LIBERTY REPORT: Liberty-VMI game blog

Welcome from high above Alumni Field at Foster Stadium in Lexington, site of today’s Liberty-VMI clash.

You can definitely tell someone important is in town today. Driving in from Buena Vista, there were at least 10 Virginia state troopers stationed along the medians leading into town. Backup for the Secret Service, I suppose, since Vice President Dick Cheney is here for the VMI Military Appreciation Day parade.

But enough about the veep. Let’s talk football. Some random thoughts leading into today’s game.

1. If Liberty wins and Gardner-Webb loses to Coastal Carolina at home at 3:30 p.m., the Flames are the outright Big South champions for a second straight year. A Liberty win gives the Flames a piece of the title regardless of what Gardner-Webb does. Liberty hosts GWU next Saturday.

2. Liberty will employ a two-punter system today. Left-footed punter Mike Larsson will kick from the left hash. Right-footed punter Matt Bevins will boot from the right hash. LU coach Danny Rocco isn’t sure who will punt if the ball’s in the middle of the field.

2a. The reason for the move? Liberty has had two punts blocked in the last three games, including one last week at Presbyterian. Dan Pope’s snap was wide on Bevins’ punt at Presbyterian, pulling the punter far out to the right. Instead of trying to move back in, Bevins punted from the spot he caught the ball, and he had no chance to get the ball off cleanly.

2b. LU special teams coach Chad Wilt said the snap was fine on the botched field-goal attempt at Presby last week. Holder Mike Brown just bobbled the snap, and the Flames had no chance of getting the ball down and the kick off.

3. Like last year, the Flames will come out in a 4-3 for this game, instead of the usual 3-4. The 4-3 lends itself to slowing the spread option a lot more than the 3-4.

4. VMI’s gameday atmosphere is different than most places you’ll find in FCS football. There’s just a pageantry here that you don’t find at many places. The cadets marching down the hill into the stadium is a neat experience.

4b. Just spoke to VMI athletics director Donny White, who told me there will be a flyover before the game, featuring a B-2 Bomber. Very cool.

5. There are four local players on VMI’s roster:

* DB Trae Watkins (VES)

* SB Zach Webb (Liberty)

* OL Ben Brandt (Jefferson Forest)

* OL Mark Tomlin (Amherst)

6. VMI quarterback Kyle Hughes is “very doubtful” according to VMI sports information guru Christian Hoffman. That leaves freshman Justin Hickman and junior Tim Maypray to handle QB duties.

6b. Maypray has had some problems holding onto the football of late, and the snap operation has not been sound of late for the Keydets. VMI fumbled the ball seven times against Charleston Southern last week and lost three.

7. That’s all for now. I’ll be back with updates during the game.

HALFTIME—Liberty 21, VMI 12.

The momentum of this game swung quickly at the end of the second quarter. Liberty’s Kevin Richard stuffed Tim Maypray inside the 1 on fourth down, giving the Flames the ball. Liberty quarterback Brock Smith snuck on the first play, getting the ball out to the 3. Then Smith handed off to Rashad Jennings, who ran into right guard Bryan Mosier, spun back into the end zone, and was tackled for a safety. Given great field position after the free kick, VMI scored its first touchdown, an 11-yard Maypray run that cut the lead to 21-12.

Other quick thoughts:

* Liberty’s Ryan Greiser and Wes Cheek are having great games, reading the option well and making solid solo tackles. Cheek has 10 tackles in the first half alone.

* The go-to play in long yardage situations for VMI seems to be the pitch left to the slotback, and Liberty is struggling to stop that. On the touchdown drive, VMI converted on 3rd and 13.

* VMI is outgaining the Flames 254-218 at the half. The Keydets hold a time of possession advantage of 21:46 to 8:14. Liberty is scoring quickly, and VMI is grinding out drives.

* The Corey Rasberry show is in full effect today. He entered the game with 12 career receptions for 124 yards. Today, he has two catches for 53 yards and scored a 19-yard touchdown.

* VMI has no passing yards.

* Jennings’ 32-yard touchdown run that put Liberty up 21-3 was a thing of beauty. He broke at least three tackles and spun off a would-be tackler at the 10 to score the touchdown.

* Jamal Giddens started in place of Pat Bannon at linebacker today, and Cheek seems to be getting most of the time Ian Childress would get.

Will be back for more later ...

EDIT: My apologies, I didn’t see the post at the bottom of the blog Saturday. VMI couldn’t get its live stats to work, so that’s why they were out for the duration of the game.