Liberty @ Richmond Week 4

[knucklehead]

I've been looking forward to this game for a long time. I have a ton of respect for Danny Rocco, but I'd love to see the program he helped build come knock off the program he's coaching now. The LU Players are very amped up for this one. Can't wait to be there and see it Saturday night. I've never been to a game at UR. Very much looking forward to it.

Is there a active Richmond Football board? Link?

The Liberty / Richmond game is actually being televised by the Liberty Flames Sports Network (LFSN), and will be on ESPN3 http://www.liberty.edu/aboutliberty/index.cfm?PID=28400

[knucklehead]

You might expect it to be pretty low scoring with 2 of the better defenses in the country, Liberty #7 and Richmond #15. Liberty is 10th in the country in scoring defense as they are allowing 14 points per game.
A Key matchup might be UR's passing attack #9 vs LU's #13 Pass Defense.

[SumItUp]

Is Richmond running the 3-4 defense?

[knucklehead]

Chris Lang says they are now 4-3.

[heath]

Great game for Central VA, Usually I'd go with the home team in this one,but something tells me that Liberty might pull this out. Although huge for Rocco

[lknspider]

Richmond has put themselves in the position of a must win game. Two losses in final 30 seconds of back to back games. The Spiders have a lot to prove. NFL identified four prospects on the Richmond team and all four have been put on the sidelines...two for the season. The other two might return for the Liberty game. This is a big game even without the Rocco connection. Go Spiders!

[Seawolf97]

Great matchup . Going with our old rivals in the Big South

[knucklehead]

A nice write-up from John O'Connor from the Richmond Times about the Liberty / Richmond Rocco Connection.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/college/richmond/liberty-spiders-prep-for-robins-stadium-reunion/article_7297c1ef-d46a-5708-b8e4-400c9e32ef1a.html?mode=jqm


No malice flows from the Liberty University athletic director’s office regarding the move of football coach Danny Rocco to the University of Richmond in December 2011. One of the Flames’ captains doesn’t seem bothered, either.

http://imagec18.247realmedia.com/RealMedia/ads/Creatives/default/empty.gif (http://ads.bhmedianetwork.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/timesdispatch.com/mobile_adv/index/251177714/Position3/default/empty.gif/32417742336c4655596f774142647738?x)


The programs meet on Saturday night at UR’s Robins Stadium. Jeff Barber, the Liberty AD since 2006, said he continues to regularly communicate with Rocco, and roots for Richmond to win — but not this weekend.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

Great game, probably a better one to watch than the JMU-UNCC game in Harrisonburg that I'll be attending. Good luck Flames, I know a lot of JMU people who loathe Liberty for some reason. Never figured that one out. Maybe it is because I am Catholic and just don't care about those religious issues people seem to get their panties in a bunch all over. However, I loathe Richmond for reasons not suitable for repeating on this board. ;)

Enjoy the itsy bitsy stadium! It's really cute.

[knucklehead]

Great game, probably a better one to watch than the JMU-UNCC game in Harrisonburg that I'll be attending. Good luck Flames, I know a lot of JMU people who loathe Liberty for some reason. Never figured that one out. Maybe it is because I am Catholic and just don't care about those religious issues people seem to get their panties in a bunch all over. However, I loathe Richmond for reasons not suitable for repeating on this board. ;)

Enjoy the itsy bitsy stadium! It's really cute.

HAHA. Yea, I'm very excited to go see it. I hear it's very nice despite being, well tiny. Hope I get a chance to shake Danny's hand before we get the W. Wouldn't want to see him after.
18283

[URMite]

Give me (a win over) Liberty or give me death (to my playoff dreams)!

[jmufan999]

doesn't matter if the stadium is small or not. well, obviously having more crowd noise is better than having less.

but Richmond just plays well at home, they will be tough to beat there. I will be picking the Spiders to win, should be a very close game.

[knucklehead]

A great read as always from Liberty Beat writer Chris Lang:
http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liberty_university/chris_lang_blog/article_2140f06e-1ff4-11e3-8bbd-001a4bcf6878.html


* Let’s start with this morning’s Big South teleconference, where I had a chance to ask Gardner-Webb coach Carroll McCray a bit about why his team was able to knock off the Spiders in Boiling Springs last Saturday.
-- Richmond moved the ball fairly well between the 30s but bogged down in the red zone. A lot of that had to do with the Spiders’ total lack of a run game. They rushed for 10 yards on 20 carries. But a lot had to do with Gardner-Webb’s scheme and ability to tighten up when needed.

[lknspider]

A great read as always from Liberty Beat writer Chris Lang:
http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liberty_university/chris_lang_blog/article_2140f06e-1ff4-11e3-8bbd-001a4bcf6878.html

Spiders did not "bog" down in the red zone against NC State. Three times in the red zone and three touchdowns including a nine yard run after a five yard penalty with first and goal, Hard to figure!

[knucklehead]

Gardner Webb's defense is better than NC State's? HAHA
Seriously, they didn't run much vs NCST did they? Is it as simple as the run not effective when the opponent stacks the box? Didn't see either game, so I'm asking.

Just as an aside, when Rocco was at LU we had one head scratcher loss every year. HMM

I personally think this game sat will be very evenly matched and feature 2 very similar teams.

[knucklehead]

Liberty Gameday notes http://www.liberty.edu/flames/index.cfm?PID=10869&NewsID=11272&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Interesting blog post from Flames Nation: http://www.libertyflamesnation.com/the-heat-a-chance-for-some-closure/

[kdinva]

Would not surprise me if Strauss threw it 50 times on Saturday.......

[knucklehead]

Would not surprise me if Strauss threw it 50 times on Saturday.......

It would be unroccolike to abandon the run, but he may be in a situation where he has to. I feel good about Liberty's senior led secondary if he does throw it that much. Fogg and Aikens are 2 of the best corners in the country and they are ball hawks. Don't think Rocco doesn't know this too. Will be interested to see how he attacks this stout LU defense full of personnel he knows well.

I think LU will try to establish the run, but pass a lot as well. I expect a balanced attack, but it will depend on what the D gives them.

Still say it will be rather low scoring. I'm saying 20-16 LU

[knucklehead]

Sounds like there will be a pretty big LU fan contingency at the game Saturday from what I'm hearing! With all the Red, it may be hard to tell, but you will definitely notice them rolling into town in a convoy!

1 thing I found interesting from Rocco's press conf video yesterday is that Liberty RB (UVA Transfer) Clifton Richardson apparently called Rocco at UR and was turned down for a transfer. Enjoy watching him on Saturday.

Here are a couple more game preview reads.
http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liberty_university/article_8a780854-20c8-11e3-a6cd-001a4bcf6878.html
http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liberty_university/chris_lang_blog/article_13610ae8-20cf-11e3-b67f-001a4bcf6878.html

[Lehigh'98]

Just a question because I'm too lazy to look it up, what was the last big game LU won on the road?

[knucklehead]

The honest answer is that there are far too few big road wins, especially in state. Most of them happened in the late 80s early 90s with coach Sam Rutigliano at the helm. So in recent memory, probably Ball St in 2010 (which is not that big) or Youngstown st in 2008. We beat JMU twice at their place in the early 90s.

Turner Gill has yet to face a CAA team, so it's time to start a new run.

[Lehigh'98]

Thank you !!

[URMite]

Sounds like there will be a pretty big LU fan contingency at the game Saturday from what I'm hearing! With all the Red, it may be hard to tell, but you will definitely notice them rolling into town in a convoy!

1 thing I found interesting from Rocco's press conf video yesterday is that Liberty RB (UVA Transfer) Clifton Richardson apparently called Rocco at UR and was turned down for a transfer. Enjoy watching him on Saturday.

Here are a couple more game preview reads.
http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liberty_university/article_8a780854-20c8-11e3-a6cd-001a4bcf6878.html
http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liberty_university/chris_lang_blog/article_13610ae8-20cf-11e3-b67f-001a4bcf6878.html

Yes, it is rumored that both Richardson and our #1 HS prospect at RB were denied admission, not by the athletic department.

[IaaScribe]

Spiders did not "bog" down in the red zone against NC State. Three times in the red zone and three touchdowns including a nine yard run after a five yard penalty with first and goal, Hard to figure!

You're right. I misspoke. They more bogged down outside of the red zone, kicking a field goal from the GW 24 and turning it over on downs at the 36 and the 30. Richmond was in the red zone twice and scored once, according to the box score.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Really looking forward to this one! I think the Spiders come out extremely motivated after last weeks stumble. These are two teams that have the potential to be playing in December imo.

[knucklehead]

OH, I think the Flames are quite motivated as well. They respect Rocco a lot, but that's even more reason to want to defeat his current team. They are also fired up to get 1) a big CAA/FCS win 2) a big in-state win 3) make it to the playoffs for the 1st time.

This will be a terrific game.

[Sly Fox]

This game has layers and layers of subplots. Wish I could be in the rather tiny house on Saturday.