Liberty Team Preview: Rocco has plenty of good players - but who are they?

When the Big South’s coaches and media gathered in a Charlotte, N.C., hotel last month, Liberty coach Danny Rocco shared his excitement with reporters about his fourth Flames’ team.

That might seem odd considering what was lost from the best Liberty team in school history. This LU team has no three-year starter at quarterback (Brock Smith), no sure-fire NFL running back (Rashad Jennings), no four-year starter at center (Mike Godsil) or at linebacker (Nick Hursky).

Down year, right?

Not in the eyes of the Big South’s coaches and media, who voted the Flames the favorite to win a third straight league title. Nor in the eyes of Rocco, who has embraced the challenge of filling so many holes on offense and defense.

“We have a lot of really good players,” Rocco said. “It’s just that nobody knows who they are yet.”

That sense of uncertainty has seemingly galvanized the fourth-year coach, who has won Big South coach of the year honors each year he’s been at the Liberty helm.

He’s had to do a little more yelling in practice than in the past, which is normal for a team that lost not only good players from a year ago, but good leaders.

But it’s clear that new leaders are emerging, none more important than athlete Mike Brown, who will play quarterback, return kicks and punts and start at wide receiver Saturday in Morgantown when the Flames open their season against West Virginia.

“I’ve learned so much from him,” said Tommy Beecher, the South Carolina transfer who will start at quarterback at WVU. “It’s just how smart he is on the football field. He’s kind of been my second coach.”

Brown’s versatility has given Rocco options in terms of replacing Smith, who finished his LU career ranked third on the Flames’ all-time list in passing yards and second in passing touchdowns.

At tailback, Liberty won’t find one player to replace Jennings, the Big South’s all-time leading rusher. Rocco said he’ll utilize a committee featuring the strengths of the players he has on the roster — B.J. Hayes (speed), Aldreakis Allen (power, pass-catching ability) and Danny Broggin (inside running).

Hayes, who began training camp at receiver, is back at his natural position and is ready to carry a good deal of the backfield load.

“He’s got great vision,” LU running backs coach Pete Sundheim said. “And I think what he has, and what we haven’t had in the past, he’s got the breakaway speed. If we can get him to the second level, I think we’ll see some things happen.”

The biggest question mark on offense is at receiver, where Liberty has talent but very little experience. The Flames are banking on 6-foot-4 receiver Chris Summers to have a breakout year. He’s shown flashes of tantalizing talent in practice. Now, the Flames need that talent to translate in game situations.

“I don’t think he realizes just how good he could be,” Brown said. “He could be a physically dominant receiver.”

Defensively, Liberty’s biggest losses were Mike linebacker Hursky, safety Ryan Greiser and cornerback Pat Calvary. But their replacements — respectively Doncel Bolt, Larry Claiborne and Tim Torrence — have all seen considerable game action. Now they must adjust to new, greater roles.

The Flames, despite returning only nine starters from a team that won a school-record 10 games, are loaded with potential. Starting Saturday, Rocco will begin to find out how that potential translates on the field. The fruits from Rocco’s first few recruiting classes are just now starting to be realized.

No wonder he’s excited.