down D allowed.
• VeeTee is an approaching Les Misérables 117th best in 1st-down O inflicted | while Liberty is a pretty salty looking 2oth best in 1st-down D allowed!
• Liberty is an impoverished 91st best in 3rd-down O converts | while VeeTee is a pretty dang tight 33rd best in 3rd-down D allowed!
• VeeTee is a near-wimpy 118th best in 3rd-down O converts | while Liberty is an extremely plucky 11th best in 3rd-down D allowed!

Lo.FM Analysis:
Well, the near asexual VeeTee little-O is nearly beating itself all by its ownself. And the Liberty D is closing in on being fiddy shades of O&M grey. The only bugbear for Liberty is 3rd-down on O, tho’ that is not enuff to sway the vote here. EDGE=Liberty.

the optics…

TTT (Time To Throw©)

• The Fames is a near shocking 115th best in TFL (tackles for a loss) allowed O | whereas the Gobblers are a pretty reasonable 46th best in TFL-inflicted D.
• The Gobblers are a C+ 50th best in TFL allowed O | whereas the Flames are ONLY first, that’s (1st) best in TFL inflicted D!! (w0w)!
• The Flames is a partially pitiful 1o3rd best in Sacks allowed O | whereas the Hokies are a less than aggressive 88th best in Sacks inflicted D.
• The Hokies are a Swiss-cheese looking 94th best in Sacks allowed O | whereas the Flames are only fifth that’s (5th) best in Sacks inflicted D!

TTT Analysis:
Well, this time out the Liberty D nearly wins this one all by its ownself. And although both O’s are backfield inviting— to be sure, the V.P.I. D needs mo’ pass rush to push for an ‘even’ vote here. As Bowen & Glenn need to be very wary and wary careful like e.Fudd vs. Bugs Bunny least these Flames get burnt. EDGE=Liberty.

Fu’rther…
…the Hokies are now down a mind-boggling –1,109 yards in marginal terms since their last win!
…whereas the Flames are now up +684 yards in marginal terms since our last win!

…you do the 1,793-yard marginalized, maths!

3-game splits…
Here we see that VeeTee is down in a modest –25-ypg contraction of total O hole. The Liberty O is up nearly +35-ypg recently with most of that betterment ringing opposing bells on the ground. The VeeTee halt-unit is now loosening up by a bonus ∼45-ypg game recently further allowed. Most of this is via the airwaves, tho’ we are a little worse down on the turf to boot. The Liberty stop-unit has only tightened up by a nominal ½ of a 1st-down denied or by about 15′ of stiffening per contest.

H/A splits…
Here we see that the Gobblers are a whopping 4-ypg superior out on the road. Nothing much to big-O see here as we play the same offensive game be that @home or @away. The Flames however are (somehow) down by –25-ypg when offending @home. Nearly a uniform or linear drop in the air and on the dirt alike. Go possession-based homecourt fig’, here? Then we see that the halt-Hokies are ≅25-ypg worse when coming to town. Most of this defensive worsening is in the grass where our run fills are getting weed-whacked. The Flames D tightens up by nearly 35-ypg less allowed @home. A bit starchier in run-fits tho’ better in aerial terms as well.

Our handy dandy friend, the so-called: Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is merely calling for a 17-point VomiT in this one here. And frankly, that might not be the very worst afternoon from an underdog Hokiebird perspective.

the call...

Liberty enters its final season as an independent before joining Conference U.S.A. for the 2o23 campaign. The final independent season features four Power 5 opponents in Wake Forest, BYU, Arkansas, and Virginia Tech, and it is the gaudiest slate the Flames have put together since transitioning to FBS in 2o18.

Type about holding your (transitioning) feets to the proverbial fire… or a crucible of Truth retest?
Dang… the fighting Falwell’s and Company ain’t exactly contact shy, are they?

So, you gotta give ’em a ‘willingness’ round 1o-8 in their favor.

the sportlight...

…here in the sportlight… we see -or rather hear- that… Hugh is not happy.

Not with his always nebulous Leadership, not with his (squad’s) practice habits, and nor with his (club’s) penchant to break the game-plan shape and at times revert to hero-ball.

So, maybe we are catching Liberty at a better time than it would seem?

…maybe❓

Liberty Projected S&P+: 73rd.
Liberty Projected S&P wins: 7.5 W’s.

–oOo–

The Flames are the veritable antithesis of all cultural refu’ge things that appear to be just beginning to forfeit Prybar leverage as Eye type… check it out…

One team has been involved in…

• a 2-point quad-OT game,
• a 1-full-play game,
• a 1-point game,
• a 1-full-play game,
• a 1-point game,
• a 2-point game.
• and a ½-play-game.

They have (still) somehow managed to carve five, that’s (5) notches in their bedpost.

The other team has been involved in…

• a ½-play game,
• a 1-play game,
• a 1-point game,
• a 1-point game,
• and they have led with ≤20-minutes remaining in five games.

And yet they have (still) somehow managed to bite four pillows & carve zero, that’s (o) notches in their belt.

♥  ♣  ♦ ∪

One team has learned how to find a way to win… whereas the other team has learnt how to make a hole, find a way out & how to do just enuff to get, beat.

The sneaky caveat being… Liberty really reminds of a youngling Jonny McEnroe. In that…

...they play up/down to their level of competition.

Ergo, therefore, to Whit… could they play down to lowly us?

Nevertheless, the Hokies are the second team, and the Flames are the first team. The Hokies are the dormant A.c.c. team and the Flames are sparking up and igniting to making a Conference push as a team “on the come” as the Brits put it.

🔥🦃🔥

https://www.espn.com/espnplus/player/_/id/fa7d0a03-840a-47e4-9957-fa088a5d851b

The closer...

Or in other words, in-state payment has come ‘due’.
And frankly, one Commonwealth team seems overdue to do something uncommon.

A matter of assonance or due-due…

Due you see what Eye, means?

🙏4⚔️>>>🏈

upset Index=14%

#wimps!

Virginia Tech=17, Liberty=33

“LETS GO!“

Please support the VT F.C.A.!

“HOKIES!“

bourbonstreet**