Liberty's Coach Danny Rocco talks playoffs

[jcmanson]

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/225108


If we win out, we'll get in. I'm almost convinced of it. We should have gotten in last year. The last two teams we play [Stony Brook and Gardner-Webb] are the teams with the two highest RPIs in our league.

[kirkblitz]

agreed. Lib 2009 national champs.

[Bogus Megapardus]

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/225108

Division 1-AA? What's that? Never heard of it.



agreed. Lib 2009 national champs.

xcoolxxcoolxxcoolx

[UNH Fanboi]

Playoffs?! Don't talk about playoffs. You kidding me?!

[ToTheLeft]

Playoffs?! Don't talk about playoffs. You kidding me?!

We here talkin' 'bout practice. Not a game... practice.

Two best outbursts in sports history. "I'm a man, I'm 40" a close third.

[Pard4Life]

Playoffs!? You want to talk about playoffs?! Playoffs!?

No really, hope the Pards see you there.

Not sure why he would be talking about this rather than a standard "we'll worry about that later; let's just play our game"

[mcveyrl]

We here talkin' 'bout practice. Not a game... practice.

Two best outbursts in sports history. "I'm a man, I'm 40" a close third.

I don't know. That Mike Gundy thing was epic...

[ToTheLeft]

Playoffs!? You want to talk about playoffs?! Playoffs!?

No really, hope the Pards see you there.

Not sure why he would be talking about this rather than a standard "we'll worry about that later; let's just play our game"

Very surprising if you listen to Rocco on a consistent basis.

I think this is a motivational job to get our boys ready to win out. If they know they get a shot at the playoffs, and their coach tells them they can get there, they're gonna fight like crazy to make it happen.

[mcveyrl]

Very surprising if you listen to Rocco on a consistent basis.

I think this is a motivational job to get our boys ready to win out. If they know they get a shot at the playoffs, and their coach tells them they can get there, they're gonna fight like crazy to make it happen.

Yea, I thought I heard another Liberty fan say that Rocco didn't think they should've gotten in last year...xconfusedx

[Bogus Megapardus]

I suspect that the Lib.U. folks have established a tactical guerilla marketing campaign that has reached these environs . . .

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Liberty's playoff chances are tied to Lafayette's success. They will likely head to the playoffs together or sink together.

I like their chances, personally.

[T-Dog]

I suspect that the Lib.U. folks have established a tactical guerilla marketing campaign that has reached these environs . . .

"Liberty University" and "tactical guerrilla marketing campaign" doesn't seem to go together. xeyebrowx

[Bogus Megapardus]

"Liberty University" and "tactical guerrilla marketing campaign" doesn't seem to go together. xeyebrowx

Oh, I beg to differ. It's classic guerrilla marketing. Spamming a message board with positive anecdotes about the 'product' - in this case Lib.U. and its athletics - is a B-school 101 staple.

[ToTheLeft]

Liberty's playoff chances are tied to Lafayette's success. They will likely head to the playoffs together or sink together.

I like their chances, personally.

This is key. A win over the PL champ would be a big boost, and Lafayette controls that destiny for us.

[ASU_MBA]

I hope they get in and go to either Richmond or App state......then they can see how the big boys play when they get blown the %^$# out.

[jcmanson]

I hope they get in and go to either Richmond or App state......then they can see how the big boys play when they get blown the %^$# out.

hahaha, I hope so too. No way we get blown out. I remember another one of your App fans KNEW we'd get blown out against Elon last year. Want to put a wager on it????

[89Hen]

The last two teams we play [Stony Brook and Gardner-Webb] are the teams with the two highest RPIs in our league.
That says a lot right there. xwhistlex

[Libertine]

Hey, if the Big South commish can't be bothered to put in a few words for us , then we will just have to handle it ourselves.

[ASU_MBA]

hahaha, I hope so too. No way we get blown out. I remember another one of your App fans KNEW we'd get blown out against Elon last year. Want to put a wager on it????

Remember those great Coastal Carolina teams with Thigpen and Simpson...they came to the rock to play the big boys and....how did that turn out for them...?
Everyone knows you got a sad Elon team that self-destructed after we beat them for the SoCon title the week before last year.

You lost to JMU and the WVU spread offense (same that we run) destroyed you.
If you play in Boone we hang 50 on you unless they take Edwards out early.

[Libertine]

I suspect that the Lib.U. folks have established a tactical guerilla marketing campaign that has reached these environs . . .

In the immortal words of Doc Holliday, "I'm in my prime".

[mcveyrl]

I think it's possible (maybe not probable) that Stony Brook makes all of this a moot point. That might be a tough trip up north for the Flames on the last weekend of the season.

[Libertine]

I suspect that the Lib.U. folks have established a tactical guerilla marketing campaign that has reached these environs . . .

Hey, if the Big South commish can't be bothered to put in a few words for us, I guess we have to handle it ourselves.

[jcmanson]

First of all, Coastal doesn’t have a real coach as evidenced by the past 3 seasons. They don’t have half the strength and conditioning program we have.

WVU couldn’t hang 50 on us why would App all of a sudden be able to?

[jcmanson]

I think it's possible (maybe not probable) that Stony Brook makes all of this a moot point. That might be a tough trip up north for the Flames on the last weekend of the season.

Sure it's possible, but we'll see

[aceinthehole]

Liberty is going to need a lot of help, in addition to winning their last 3 games.

If Liberty, Lafayette and JMU win out in the next 3 weeks, they should be in, no questions asked. But if any of those teams lose in the next 3 weeks, its going to be a much harder sell.

Liberty
Nov 7 - vs. Va Military, 7:00 PM
Nov 14 - at Gardner-Webb, 1:30 PM
Nov 21 - at Stony Brook, 1:00 PM

Lafayette
Nov 7 - vs. Colgate, 1:00 PM
Nov 14 - at Holy Cross, 12:30 PM
Nov 21 - at Lehigh, 12:30 PM

JMU
Nov 7 - vs. Maine, 3:00 PM
Nov 14 - at Massachusetts, 12:00 PM
Nov 21 - vs. Towson, 3:00 PM

I don't think they can afford any losses in these games.

[JMU2004]

Liberty lost to a 3-5 JMU team.

That was their chance to make a statement.

[BlackNGold]

First of all, Coastal doesn’t have a real coach as evidenced by the past 3 seasons. They don’t have half the strength and conditioning program we have.

WVU couldn’t hang 50 on us why would App all of a sudden be able to?



xcoffeex Liberty ........

[ASU_MBA]

First of all, Coastal doesn’t have a real coach as evidenced by the past 3 seasons. They don’t have half the strength and conditioning program we have.

WVU couldn’t hang 50 on us why would App all of a sudden be able to?

1)I watched the post game press conference for Coach Stewart at WVU and talked about how they played a basic playbook on O and D and did not open things up...and played conservative in kicking 4 field goals.
2) WVU QB Brown is no Edwards.
3) They put up 438 yards of offense on you, I bet you 20 bucks we will beat that number.
4) Our D is suspect but our O will be like nothing you have ever seen before...just ask Furman, Georiga Southern and our one common opponent North Carolina Central.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Liberty is going to need a lot of help, in addition to winning their last 3 games.

If Liberty, Lafayette and JMU win out in the next 3 weeks, they should be in, no questions asked. But if any of those teams lose in the next 3 weeks, its going to be a much harder sell.

Liberty
Nov 7 - vs. Va Military, 7:00 PM
Nov 14 - at Gardner-Webb, 1:30 PM
Nov 21 - at Stony Brook, 1:00 PM

Lafayette
Nov 7 - vs. Colgate, 1:00 PM
Nov 14 - at Holy Cross, 12:30 PM
Nov 21 - at Lehigh, 12:30 PM

JMU
Nov 7 - vs. Maine, 3:00 PM
Nov 14 - at Massachusetts, 12:00 PM
Nov 21 - vs. Towson, 3:00 PM

I don't think they can afford any losses in these games.

Like I said, I like Liberty's, Lafayette's, and JMU's chances in all these games.

[UNH Fanboi]

Could be a fun first round for the CAA. Liberty@ Richmond, Lafayette @ Villanova, Holy Cross @ UNH.

Can't wait to see the Montana fans getting jealous.

[Pard94]

Let's not forget..."They are who we thought they were! They are who we thought they were! We had them were we wanted them...and we let 'em off the hook! If you want to crown them...well crown their as*es but they are who we thought they were!" Good old Denny Green.

[Keenan]

Liberty lost to a 3-5 JMU team.

That was their chance to make a statement.

I love how JMU fans spin their 3-5 record! In one thread it's all about how great that 3-5 record is considering the schedule and then on another thread that same 3-5 record is the bottom feeder of the CAA xblahblahx

[Dukie95]

This Liberty/JMU relationship is an odd one.

Before our game, I was certain we all agreed they would need to beat JMU to make the playoffs because their remaining schedule would be too weak otherwise. Despite JMU's struggles, Liberty keeps climbing in the polls.

If JMU had been a good team, would Liberty's position have been any different?

That was supposed to be Liberty's biggest game of the year, yet as it turns out, it didn't really matter at all. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[ASU_MBA]

I love how JMU fans spin their 3-5 record! In one thread it's all about how great that 3-5 record is considering the schedule and then on another thread that same 3-5 record is the bottom feeder of the CAA xblahblahx

Fact remains you guys should have beat JMU at home if you want to be playoff bound....just sayin....with the CAA the way it is you guys may still be sitting at home....and we get to hear you cry once again...

[BlackNGold]

This Liberty/JMU relationship is an odd one.

Before our game, I was certain we all agreed they would need to beat JMU to make the playoffs because their remaining schedule would be too weak otherwise. Despite JMU's struggles, Liberty keeps climbing in the polls.

If JMU had been a good team, would Liberty's position have been any different?

That was supposed to be Liberty's biggest game of the year, yet as it turns out, it didn't really matter at all. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

xgiveadamnx

[SuperJon]

I think it's possible (maybe not probable) that Stony Brook makes all of this a moot point. That might be a tough trip up north for the Flames on the last weekend of the season.

A two hour flight is much less tough than a 4-6 hour bus ride which is what we took to WVU, Lafayette, CSU, and will take to G-W.

[mcveyrl]

I love how JMU fans spin their 3-5 record! In one thread it's all about how great that 3-5 record is considering the schedule and then on another thread that same 3-5 record is the bottom feeder of the CAA xblahblahx


Fact remains you guys should have beat JMU at home if you want to be playoff bound....just sayin....with the CAA the way it is you guys may still be sitting at home....and we get to hear you cry once again...

Yep. Regardless of whether it's a good record or bad record, you shoulda won, even the polls say that now. If you have to rely on a win over the PL champ to be your best win, you're on thin ice. I personally hope that you guys get in, but it'll be close. We helped you out by beating Delaware last weekend.


xgiveadamnx

And yet, you gave enough of a damn to actually read it, bold it, and post this. xeyebrowx

Nice.

[mcveyrl]

A two hour flight is much less tough than a 4-6 hour bus ride which is what we took to WVU, Lafayette, CSU, and will take to G-W.

Does the team charter a plane?

At any rate, it's still a little more detailed than the bus travel. It's NY, which is a different climate entirely. If they go into that game at 8-2 there will be a TON of pressure on them -- particularly after last year.

Again, I'm not saying SB's got the upper hand, but there are a lot of those famous "intangibles" that could make it interesting.

BTW, if it's in Lynchburg in October, I think Liberty wins by a couple of scores.

[UNH Fanboi]

This Liberty/JMU relationship is an odd one.

Before our game, I was certain we all agreed they would need to beat JMU to make the playoffs because their remaining schedule would be too weak otherwise. Despite JMU's struggles, Liberty keeps climbing in the polls.

If JMU had been a good team, would Liberty's position have been any different?

That was supposed to be Liberty's biggest game of the year, yet as it turns out, it didn't really matter at all. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Last year the at-larges broke down by conference as:

4 CAA
1 Big Sky
1 MVC
1 Great West
1 Southern

This year there will most likely be only 3 CAA at-larges and no great west at-large. Taking into account that there may be 2 MVC at larges, that still leaves one extra spot, as compared to last year, for a non-power conference team such as Liberty to get an at-large this year. I think that extra spot is why there's more talk this year of Liberty or a 2nd place Patriot or Southland team getting an at-large bid despite the usual SOS concerns. It's also slightly possible that all the big sky teams will have beaten each other enough to open even another spot.

[ToTheLeft]

Remember those great Coastal Carolina teams with Thigpen and Simpson...they came to the rock to play the big boys and....how did that turn out for them...?
Everyone knows you got a sad Elon team that self-destructed after we beat them for the SoCon title the week before last year.

You lost to JMU and the WVU spread offense (same that we run) destroyed you.
If you play in Boone we hang 50 on you unless they take Edwards out early.

You're not better than WVU. Get over yourself. Our D hasn't allowed more than 33, and that was to the BETTER and REAL Mountaineers from Morgantown. JMU put up the most any FCS team has put up on us at 24. What did McNeese put up against the Fakeineers at the rock? Yeah, that's what I thought.

[ASU_MBA]

You're not better than WVU. Get over yourself. Our D hasn't allowed more than 33, and that was to the BETTER and REAL Mountaineers from Morgantown. JMU put up the most any FCS team has put up on us at 24. What did McNeese put up against the Fakeineers at the rock? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Bring it on Flamers...bring it on....McNeese would torch you guys as well.....wait until you see a real O and not the JV Big South. I can't wait until
1) you get smoked in round 1
2) you lose to Stony and sit at home again....
3) They don't let you in becase you lost to a 3-5 JMU team.

either way I will cheer...

[BlackNGold]

Bring it on Flamers...bring it on....McNeese would torch you guys as well.....wait until you see a real O and not the JV Big South. I can't wait until
1) you get smoked in round 1
2) you lose to Stony and sit at home again....
3) They don't let you in becase you lost to a 3-5 JMU team.

either way I will cheer...

Well Said, --- Liberty... U suck xcoffeex

[ASU_MBA]

Last year the at-larges broke down by conference as:

4 CAA
1 Big Sky
1 MVC
1 Great West
1 Southern

This year there will most likely be only 3 CAA at-larges and no great west at-large. Taking into account that there may be 2 MVC at larges, that still leaves one extra spot, as compared to last year, for a non-power conference team such as Liberty to get an at-large this year. I think that extra spot is why there's more talk this year of Liberty or a 2nd place Patriot or Southland team getting an at-large bid despite the usual SOS concerns. It's also slightly possible that all the big sky teams will have beaten each other enough to open even another spot.


2 at larges from the MVF for sure
1 at large from the Southland as well....no way McNeese sits home

[ToTheLeft]

And I thought Elon fans were the illogical immature brats xcoffeex

[ToTheLeft]

1 at large from the Southland as well....no way McNeese sits home

Wonder why you think that... maybe because they sent ya home to put back a lil' extra moonshine a few weeks back?

[jcmanson]

Yeah I'm not sure why the Appy Staters have such hate for us?

[ToTheLeft]

Mike Brown envy. :)

[JMUNJ08]

I love how JMU fans spin their 3-5 record! In one thread it's all about how great that 3-5 record is considering the schedule and then on another thread that same 3-5 record is the bottom feeder of the CAA xblahblahx


First of all, Coastal doesn’t have a real coach as evidenced by the past 3 seasons. They don’t have half the strength and conditioning program we have.

WVU couldn’t hang 50 on us why would App all of a sudden be able to?


You're not better than WVU. Get over yourself. Our D hasn't allowed more than 33, and that was to the BETTER and REAL Mountaineers from Morgantown. JMU put up the most any FCS team has put up on us at 24. What did McNeese put up against the Fakeineers at the rock? Yeah, that's what I thought.

I don't know why everyone is pinning Elon as having the worst fans on this board...xwhistlex Take it over to the SMACK Board.

3-5 puts us at the bottom of the CAA and you couldn't beat us at ur place. Thats a tough pill to swallow for the committee is the point. 3-5 against the teams we played is OK for the strength of the opponents but not when you HAD to beat us to get into the playoffs as a quality win. Now its not even a quality loss.

Coastal is a decent program. They gave your conference some recognition a few years ago with games against JMU and in the playoffs. Don't knock'em so hard.

The REAL 'Neers would beat you by 30! Print it.

[Keenan]

I don't know why everyone is pinning Elon as having the worst fans on this board...xwhistlex Take it over to the SMACK Board.

3-5 puts us at the bottom of the CAA and you couldn't beat us at ur place. Thats a tough pill to swallow for the committee is the point. 3-5 against the teams we played is OK for the strength of the opponents but not when you HAD to beat us to get into the playoffs as a quality win. Now its not even a quality loss.

Coastal is a decent program. They gave your conference some recognition a few years ago with games against JMU and in the playoffs. Don't knock'em so hard.

The REAL 'Neers would beat you by 30! Print it.

JMU wins out and it will be a quality loss... gotta make you feel good that the more games your team wins is more help you'll be giving LU! xnodx

[T-Dog]

And I thought Elon fans were the illogical immature brats xcoffeex

Wait til next week. xcoffeex

[Keenan]

Last team to make the field in 2008:
Maine
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/27/08 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Last team to make the field in 2009:
Liberty
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/26/09 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24 Credit to jcmanson for this

[mcveyrl]

JMU wins out and it will be a quality loss... gotta make you feel good that the more games your team wins is more help you'll be giving LU! xnodx

This is going to sound weird, but it's not the loss that hurts you, it's the fact that you didn't win....xrotatehxxrotatehx

With a win, you had a quality win (even if we go 6-5). With a loss, your quality win is against Laffy, which isn't looking too bad right now.

So, I don't think the remainder of our schedule matters nearly as much as the rest of Laffayette's.

[JMUNJ08]

Last team to make the field in 2008:
Maine
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/27/08 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Last team to make the field in 2009:
Liberty
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/26/09 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Scary if it turns out true. I have respect for your team just not how you strut when you haven't been anywhere before....

[jcmanson]

This is going to sound weird, but it's not the loss that hurts you, it's the fact that you didn't win....xrotatehxxrotatehx

With a win, you had a quality win (even if we go 6-5). With a loss, your quality win is against Laffy, which isn't looking too bad right now.

So, I don't think the remainder of our schedule matters nearly as much as the rest of Laffayette's.

Agreed, but it does look much better if we lose to a 6-5 middle of the pack CAA team than a 3-8 or 4-7 bottom feeder CAA team. Plus, with a healthy Dudzik you guys make the playoffs.

[jcmanson]

Last team to make the field in 2008:
Maine
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/27/08 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Last team to make the field in 2009:
Liberty
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/26/09 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Scary if it turns out true. I have respect for your team just not how you strut when you haven't been anywhere before....

How do we "strut?" We just want a shot in the playoffs.

[ToTheLeft]

Last team to make the field in 2008:
Maine
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/27/08 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Last team to make the field in 2009:
Liberty
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/26/09 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Scary if it turns out true. I have respect for your team just not how you strut when you haven't been anywhere before....

We don't really strut... we don't roll over when other fans try to push us aside like we don't belong, tho. The only teams we "strut" over are the Big South teams we're on a win streak against. And a loss "puts us in our place". We know where we've come from, and we see where we're going. We have a lot to be happy about and proud of.

We're not the ones saying we'd drop 50 on someone just because we've got a lawncare specialist QB and we "steamrolled" over GSU and The Citadel (in OT).

[JMU2004]

Liberty doesn't deserve it this year.

You had to beat JMU to get in....you didn't. We are not a great CAA team, and we beat you at home. You need MORE than one signature win a year to get into the playoffs, especially when you pad your shcedule with D2s

[Hoseinexile07]

Credit to jcmanson for this

You left out LU's loss to the struggling and technically not-fully-DI Blue Hose. In all fairness, Maine didn't have Chernobyl-esque meltdown like that last season. Just sayin'.

[ToTheLeft]

Liberty doesn't deserve it this year.

You had to beat JMU to get in....you didn't. We are not a great CAA team, and we beat you at home. You need MORE than one signature win a year to get into the playoffs, especially when you pad your shcedule with D2s

It's one D2 game... just like EWU and McNeese, who everyone thinks should get in.

And the UNI has no signature win, a 2nd Big Sky wouldn't have one (unless Montana State beats Griz), and really, App St. doesn't have a signature win right now. I don't know why you need more than one signature win when most teams on the bubble now don't even have one...

Our SOS is weaker, but don't act like we're light years behind everybody else. If it was as simple as "beat x team OOC and you're in" then we would have been in last year. It's not about one game, it's about comparing resumes.

[jcmanson]

You need MORE than one signature win a year to get into the playoffs

Tell that to Maine

[jcmanson]

You left out LU's loss to the struggling and technically not-fully-DI Blue Hose. In all fairness, Maine didn't have Chernobyl-esque meltdown like that last season. Just sayin'.

What are you talkin about? That was/will be our resume for 2009.

[mcveyrl]

Agreed, but it does look much better if we lose to a 6-5 middle of the pack CAA team than a 3-8 or 4-7 bottom feeder CAA team. Plus, with a healthy Dudzik you guys make the playoffs.

I appreciate that, but I disagree. Our problems went much deeper than Thorpe. It was obvious that Villanova and W&M were much better than us and I don't know if we beat them with Dudzik. We may have beaten UR with Dudzik guiding that last drive, but that's a toss-up (Thorpe was great until the last play). Combined with the Hofstra loss, we're, at best 7-4 (maybe 8-3 if we can beat UR and avoid a let down against other teams).

[ToTheLeft]

You left out LU's loss to the struggling and technically not-fully-DI Blue Hose. In all fairness, Maine didn't have Chernobyl-esque meltdown like that last season. Just sayin'.

We're talking about LU this year, not last. Thanks for bringing up the one win you've had in the past two years, tho...

[ToTheLeft]

7-3 (vs. FCS) JMU with wins over LU, UR, UD, UMass would be in, no doubt.

[Keenan]

This is going to sound weird, but it's not that the loss that hurts you, it's the fact that you didn't win....xrotatehxxrotatehx

With a win, you had a quality win (even if we go 6-5). With a loss, your quality win is against Laffy, which isn't looking too bad right now.

So, I don't think the remainder of our schedule matters nearly as much as the rest of Laffayette's.

I think it's fair to say that LU fans are hoping both JMU and Laffy win out equally.

[joecooll6]

So do Liberty fans think they should be in at 9-2 over UNI if we win out and go 8-3.

I would say no. Both would have 8 DI wins, neither would have a real signature victory, and LU has a bad loss, UNI does not. All of UNIs losses are to teams that will be in the playoffs or the #4 FBS team in the country by 1.

May not matter anyway, we both have a couple tough games left.

[89Hen]

Last team to make the field in 2008:
Maine
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/27/08 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Last team to make the field in 2009:
Liberty
8 Division I wins
Only losses to CAA teams and an FBS
9/26/09 L at home vs. JMU, 10-24

Scary if it turns out true. I have respect for your team just not how you strut when you haven't been anywhere before....
Sounds like the Hens are a shoe in then. We will have only lost to CAA teams and an FBS and lost at home to JMU 20-8... oops, we won't have 8 DI wins. xoopsx

[BDKJMU]

I don't know why everyone is pinning Elon as having the worst fans on this board...xwhistlex Take it over to the SMACK Board.

3-5 puts us at the bottom of the CAA and you couldn't beat us at ur place. Thats a tough pill to swallow for the committee is the point. 3-5 against the teams we played is OK for the strength of the opponents but not when you HAD to beat us to get into the playoffs as a quality win. Now its not even a quality loss.

Coastal is a decent program. They gave your conference some recognition a few years ago with games against JMU and in the playoffs. Don't knock'em so hard.

The REAL 'Neers would beat you by 30! Print it.

Come on JMUJ08, JMU is way better than URI, Northeastern and Towson. Problem for JMU was that their CAA record was front loaded- Hofstra and the 3 Top teams in the 1st 4 CAA games when breaking in Thorpe.

IF JMU beats Maine, @UMass and Towson, that would leave JMU at 4-4 in the CAA. Good possibility that would be in a 3 way, possibly 4 way, tie for 5th with a 4-4 UMass, 4-4 UD (my guess is UD and UMass will beat HU, we'll see), and 4-4 Maine if Maine upsets UNH. Regardless, since JMU would have beaten both or all 3 head to head, that would leave JMU as the 5th place out of 12 CAA teams at 6-5/4-4.

We'll just have to see how this thing plays out.

[ToTheLeft]

So do Liberty fans think they should be in at 9-2 over UNI if we win out and go 8-3.

I would say no. Both would have 8 DI wins, neither would have a real signature victory, and LU has a bad loss, UNI does not. All of UNIs losses are to teams that will be in the playoffs or the #4 FBS team in the country by 1.

May not matter anyway, we both have a couple tough games left.

Do I think we WILL? Heck no.

Do I think we SHOULD? It's closer than you think. LU's Lafayette win is a good bit better than anything UNI has done, however, the loss to JMU is a good bit worse than UNI's losses. However, UNI does have losses, plural, against FCS, whereas LU just has a loss. However, UNI has played an overall tougher schedule, and play in a power conference, and would be in over LU at 8-3. 7-4 with a loss to the Penguins? Different story.

[Keenan]

So do Liberty fans think they should be in at 9-2 over UNI if we win out and go 8-3.

I would say no. Both would have 8 DI wins, neither would have a real signature victory, and LU has a bad loss, UNI does not. All of UNIs losses are to teams that will be in the playoffs or the #4 FBS team in the country by 1.

May not matter anyway, we both have a couple tough games left.

What makes you think UNI will be fighting for the last at-large spot?

[jcmanson]

So do Liberty fans think they should be in at 9-2 over UNI if we win out and go 8-3.

Nope, we wouldn't get in ahead of an 8-3 UNI.

[BDKJMU]

I appreciate that, but I disagree. Our problems went much deeper than Thorpe. It was obvious that Villanova and W&M were much better than us and I don't know if we beat them with Dudzik. We may have beaten UR with Dudzik guiding that last drive, but that's a toss-up (Thorpe was great until the last play). Combined with the Hofstra loss, we're, at best 7-4 (maybe 8-3 if we can beat UR and avoid a let down against other teams).

xeekxxeekxxeekx
Are you kidding me! Thorpe threw 2 picks in the last 1.5 qtr BEFORE the fumble on 1st and goal at the UR 5 with 50 some seconds left.

The 2 games where JMU lost their chance for the playoffs was Hofstra (offense not showing up the whole game (granted DD got his bell rung/debate on a concussion or not) and defense not showing up the 1st half) and UR. Healthy DD the entire UR game of course JMU wins. But dems the breaks (no pun intended on the break/fracture in DD's foot).xrolleyesx

Agree about Nova and W&M. All a healthy DD would have done would be make them closer. Still would have been losses.

[mcveyrl]

xeekxxeekxxeekx
Are you kidding me! Thorpe threw 2 picks in the last 1.5 qtr BEFORE the fumble on 1st and goal at the UR 5 with 50 some seconds left.

The 2 games where JMU lost their chance for the playoffs was Hofstra (offense not showing up the whole game (granted DD got his bell rung/debate on a concussion or not) and defense not showing up the 1st half) and UR. Healthy DD the entire UR game of course JMU wins. But dems the breaks (no pun intended on the break/fracture in DD's foot).xrolleyesx

Agree about Nova and W&M. All a healthy DD would have done would be make them closer. Still would have been losses.

Should've clarified. He was great on that last drive, not the whole game.

I'm still not convinced we would've won against UR with Dudzik, but we'll never know.

Even though I'm pretty sure we still lose W&M and Nova, it's hard to tell what winning against UR would've done to the psyche, but I think we're right.

[aceinthehole]

It's one D2 game... just like EWU and McNeese, who everyone thinks should get in.

And the UNI has no signature win, a 2nd Big Sky wouldn't have one (unless Montana State beats Griz), and really, App St. doesn't have a signature win right now. I don't know why you need more than one signature win when most teams on the bubble now don't even have one...

Our SOS is weaker, but don't act like we're light years behind everybody else. If it was as simple as "beat x team OOC and you're in" then we would have been in last year. It's not about one game, it's about comparing resumes.

Very well put. I think Liberty needs help from Lafayette and JMU, but we won't know until the season is over.

This is a year where you have the MEAC/PL/Big South/NEC teams knocking on the door, and they should all be in consideration. In the end, we won't know until the next few weeks play out, but at this point Liberty (and others) should be in the discussion.

[BDKJMU]

FWIW, I would like to see JMU and Lafayette win out and LU get a bid, even though I think JMU with a healthy DD or a much improved Thorpe is a better team than Liberty as evidenced by the JMU win. I'll pull for VA teams not named UR or W&M(or UVA)xsmiley_wix

[UNHFootballAlum]

We here talkin' 'bout practice. Not a game... practice.

Two best outbursts in sports history. "I'm a man, I'm 40" a close third.

You forgot..."They are who we thought they were..and we let em off the hook"

[knucklehead]

Let's see how this breaks down after 3 more games. I agree that the Stoney Brook game on the last weekend will be tough. Do I think LU wins, YES!

I just want to see the dominoes fall in place all over the country and see where everyone else ends up too. If we do run the table, I can't wait to see the committe handle this one.

And by the way, Rocco is a very smart man and knows what he is saying and why.

[ToTheLeft]

@UNHFootballAlum

Haha, true. That one's up there, too. I just think playoffs and practice are the best, because they get so into it they just say the same thing over, and over, and over.

[JMUNJ08]

Come on JMUJ08, JMU is way better than URI, Northeastern and Towson. Problem for JMU was that their CAA record was front loaded- Hofstra and the 3 Top teams in the 1st 4 CAA games when breaking in Thorpe.

IF JMU beats Maine, @UMass and Towson, that would leave JMU at 4-4 in the CAA. Good possibility that would be in a 3 way, possibly 4 way, tie for 5th with a 4-4 UMass, 4-4 UD (my guess is UD and UMass will beat HU, we'll see), and 4-4 Maine if Maine upsets UNH. Regardless, since JMU would have beaten both or all 3 head to head, that would leave JMU as the 5th place out of 12 CAA teams at 6-5/4-4.

We'll just have to see how this thing plays out.

Oh I know we have that chance and I am hoping for Thorpe to show great strides at the end of the season. Just talking about now cause the future is just speculation. 1-4 in conference right now does not look like a so-called "quality loss." This was in reference to Libery's chances of getting in. Right now, that JMU loss is magnified as we sit near the bottom of the league. At best we will be in the middle of the pack record wise in the CAA. Liberty need the "W."

[joecooll6]

Do I think we WILL? Heck no.

Do I think we SHOULD? It's closer than you think. LU's Lafayette win is a good bit better than anything UNI has done, however, the loss to JMU is a good bit worse than UNI's losses. However, UNI does have losses, plural, against FCS, whereas LU just has a loss. However, UNI has played an overall tougher schedule, and play in a power conference, and would be in over LU at 8-3. 7-4 with a loss to the Penguins? Different story.

If UNI loses another game were done. No doubt. We wouldnt deserve a spot if we lost again. I'm not real impressed with any P League win, but thats just my personal opinion. Our losses to SDSU, and SIU are against tougher FCS teams than Liberty has faced all year. I think we would deserve to be in over LU if we got to 8-3.

Most people have us in if we win out. I hope so, but you never know. Still a lot of things have to happen in the Big Sky, and Delaware has to lose again before we can feel even relatively safe (and of course we have to win out too).

A more interesting question is whether Liberty would deserve to get in over Florida A&M. FAMU would have 9 DI wins to LUs 8, and FAMU would have 2 quality losses while one of LUs isn't very good. Personally, I think FAMUs resume is better.

[jcmanson]

"I'm a man. I'm 40. I can take it."

[joecooll6]

What makes you think UNI will be fighting for the last at-large spot?

Theres a lot of football left to be played and a lot of speculating to do. Its just for fun.

[ToTheLeft]

Let's see how this breaks down after 3 more games. I agree that the Stoney Brook game on the last weekend will be tough. Do I think LU wins, YES!

I just want to see the dominoes fall in place all over the country and see where everyone else ends up too. If we do run the table, I can't wait to see the committe handle this one.

And by the way, Rocco is a very smart man and knows what he is saying and why.

No e in Stony Brook. xcoffeex

You should take that e and put it on committe to make them both correct. xthumbsupx

Just messin' with ya knuckle, and I agree, back to the orginal post, there's a reason for this comment. Rocco has some sort of motive, and we'll see how it pans out.

[ToTheLeft]

If UNI loses another game were done. No doubt. We wouldnt deserve a spot if we lost again. I'm not real impressed with any P League win, but thats just my personal opinion. Our losses to SDSU, and SIU are against tougher FCS teams than Liberty has faced all year. I think we would deserve to be in over LU if we got to 8-3.

Most people have us in if we win out. I hope so, but you never know. Still a lot of things have to happen in the Big Sky, and Delaware has to lose again before we can feel even relatively safe (and of course we have to win out too).

A more interesting question is whether Liberty would deserve to get in over Florida A&M. FAMU would have 9 DI wins to LUs 8, and FAMU would have 2 quality losses while one of LUs isn't very good. Personally, I think FAMUs resume is better.

FAMU's wins are over who again?

Morgan State is half the quality of Laffy. Coastal is better than most of the teams at the bottom of the MEAC.

And LU's loss to JMU isn't that bad. Really, it's not. It's not like a Presby loss.

[jcmanson]

A more interesting question is whether Liberty would deserve to get in over Florida A&M. FAMU would have 9 DI wins to LUs 8, and FAMU would have 2 quality losses while one of LUs isn't very good. Personally, I think FAMUs resume is better.

We’re the undefeated champs of a better rated conference. Our best win is better than any of FAMU’s.

[joecooll6]

FAMU's wins are over who again?

Morgan State is half the quality of Laffy. Coastal is better than most of the teams at the bottom of the MEAC.

And LU's loss to JMU isn't that bad. Really, it's not. It's not like a Presby loss.

You're right, FAMU hasnt played a tough schedule, but LU hasnt played a particularly tough one either. Its an interesting debate, the fact that FAMU hasnt played a D2 game makes it a bit more interesting.

[ToTheLeft]

You're right, FAMU hasnt played a tough schedule, but LU hasnt played a particularly tough one either. Its an interesting debate, the fact that FAMU hasnt played a D2 game makes it a bit more interesting.

Who.

Have.

They.

Beaten?

Dude, they won't have more than one win over a team over .500. They have nothing to show "we're playoff worthy". Their conference is rated WORSE than the Big South. They lost the only two games they could have won to show they're worth a penny, and they lost them convincingly.

[knucklehead]

No e in Stony Brook. xcoffeex

You should take that e and put it on committe to make them both correct. xthumbsupx

Just messin' with ya knuckle, and I agree, back to the orginal post, there's a reason for this comment. Rocco has some sort of motive, and we'll see how it pans out.

I never were any goot at sperlin soury

[joecooll6]

Who.

Have.

They.

Beaten?

Dude, they won't have more than one win over a team over .500. They have nothing to show "we're playoff worthy". Their conference is rated WORSE than the Big South. They lost the only two games they could have won to show they're worth a penny, and they lost them convincingly.

Who has Liberty beaten? Nonscholarship Laffy? Stony Brook? Gardner-Webb? FAMU hasnt lost to a 3-5 team. I'm just saying. Not trying to get you riled up, just playing devils advocate.

[IaaScribe]

The D2 thing is a specious argument. Liberty played a DII because a DI (bad DI, but DI nonetheless dropped out). SE Louisiana played a second DII because Alcorn State bailed on them. Gardner-Webb played a second DII because Tennessee Tech bailed for a money game. Trust me, I don't think any of these schools WANT to play DIIs.

[ToTheLeft]

Who has Liberty beaten? Nonscholarship Laffy? Stony Brook? Gardner-Webb? FAMU hasnt lost to a 3-5 team. I'm just saying. Not trying to get you riled up, just playing devils advocate.

JMU would beat every team on FAMU's schedule other than Miami, and they'd beat FAMU for good measure. The MEAC is weak, and they deserve no one but the autobid. And I like the "non-scholarship" comment on Lafayette, despite the fact that they have multiple ranked teams, and LC will be ranked with a win this weekend. xthumbsupx

[WMTribe90]

Liberty is currently ranked 23 amongst IAA squads in sagarin's ratings. Not too shabby, but with their remaining schedule you gotta believe Liberty will only drop some from here even if LU and JMU finish strong. (SB = 47, GW = 69, VMI = 100)

I think Liberty is a quality squad that is at least worthy of consideration along with a second PL, CCSU and FAMU. However, I don't think any of these teams have a strong enough SOS to control their own destiny. It will and should come down to what happens with bubble teams in the CAA, BSC, Southland, etc.

I just don't see a 9-2 Liberty (with 8 DI wins) getting in over a power conference school with 8 DI wins and I think the GPI and Sagarin ratings will back this up at the end of the year. It will only get interesting when/if we have to start comparing Liberty to a bubble team with 7 DI wins from a major conference.

[joecooll6]

JMU would beat every team on FAMU's schedule other than Miami, and they'd beat FAMU for good measure. The MEAC is weak, and they deserve no one but the autobid. And I like the "non-scholarship" comment on Lafayette, despite the fact that they have multiple ranked teams, and LC will be ranked with a win this weekend. xthumbsupx

The rankings are meaningless. Heck, Lehigh had votes when they were 0-4. Doesnt change the fact that they are nonscholarship and in the grand scheme of things not that great. Granted Laffy and HC are the better teams of the group, but they're still not that great compared to the top teams in power conferences vying for a playoff spot.

I dont know if James Madison would beat SCSU. SCSU is pretty legit this year. And again, FAMU doesnt have any bad losses, while you guys do. Your overall strength of schedule is a bit better, but not by a whole lot. The Big South from #4 on down certainly isnt any better than the MEAC, nor is North Carolina Central or West Virginia Wesleyen.

Look man, I'm not saying FAMU should definitely be in over LU, I'm just arguing because its fun and I think there is an argument to be made. We'll see how it shakes out.

[Keenan]

If UNI loses another game were done. No doubt. We wouldnt deserve a spot if we lost again. I'm not real impressed with any P League win, but thats just my personal opinion. Our losses to SDSU, and SIU are against tougher FCS teams than Liberty has faced all year. I think we would deserve to be in over LU if we got to 8-3.

Most people have us in if we win out. I hope so, but you never know. Still a lot of things have to happen in the Big Sky, and Delaware has to lose again before we can feel even relatively safe (and of course we have to win out too).

A more interesting question is whether Liberty would deserve to get in over Florida A&M. FAMU would have 9 DI wins to LUs 8, and FAMU would have 2 quality losses while one of LUs isn't very good. Personally, I think FAMUs resume is better.

FAMU hasn't beat anyone! Their best win is against Morgan State!? FAMU has no resume. Del St. Howard,Winston Salem,Tn St. norfolk st???? All of their wins reside in the 200+ Sagarin ratings...Pleasexrolleyesx

[Sir William]

Look, here's the facts...Liberty if ranked 16th right now, and if they win out the rest of the way, they WILL move up in the polls and solidify their at-large playoff spot. Doesn't matter whether or not they are a better or worse team than UNI, EWU, or anyone else for that matter. Give them a little due...they've had two good seasons, and this season the pollsters say they are the 16th ranked team at this point.

Now with all that said, when they do make the playoffs, they WILL be sent to Richmond (or possibly Appy) in the first round. And they will get pasted...and well-pasted at that. No disrespect to Liberty - but the likelihood they would finish as close as 21 to either Richmond or App at UR or the Rock is a bet most of us who are long-time FCS observers would not take.

Congrats on a great season, Flames. Enjoy the playoff atmosphere during the first round. You've earned it. But get ready for a shock.

[UNH Fanboi]

The D2 thing is a specious argument. Liberty played a DII because a DI (bad DI, but DI nonetheless dropped out). SE Louisiana played a second DII because Alcorn State bailed on them. Gardner-Webb played a second DII because Tennessee Tech bailed for a money game. Trust me, I don't think any of these schools WANT to play DIIs.

The committee takes number of D1 wins into account. Maine got in over W&M last year because they had 8 D1 wins compared to W&M's 7, despite the fact that W&M had better wins (playoff UNH) and better losses (only to playoff JMU, Richmond, Nova).

It may not be logical, but that's the way it is.

[BDKJMU]

Look, here's the facts...Liberty if ranked 16th right now, and if they win out the rest of the way, they WILL move up in the polls and solidify their at-large playoff spot. Doesn't matter whether or not they are a better or worse team than UNI, EWU, or anyone else for that matter. Give them a little due...they've had two good seasons, and this season the pollsters say they are the 16th ranked team at this point.

Now with all that said, when they do make the playoffs, they WILL be sent to Richmond (or possibly Appy) in the first round. And they will get pasted...and well-pasted at that. No disrespect to Liberty - but the likelihood they would finish as close as 21 to either Richmond or App at UR or the Rock is a bet most of us who are long-time FCS observers would not take.

Congrats on a great season, Flames. Enjoy the playoff atmosphere during the first round. You've earned it. But get ready for a shock.

Selection committee doesn't simply go by some human polls.

[knucklehead]

Look, here's the facts...Liberty if ranked 16th right now, and if they win out the rest of the way, they WILL move up in the polls and solidify their at-large playoff spot. Doesn't matter whether or not they are a better or worse team than UNI, EWU, or anyone else for that matter. Give them a little due...they've had two good seasons, and this season the pollsters say they are the 16th ranked team at this point.

Now with all that said, when they do make the playoffs, they WILL be sent to Richmond (or possibly Appy) in the first round. And they will get pasted...and well-pasted at that. No disrespect to Liberty - but the likelihood they would finish as close as 21 to either Richmond or App at UR or the Rock is a bet most of us who are long-time FCS observers would not take.

Congrats on a great season, Flames. Enjoy the playoff atmosphere during the first round. You've earned it. But get ready for a shock.

I dearly hope we make it, so we can show folks like you we can hang with the old guard. Everyone is always picking on the new kid, but we shall see. Just ask WVU how easy we are.

[Sir William]

Selection committee doesn't simply go by some human polls.

No, but if Liberty keeps moving up, the committee will strongly take that into account.

[Sir William]

I dearly hope we make it, so we can show folks like you we can hang with the old guard. Everyone is always picking on the new kid, but we shall see. Just ask WVU how easy we are.

Best regards to you on that. But the above post should be highlighted for discussion on the Sunday after the first round is complete.

[JMUNJ08]

FAMU hasn't beat anyone! Their best win is against Morgan State!? FAMU has no resume. Del St. Howard,Winston Salem,Tn St. norfolk st???? All of their wins reside in the 200+ Sagarin ratings...Pleasexrolleyesx

Liberty has beaten LC and thats it. The rest of the resume is not spectacular to date and the top 2 teams in the league yet to play. Play the last three and you could be in. Until then, remember all the talk around NArizona and Elon last year that became a moot pointxwhistlex

[Bogus Megapardus]

xpopcornxxpopcornxxpopcornx

[ThompsonThe]

This post will be # 100....about nothing really. Liberty, play better so you do not have to dream. Maybe next year when 4 more get in. Seems the NCAA wants everyone in, but will not make the BCS play a playoff at all.
Good luck Liberty.

[ASU_MBA]

Look at the GPI.....no way Liberty gets in being ranked 23.....look at the teams above them and who they have played....

The Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection continues with unbeaten and defending Division I National Champion Richmond in the top spot.
11/2/2009 GPI Top 25

1. Richmond (1.00)
2. Villanova (2.75)
3. Montana (2.88)
4. William & Mary (4.13)
5. S Illinois (4.50)
6. S Dakota St (6.88)
7. Elon (7.38)
8. New Hampshire (7.75)
9. Northern Iowa (9.63)
10. S Carolina St (11.63)
11. Appalachian St (12.63)
12T. Jacksonville St (14.13)
12T. E Washington (14.13)
14. Delaware (16.38)
15. E Illinois (17.38)
16. SF Austin (17.63)
17. Weber St (18.38)
18. N Arizona (18.88)
19. Massachusetts (20.63)
20. McNeese St (20.75)
21T. Southern Utah (21.00)
21T. James Madison (21.00)
23. Liberty (21.38)
24. Cal Poly SLO (23.13)
25. Holy Cross (23.38

[IaaScribe]

The only problem with that is that many of those teams above them will simply be out of the running:

Jax State -- ineligible
Delaware -- must win out, including Navy and Villanova. Not likely.
Weber State -- must win out just to get to 7-4
NAU -- must win out and plays Weber and Eastern, plus Ole Miss. Nope.
UMass -- not getting in with four losses
SUU -- not getting in with four losses
JMU -- already has five losses

I think that's why Liberty, FAMU and CCSU are going to get pretty legit looks.

[aceinthehole]

I think Liberty is a quality squad that is at least worthy of consideration along with a second PL, CCSU and FAMU. However, I don't think any of these teams have a strong enough SOS to control their own destiny. It will and should come down to what happens with bubble teams in the CAA, BSC, Southland, etc.

I just don't see a 9-2 Liberty (with 8 DI wins) getting in over a power conference school with 8 DI wins and I think the GPI and Sagarin ratings will back this up at the end of the year. It will only get interesting when/if we have to start comparing Liberty to a bubble team with 7 DI wins from a major conference.

I fully agree with this comment as well.

I think Liberty and CCSU as undefeated conference champs without an AQ will have a good case, along with the PL runner up, but we don't control our destiny.

We need help - that "power conference" teams finish with 7 or less D-I wins.

Its cool to talk about now, but Liberty and CCSU fans will be scorboard watching for the next 3 weeks. Winning out just won't be enough.

[4th and What?]

I see Lafayette and Liberty having a decent shot at winning out. I don't see JMU being likely to beat Maine and win at Umass. Can they? Sure. Will they? I wouldn't put money on it.

[kirkblitz]

Oh, I beg to differ. It's classic guerrilla marketing. Spamming a message board with positive anecdotes about the 'product' - in this case Lib.U. and its athletics - is a B-school 101 staple.

we can neither confirm nor deny that such a campaign exits xcoffeex

[SuperJon]

If we win out we are not guaranteed to get in.

Any power conference team with eight Division I wins will get in ahead of us.

Armanti Edwards scares me much more than Jarrett Brown ever did.

I think we could hang in the first round if our kids showed up. They're still insanely young and the whole team doesn't always show up every game.

We would not get sent to Appalachian first round.

We would go to Richmond or William & Mary, or maybe even Elon if they beat App and are seeded.

Going to Elon scares the piss out of me.

The reason I want to get into the playoffs more than anything this year is so that our team, which is mainly sophomores, could get a feel for what the playoffs are and realize that it's not the Big South anymore.

I'm making plans to be at the beach during Thanksgiving week. If I have to change them, great, but I'm not leaving that weekend open "just in case."

[knucklehead]

yet another reason for me to cheer for LU to get in, so you have to scramble to change your plans.

This is going to be an exciting and fun ;ast 3 weeks either way. And yes, AE is WAY better than Jarett Brown now.

[knucklehead]

we can neither confirm nor deny that such a campaign exits xcoffeex

I thought YOU were the campaign all by your self.
xthumbsupx

[SuperJon]

Scramble to change plans? All I would do is make a call and say, "Hey, I won't be there for Thanksgiving at the beach. Sorry. We made the playoffs."

[knucklehead]

Man that's not a tough choice if you don't even lose a deposit or something, haha.

I still say, Rocco is right on! But there's a lot of work to be done.

[holycrossC]

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/225108

Fan the flames baby!

[Runner]

We’re the undefeated champs of a better rated conference. Our best win is better than any of FAMU’s.

It's interesting reading you guys comments. Most feel the MEAC don't deserve consideration for nothing. I give SCState credit for closing the gap(recent gap), as it pertains to playoffs performance(FAMU was 1 game away from the Championship game in the late 90's). SCState has a good team and i'm looking forward to their first round game. As for FAMU, we were 9-3 last year, hopefully 9-2 at the end of the season. Will we make the playoffs, don't know, but our program is on the right track.

[Redwyn]

Who has Liberty beaten? Nonscholarship Laffy? Stony Brook? Gardner-Webb? FAMU hasnt lost to a 3-5 team. I'm just saying. Not trying to get you riled up, just playing devils advocate.

Well, actually, they HAVEN'T beaten Stony Brook or Gardner-Webb, nor can we assume it.

This same Liberty team got scared by a Charleston Southern squad that's pretty low in the conference standings, and while I do believe they're a very strong Big South (note the designation Big South. We're an improving conference but not there yet) program, this instance means we cannot assume by any length wins against SBU and G-Webb. As was already said, this team is young. There's no telling how they will respond to the radically different climate and environment presented by NY. And don't say there'd be no change. NY is VERY different.

Let's talk in 3 weeks. Lots of football left :)

[knucklehead]

There's no telling how they will respond to the radically different climate and environment presented by NY. And don't say there'd be no change. NY is VERY different.


Ya'll got landmines on the field er something?

[Seawolf97]

Well, actually, they HAVEN'T beaten Stony Brook or Gardner-Webb, nor can we assume it.

This same Liberty team got scared by a Charleston Southern squad that's pretty low in the conference standings, and while I do believe they're a very strong Big South (note the designation Big South. We're an improving conference but not there yet) program, this instance means we cannot assume by any length wins against SBU and G-Webb. As was already said, this team is young. There's no telling how they will respond to the radically different climate and environment presented by NY. And don't say there'd be no change. NY is VERY different.

Let's talk in 3 weeks. Lots of football left :)

Well Statedxthumbsupx

[Redwyn]

Ya'll got landmines on the field er something?

DAMN, you figured out why we put the new field surface in :P

The weather here's MUCH colder than it is even in Philadelphia. This year is freakishly colder than usual. There's a substantial chance Liberty will be playing a game in weather a full 20 degrees colder than they're used to at home. That's a pretty significant change. As an athlete who has competed up and down the East Coast in a single season, the mode of prep is different for a colder climate. You need to breathe differently, especially in a burst sport like football. You need to work your muscles (including your lungs) to adjust to a cold climate. It's not about the flight. It's about the physical adjustment to playing in the cold. Ask any Green Bay or New England fan (or, for different reasons, a Denver fan) why they have home field advantage, and they'll say the climate's a much bigger boost than a hostile stadium.

Liberty's a good team. They'll fight hard. However, don't believe that playing in NY is a cakewalk, especially late in November for a young college program.

[SuperJon]

It's gonna be so freaking cold on the sidelines of that game.

I don't know if I have a coat big enough to keep me warm.

I need to buy gloves too.

[knucklehead]

Didn't realize Stony Brook is in Buffalo, haha. Seriously point well taken

[SuperJon]

It's not in Buffalo.

It's worse.

It's two miles off the ocean. That means not only is it gonna be freezing, but it's going to be breezy too.

[Keenan]

DAMN, you figured out why we put the new field surface in :P

The weather here's MUCH colder than it is even in Philadelphia. This year is freakishly colder than usual. There's a substantial chance Liberty will be playing a game in weather a full 20 degrees colder than they're used to at home. That's a pretty significant change. As an athlete who has competed up and down the East Coast in a single season, the mode of prep is different for a colder climate. You need to breathe differently, especially in a burst sport like football. You need to work your muscles (including your lungs) to adjust to a cold climate. It's not about the flight. It's about the physical adjustment to playing in the cold. Ask any Green Bay or New England fan (or, for different reasons, a Denver fan) why they have home field advantage, and they'll say the climate's a much bigger boost than a hostile stadium.

Liberty's a good team. They'll fight hard. However, don't believe that playing in NY is a cakewalk, especially late in November for a young college program.

Ok, so the average high temperature for Stony Brook,NY was 58 degrees today and 63 degrees in Lynchburg,VA. 5 degrees difference I don't think is going to kill our players! xrolleyesx You're trying to make the conditions up there like the US Men's Soccer Team going to Mexico City, playing at altitude and smog tough. Already this season, Liberty has played in a torrential downpour (JMU) and gusty winds (CSU). I don't think the weather in Stony Brook,NY in a couple of weeks will adversely affect Liberty University's play. In case you haven't noticed, we're in Virginia, not Florida!

[SuperJon]

Ask anyone who was part of the football program in 2002 how New York on the last weekend of the season is. They'll all tell you it was freezing cold and insanely windy.

[ToTheLeft]

That's great, the video boy might get cold, but I can't see the guys in pads being too affected by the cold temps. xcoffeex

Seriously, I don't put much stock into worrying about weather, especially if it involves little to no precipitation. The main concern is just playing in a place we haven't played before...

[kirkblitz]

I thought YOU were the campaign all by your self.
xthumbsupx

no comment xlolxxlolxxlolxxlolx

btw lib for national champ xthumbsupx

[Redwyn]

That's great, the video boy might get cold, but I can't see the guys in pads being too affected by the cold temps. xcoffeex

Seriously, I don't put much stock into worrying about weather, especially if it involves little to no precipitation. The main concern is just playing in a place we haven't played before...

Today in Stony Brook did NOT, and I'll re-state, DID NOT break 50. I know, since I was driving between Stony Brook and Northport for a hospital rotation and have a temperature sensor in my car. The position of SB often presents with "high" temperature, but is negated quickly by the fact that the Long Island Sound (ocean, for those who don't know the place well) is less than a 3/4 mile from campus. Wind chill is HUGE. This isn't Buffalo, nor is this Foxboro. However, it is COLD in NY.

For the record, I used to play BCAFL (the British version of NCAA Football) american football at Oxford. I'll tell you right now - pads do NOTHING to block out the elements. Your limbs are still exposed and most players opt to keep it that way since lycra is pretty restricting. No jokes about British people playing American Football. Fact is, we're all human, and they of all people are used to cold weather (and guess what, still shiver uncontrollably on the sidelines).

[ToTheLeft]

Today in Stony Brook did NOT, and I'll re-state, DID NOT break 50. I know, since I was driving between Stony Brook and Northport for a hospital rotation and have a temperature sensor in my car. The position of SB often presents with "high" temperature, but is negated quickly by the fact that the Long Island Sound (ocean, for those who don't know the place well) is less than a 3/4 mile from campus. Wind chill is HUGE. This isn't Buffalo, nor is this Foxboro. However, it is COLD in NY.

For the record, I used to play BCAFL (the British version of NCAA Football) american football at Oxford. I'll tell you right now - pads do NOTHING to block out the elements. Your limbs are still exposed and most players opt to keep it that way since lycra is pretty restricting. No jokes about British people playing American Football. Fact is, we're all human, and they of all people are used to cold weather (and guess what, still shiver uncontrollably on the sidelines).

I wasn't saying the pads would help, it was a descriptor... I just think, while it will be cold, for sure, the players aren't going to suffer some terrible letdown as the result of the cold. We might be facing our coldest game, but I don't think it's going to be some catastrophically cold nightmare that shuts our players down. Once they get out there and get the blood flowing, they'll be fine, as will the Seawolves, and the game will go on. Kicking game will be affected, obviously, but everything else should be business as usual, with maybe a couple early hiccups.

[ASU_MBA]

I will be pulling for you Stony Brook!

[Redwyn]

I wasn't saying the pads would help, it was a descriptor... I just think, while it will be cold, for sure, the players aren't going to suffer some terrible letdown as the result of the cold. We might be facing our coldest game, but I don't think it's going to be some catastrophically cold nightmare that shuts our players down. Once they get out there and get the blood flowing, they'll be fine, as will the Seawolves, and the game will go on. Kicking game will be affected, obviously, but everything else should be business as usual, with maybe a couple early hiccups.

Fair enough, I can buy that.

Can't WAIT for the game!

[mcveyrl]

Another factor in the SB game will be attendance. In addition to the cold, the attendance will be sparse. Stony Brook averaged around 3K last year. Liberty's players are used to playing in front of at least 10K more than that. This makes a difference. Ask the CAA teams that have to go up north to some of the slimmer venues.

I think that will be compounded by the fact that Rocco will be hyping this game all week as a playoff game. Then, the players get up there, it's freezing, and nobody's there to watch. It could be a big letdown.

Nobody answered my question of whether the team charters a plane. I would assume that they do, otherwise the plane trip is much more distracting than the bus trip. You've got to get on a bus, drive an hour (I'm assuming Roanoke, but they might fly out of Richmond), go through the airport, etc.

[Redwyn]

Stony Brook averaged around 3K last year.

While we did have some torrential downpours to blame last year.....it's still very disappointing to know that statistic is pretty much true.

[knucklehead]

no comment xlolxxlolxxlolxxlolx

btw lib for national champ xthumbsupx

SEE there you go. kirkblitz LU's Biggest fan!

[Sly Fox]

The practically non-existent crowd likely played a role in our subpar performance at Charleston Southern so that aspect can't be completely dismissed. But I do believe our staff will have the team expecting what they find on Long Island.

I don't necessarily speak for all Liberty fans, but it frustrates the daylights out of me to have CAA & SoCon fans blaming our Big South schedule as the primary reason why we shouldn't even be considered for the playoffs when their two respective leagues have spent the past two decades blowing us off when considering expansion. We have built our program in spite of a being in a non-autobid league. It puts us at distinct recruiting & scheduling disadvantages. Next year, that's finally no longer an issue. As much as some of you folks would prefer to ignore us, we are doing everything right to build a quality football program from a coaching & facilities basis.

[knucklehead]

Add the auto bid and the improved stadium, and I think we will be hard for them to ignore. I actually like that some of these folks hate us so much already. Not sure why so many App. St. fans hate LU so much though. Can't wait to be a yearly thorn in their side.

[mcveyrl]

Add the auto bid and the improved stadium, and I think we will be hard for them to ignore. I actually like that some of these folks hate us so much already. Not sure why so many App. St. fans hate LU so much though. Can't wait to be a yearly thorn in their side.

I'm pretty sure that after last year, ASU hates the state of Virginia.

[89Hen]

Liberty is currently ranked 23 amongst IAA squads in sagarin's ratings. Not too shabby, but with their remaining schedule you gotta believe Liberty will only drop some from here even if LU and JMU finish strong. (SB = 47, GW = 69, VMI = 100)

I think Liberty is a quality squad that is at least worthy of consideration along with a second PL, CCSU and FAMU. However, I don't think any of these teams have a strong enough SOS to control their own destiny. It will and should come down to what happens with bubble teams in the CAA, BSC, Southland, etc.

I just don't see a 9-2 Liberty (with 8 DI wins) getting in over a power conference school with 8 DI wins and I think the GPI and Sagarin ratings will back this up at the end of the year. It will only get interesting when/if we have to start comparing Liberty to a bubble team with 7 DI wins from a major conference.
xrulesx Extremely well put.

[g-webb1994]

Liberty doesn't get any action from SOCON teams due to location. Likewise, G-W doesn't get much from the CAA. We've done well with scheduling SOCON opponents, even though Patton won't schedule Furman again due to apparently getting his feelings hurt. We've had home/home games with Wofford, Western, and Appy recently. I'd love for G-W to renew the old SAC rivalry with Elon somehow.....

[89Hen]

If we win out we are not guaranteed to get in.

Any power conference team with eight Division I wins will get in ahead of us.

Armanti Edwards scares me much more than Jarrett Brown ever did.

I think we could hang in the first round if our kids showed up. They're still insanely young and the whole team doesn't always show up every game.

We would not get sent to Appalachian first round.

We would go to Richmond or William & Mary, or maybe even Elon if they beat App and are seeded.

Going to Elon scares the piss out of me.

The reason I want to get into the playoffs more than anything this year is so that our team, which is mainly sophomores, could get a feel for what the playoffs are and realize that it's not the Big South anymore.

I'm making plans to be at the beach during Thanksgiving week. If I have to change them, great, but I'm not leaving that weekend open "just in case."
xrulesx There are some good posts here that people need to read.

[IaaScribe]

Re: The sparse crowd factor. As Sly mentioned, LU has already dealt with that at Charleston Southern, where there were maybe 1,500 in the stands at kickoff. It was so empty that I could hear specific calls from the Liberty sideline while in the press box on the other side of the field. One of the running backs told me the next week that it definitely was a factor, and that he hadn't experienced anything like that in his life (true freshman who played prep ball in Georgia).

I've said it a million times, but I have no idea how Jay Mills even gets that club to near .500 every year. CSU might as well not exist in that town. The facilities are threadbare. The atmosophere terrible. Media coverage sparse at best. Yet he manages to get some decent players in there, and they compete.

[Keenan]

I will be pulling for you Stony Brook!

Why? Because you don't want to potenitally face Liberty, huh?

[knucklehead]

xpopcornx

[SuperJon]

I wasn't saying the pads would help, it was a descriptor... I just think, while it will be cold, for sure, the players aren't going to suffer some terrible letdown as the result of the cold. We might be facing our coldest game, but I don't think it's going to be some catastrophically cold nightmare that shuts our players down. Once they get out there and get the blood flowing, they'll be fine, as will the Seawolves, and the game will go on. Kicking game will be affected, obviously, but everything else should be business as usual, with maybe a couple early hiccups.

I was thinking about this topic this morning. Do you remember the Gardner-Webb game last year? Those guys were stiff and standing there on the sidelines because it was cold and they didn't wanna be there. You could tell from before kickoff that they didn't show up (a lot like how Stony Brook didn't show up last year). The cold had to have played a factor in that. I'm not saying it'll be a huge factor for us, but it could change the game a bit. It'll be extra important to get off to a fast start that game. The good thing is, I'm pretty sure our coach has a speech or two on getting off to a fast start.

[SuperJon]

Nobody answered my question of whether the team charters a plane. I would assume that they do, otherwise the plane trip is much more distracting than the bus trip. You've got to get on a bus, drive an hour (I'm assuming Roanoke, but they might fly out of Richmond), go through the airport, etc.

We drive two miles down the road, jump in a charter plane, and fly to New York.

[ASU_MBA]

Add the auto bid and the improved stadium, and I think we will be hard for them to ignore. I actually like that some of these folks hate us so much already. Not sure why so many App. St. fans hate LU so much though. Can't wait to be a yearly thorn in their side.

I just hate Liberty and what the school stands for....not a thorn in my side because I don't take the Flamers football team seriously. If you played in the CAA you would have a losing record right now, and if you played in the SoCon you may be a .500 team.

Some of your fans are cool, but far too many cry about not making the playoffs yet you lose to a 3-5 JMU team this year and the Blue Hose last year.

[knucklehead]

A few harsh comments and a few fair ones right there. I don't get the open hatred of LU just because of what we stand for, but oh well. I can actually see where you don't take us seriously now, but in a few years, you will not have much of a choice. I'm not so sure we would be .500 in socon. We def. would not be undefeated, but I think we'd be better than .500.

Last year more of the crying was about Maine getting in than us not gettin in. This year is not over yet. We still have a lot to prove and JMU does too. Let's see what happens and then I'll come back looking for you.

[IaaScribe]

I don't get the open hatred of LU just because of what we stand for, but oh well.

You don't? Really? Your founder rubbed a lot of people in this world the wrong way, and it's going to take a long time for the school to distance itself from that.

[ASU_MBA]

A few harsh comments and a few fair ones right there. I don't get the open hatred of LU just because of what we stand for, but oh well. I can actually see where you don't take us seriously now, but in a few years, you will not have much of a choice. I'm not so sure we would be .500 in socon. We def. would not be undefeated, but I think we'd be better than .500.

Last year more of the crying was about Maine getting in than us not gettin in. This year is not over yet. We still have a lot to prove and JMU does too. Let's see what happens and then I'll come back looking for you.

Fair enough.

My dislike for Liberty is mainly because of Jerry Sr.'s comments (Teletubbies, Gays) when he was alive and how there is no separation of church and state and how they get all these students who are not from the area in Lynchburg to register to vote and have taken over the town from the locals.


Great Falwell quotes from blaming us for the attacks of 9-11 and beyond....

"I put all the blame legally and morally on the actions of the terrorist, [but America's] secular and anti-Christian environment left us open to our Lord's [decision] not to protect. When a nation deserts God and expels God from the culture ... the result is not good."

This is another good one
"AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.

Great one below...haha what a crazy guy....
"Good Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions."

This list goes on and on and on.....

[jcmanson]

Yay! It only took 15 pages to bring politics into this talk about LU’s football playoff hopes!

[knucklehead]

I'll take the blame, sorry! Fair enough ASU_MBA.

Moving on. How 'Bout them Playoffs?

[ASU_MBA]

Yay! It only took 15 pages to bring politics into this talk about LU’s football playoff hopes!

Your founder started it...that is the reason when people think Liberty they think....ultra ring wing political school....maybe if Falwell stayed off CNN when he was alive we would not feel this way...

here is a link to his best ..

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/stupidquotes/a/falwellquotes.htm

please enjoy...




On a football note...I think Rocco is a great person and a great coach....winning all those games in any conference should be given praise. Liberty football is on the up and up just tired of hearing the playoff blues when you can't win the clutch games to get you in...

[joecooll6]

Well, actually, they HAVEN'T beaten Stony Brook or Gardner-Webb, nor can we assume it.

This same Liberty team got scared by a Charleston Southern squad that's pretty low in the conference standings, and while I do believe they're a very strong Big South (note the designation Big South. We're an improving conference but not there yet) program, this instance means we cannot assume by any length wins against SBU and G-Webb. As was already said, this team is young. There's no telling how they will respond to the radically different climate and environment presented by NY. And don't say there'd be no change. NY is VERY different.

Let's talk in 3 weeks. Lots of football left :)

True story. Bubble nation will be rooting for you!

[jcmanson]

Your founder started it...that is the reason when people think Liberty they think....ultra ring wing political school....maybe if Falwell stayed off CNN when he was alive we would not feel this way...

here is a link to his best ..

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/stupidquotes/a/falwellquotes.htm

please enjoy...




On a football note...I think Rocco is a great person and a great coach....winning all those games in any conference should be given praise. Liberty football is on the up and up just tired of hearing the playoff blues when you can't win the clutch games to get you in...

I’m not here to discuss politics so I’ll leave it at that.

If you talk to any of our more “rationale” fans/posters we all agree we shot our own foot last year with the loss to Presby. We thought we still had an outside shot, but no we didn’t deserve to get in last year. We wanted it real bad, but we didn’t deserve it. As for this year, we should have beaten JMU and then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. We would be virtual locks if we did and won out. But we lost, and here we are again – squarely on the bubble. I’m not going to cry or sing the “playoff blues” if we don’t make it. It’s our own team’s fault.

[ASU_MBA]

I’m not here to discuss politics so I’ll leave it at that.

If you talk to any of our more “rationale” fans/posters we all agree we shot our own foot last year with the loss to Presby. We thought we still had an outside shot, but no we didn’t deserve to get in last year. We wanted it real bad, but we didn’t deserve it. As for this year, we should have beaten JMU and then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. We would be virtual locks if we did and won out. But we lost, and here we are again – squarely on the bubble. I’m not going to cry or sing the “playoff blues” if we don’t make it. It’s our own team’s fault.

Careful you are going to make me root for Libery.....if all LU fans were like you I would have no problem.....best of luck

[ToTheLeft]

I say the same thing as him, I'm just more militant, he's more political... haha.

[SumItUp]

Liberty and its fans just want a shot at the playoffs. Maybe this will be the year. Some of us have been following the program for 20+ years and others have only been around for a few. Generally, I don't think the Liberty posters are saying anything that counters what others have stated. We know that winning out is not enough to guarantee a spot in the playoffs. Winning our last 3 games is not guaranteed. If we do win the last three, we will still need some help with some other teams being beat. There is not a Liberty poster that is denying that.

AGS is a great place to share ideas and opinions, but it's just a message board. No one on the committee is coming here to find out what the general consensus is in FCS message board land.

Liberty has the football staff, facilities, budget and recruiting to vault the program to the top of FCS. This will happen. We're not there yet, but we're knocking on the door.

[SuperJon]

Rocco said after last week's game he believes the PC loss kept us out of the playoffs. Like someone said on here, the problem most had (whether they articulate it well or not) is that Maine got in. Personally, I think it was W&M > LU > Maine last year.

As for this year and this quote and all of that, Coach Rocco has said that he plans everything. He knows before the game what he's gonna say to the team at halftime if we're up, and what we're gonna say if we're down. He knows what he's gonna say if we win, and what he's going to say if we lose. Everything he does is planned. He has told his football team these same things though.

If we win out, Coach Rocco believes we will be a playoff team. I agree we will be a playoff caliber team, but I don't have much faith in the committee given their past picks when it comes to non-power conferences. If there's a 50/50, the committee will go with the established league, and honestly, I can't blame them. In the past, at-large MEAC, Patriot, etc teams along with at-large teams from non-playoff conferences haven't fair well for the most part. That's not our fault, but it does play against us.

[knucklehead]

Manson, I agree we should have beaten JMU, and blame that squarely on the players. We did not appear to be 100% into that game IMHO. On the road at Presby last year, we were also not focused, and go caught off guard.

What I have a problem with is that people are treating the JMU loss like they treated the Presby loss. JMU is still a very good team that happened to fall apart due to injuries and other issues.

I am not saying like coach said that if we win out we are in. But I will say that if we win out, and some others pick up a loss, our 9-2 needs to stand out. This should give us a shot. In no way are we guaranteed if some of the big boys are 8-3, but we should get real consideration. I hate that we get penalized because of the conference we are in, but I do understand why.

Like others have said, my fear is that a team from one of the big conferences gets in at 7-4 over us. Yes, then I will WINE.

The big issue for me last year was when committee members said we were never in the discussion.

Anyway there is WAY too much football left to play, and we'll see.

[knucklehead]

Rocco said after last week's game he believes the PC loss kept us out of the playoffs. Like someone said on here, the problem most had (whether they articulate it well or not) is that Maine got in. Personally, I think it was W&M > LU > Maine last year.

As for this year and this quote and all of that, Coach Rocco has said that he plans everything. He knows before the game what he's gonna say to the team at halftime if we're up, and what we're gonna say if we're down. He knows what he's gonna say if we win, and what he's going to say if we lose. Everything he does is planned. He has told his football team these same things though.

If we win out, Coach Rocco believes we will be a playoff team. I agree we will be a playoff caliber team, but I don't have much faith in the committee given their past picks when it comes to non-power conferences. If there's a 50/50, the committee will go with the established league, and honestly, I can't blame them. In the past, at-large MEAC, Patriot, etc teams along with at-large teams from non-playoff conferences haven't fair well for the most part. That's not our fault, but it does play against us.

Well said!


Rocco often refers to preplanning his communications WAY in advance. good idea.

[ToTheLeft]

Fair enough, I can buy that.

Can't WAIT for the game!

For the record, the long term forecast has the weather in both LBurg and Long Island being about the same, just a little windier in LI... so they boys should be pretty acclimated with the weather situation. xthumbsupx Plus it's a 1 PM start, so it should be as warm as it'll get for the start.

[Dukie95]

Like others have said, my fear is that a team from one of the big conferences gets in at 7-4 over us. Yes, then I will WINE.

Off Campus, of course. xsmiley_wix

[knucklehead]

Oh man!! WHINE that is!

[Redwyn]

For the record, the long term forecast has the weather in both LBurg and Long Island being about the same, just a little windier in LI... so they boys should be pretty acclimated with the weather situation. xthumbsupx Plus it's a 1 PM start, so it should be as warm as it'll get for the start.

Yeah, I saw the averages....The hi is 48 today, and this is warmer than typical this week. I don't think you can use the highs to gauge how this will be.

That being said, Rocco is a good coach, and I agree the boys will be ready for what they'll see here.

[CID1990]

Next year all playoff teams will pray to get to play the Big South and NEC autobid teams in the first round.

It will be called the "warm up before the actual playoffs" game.

[Keenan]

Next year all playoff teams will pray to get to play the Big South and NEC autobid teams in the first round.

It will be called the "warm up before the actual playoffs" game.

This coming from a Citadel fan!?!? xlolx

[knucklehead]

Next year all playoff teams will pray to get to play the Big South and NEC autobid teams in the first round.

It will be called the "warm up before the actual playoffs" game.

If I coach Rocco in 2010, that's exactly what I would want them to think. So I love your comment.

[Dukie95]

Wow, some Liberty fans are really expecting this. Let me help add a dose of reality.

The selection committee doesn't consider their ranking in polls or overall record. They really are interested in finding the best available teams.

Liberty fans are very high on their team, probably because they see them week to week just destroying their competition. However, objective obeservers will look at the schedule and see that it's largely come against the Sisters of the Poor. Liberty's going to need to win a few more before they're among the best.

Consider their wins:

- D-II West Virginia Weslyean, who obviously has no D-I wins.
- NCCentral and Presbyterian, neither of whom have any D-I wins of their own.
- Charleston Southern, which has only two wins against winless Savannah St and 2-win VMI.

With that, Liberty has four wins that pretty much 95% of the teams in FCS would also have gotten.

- Liberty beat Coastal Carolina. Their three D-I wins came against NEC Monmouth, BSC VMI and MEAC NC A&T.

Ok, that's a hair tougher. Coastal has wins against teams from auto-bid conferences - too bad they won't win them. Coastal isn't good and that's just not impressive

- Lafayette's only loss is to Liberty. They have beaten all comers from the Patriot and Ivy and sit at 7-1

That's a good win, on the road, no less. However, the strength of the Ivy and Patriot remains debatable.

So, what's coming up that helps their case?

- VMI has a win against the afore-mentioned Presbyterian and 2-6 Robert Morris of the NEC

Put that in the Coastal Category above. VMI has D-I wins, but sorry, not impressive

- Gardner-Webb - 3 D-I wins against SoCon WCU, VMI and Charleston Southern. They are undefeated in the Big South.

At last! an opponent with a win against a team from an at-large conference, albeit the last place team in that conference. I've already covered VMI and Charleston Southern. Liberty will win this game...as would most of FCS

- Stony Brook - 5 D-I wins against IVY Brown, Presbyterian, VMI, Coastal Carolina, Gardner-Webb. They are undefeated in the Big South.

This team has the same wins we've already discussed, with the addition of Brown (Who beat CAA URI, btw). Relative to the rest of Liberty's schedule, this is a tough one. However, does a win here really impress anyone? Stony Brook has also lost to the Ivy and Patriot.


Lafayette's all Liberty has going for it and even that's precarious...all those other wins are easy...sorry, but they are. The Big South is weak. I realize that as a JMU fan, I'm inviting calls of elitism...trying to keep the BSC and Liberty down, but I'm really trying to provide an objective, fact-based anaylsis.

I see how Liberty fans will be so upset if a team from a bigger conference gets in with a 7-4 record. Well, I would bet that there are going to be 7-4 teams with one or two wins much better than Lafayette.

If someone can articulate why Liberty will get in that doesn't involve quoting Rocco or pointing to a 9-2 record, I'd like to hear it. If you can't, take a seat over there by the fans from San Diego and Albany.

No one's going to read this...it's too long.

[Dukie95]

Also, what does it say about the strength of the BSC when Gartner-Webb and Stony Brook remain undefeated in conference play and are a combined 3-6 OOC?

[SuperJon]

Our case would be if it came down to us vs a second team from the MEAC or PL or someone from the NEC. We would be the undefeated conference champion of a conference that is higher than two of those and basically the exact same as the other according to the GPI.

[IaaScribe]

Which is why I'm starting to really to believe that if it comes down to 9-2 Liberty vs. 7-4 Weber State, Liberty fans are going to be mighty disappointed.

I can add a little different perspective to this, because I've covered both the Big South and the Big Sky rather extensively. Having watched both leagues, I'm fairly convinced that Liberty would compete quite well against most of the schools in that league, save for Montana. Liberty would beat Portland State, Sac State, Idaho State and Northern Colorado eight out of 10 times, and games against Weber, Eastern, NAU and Montana State would be 50-50.

Big South teams schedule crap games because there are only six league games, leaving five non-conference games each season. When your regional rivals are from the SoCon and CAA, both of whom play eight league games, it's not easy to fill a schedule. The Great West teams run into the same problem.

[Hoseinexile07]

Big South teams schedule crap games because there are only six league games, leaving five non-conference games each season.

I'll have you know that we played 1/3 of our season against SoCon teams...and were thrashed by every one of them. xlolx

[ToTheLeft]

I see how Liberty fans will be so upset if a team from a bigger conference gets in with a 7-4 record. Well, I would bet that there are going to be 7-4 teams with one or two wins much better than Lafayette.


Who?

Really, tell me who will have a better win than that. Don't just assume, tell me. Don't just toss that out there, name a team.

Weber State? Who have they beat that's better than Lafayette, rankings/GPI wise.

Same with EWU and Montana State (They have all beaten each other, but who else have they beat?)

Same goes for UNI, and App St. They haven't beat anyone, it's just the average team they beat is better than the average team we beat. But none of them have a better win than Lafayette. Lafayette is mid 20's, none of the aforementioned teams have wins against anyone above that (based on a quick memory scan, please correct me if I'm wrong...) Much less "one or two wins better than Lafayette".

All of the "locks" for the playoffs have quality wins. No one else does, which is why we feel like we belong in the discussion!

[knucklehead]

All of the "locks" for the playoffs have quality wins. No one else does, which is why we feel like we belong in the discussion!

Well said. No LU fans (OK maybe one) have said we are in. We are saying it's worth talking about that we have a real shot.

[mcveyrl]

Who?

Really, tell me who will have a better win than that. Don't just assume, tell me. Don't just toss that out there, name a team.

Weber State? Who have they beat that's better than Lafayette, rankings/GPI wise.

Same with EWU and Montana State (They have all beaten each other, but who else have they beat?)

Same goes for UNI, and App St. They haven't beat anyone, it's just the average team they beat is better than the average team we beat. But none of them have a better win than Lafayette. Lafayette is mid 20's, none of the aforementioned teams have wins against anyone above that (based on a quick memory scan, please correct me if I'm wrong...) Much less "one or two wins better than Lafayette".

All of the "locks" for the playoffs have quality wins. No one else does, which is why we feel like we belong in the discussion!

I haven't looked at everybody, but UMass (IF they are 7-4, big if) would have wins over UNH and JMU (and a win over Stony Brook).

I should say that I don't necessarily think UMass would be in over Liberty, just answering your question on the 7-4s.

[SumItUp]

Well said. No LU fans (OK maybe one) have said we are in. We are saying it's worth talking about that we have a real shot.

Who is saying that Liberty is in?

[ToTheLeft]

I haven't looked at everybody, but UMass (IF they are 7-4, big if) would have wins over UNH and JMU (and a win over Stony Brook).

I should say that I don't necessarily think UMass would be in over Liberty, just answering your question on the 7-4s.

UNH is above Lafayette, and UMass might wind up in the running if they can keep winning. However, no one else on the bubble has a better win than @Lafayette, that I'm aware of at least...

[mcveyrl]

Who is saying that Liberty is in?

Coach Rocco


UNH is above Lafayette, and UMass might wind up in the running if they can keep winning. However, no one else on the bubble has a better win than @Lafayette, that I'm aware of at least...

If UMass wins out, they will be on the bubble with a better win than @Lafayette (UNH) AND a win against JMU which might come in handy if they are being compared to Liberty for the last spot.

I personally don't think that they'll win out, but if they do, it could be close.

EDIT: Also, there are some teams that could be 8-3 with a D2 win that would have better wins than @Lafayette (such as UD or SFA, IMO) but I didn't know whether you were conceding that they would be in over Liberty or not.

[ToTheLeft]

Coach Rocco



If UMass wins out, they will be on the bubble with a better win than @Lafayette (UNH) AND a win against JMU which might come in handy if they are being compared to Liberty for the last spot.

I personally don't think that they'll win out, but if they do, it could be close.

EDIT: Also, there are some teams that could be 8-3 with a D2 win that would have better wins than @Lafayette (such as UD or SFA, IMO) but I didn't know whether you were conceding that they would be in over Liberty or not.

Yes, SFA at 8-3 and UD with 7 DI wins get in over us.

[knucklehead]

Who is saying that Liberty is in?

I thought Keenan did

[Dukie95]

You're right. There aren't a lot of 7 win teams that can do much better...lots of 6 win teams, though. ;) Once you called me out and made me look it up, I concede that it is really slim this year.

However, there are bubble teams with upcoming games that trump Lafayette. This is fair, because I looked at LU's entire schedule.

I believe these teams can still reach 7 wins

Eastern Washington still has Southern Utah and N. Arizona.
UMass has UNH and JMU (according to GPI)
Delaware has Villanova, Navy

[ToTheLeft]

You're right. There aren't a lot of 7 win teams that can do much better...lots of 6 win teams, though. ;) Once you called me out and made me look it up, I concede that it is really slim this year.

However, there are bubble teams with upcoming games that trump Lafayette. This is fair, because I looked at LU's entire schedule.

I believe these teams can still reach 7 wins

Eastern Washington still has Southern Utah and N. Arizona.
UMass has JMU, UNH
Delaware has Villanova, Navy

Yes, UMass and UD with those wins are in over us, and LU fans would be dumb to argue that.

EWU? They probably get in over us, but I'm really not sure if they deserve it. Conference affiliation will get them in, I'm sure, and while I wouldn't like it, I would accept it. I still doubt they win those two games.

Teams LU needs to lose to be reasonable secure with an at-large spot
---
Delaware
UMass
EWU
Montana State
Weber State
SFA/TXST/McNeese (would take a lot of chaos to make this happen, but it could happen)
App St. (UTC and Elon could beat the 'neers, but they could also win both games...)
UNI

and maybe... SDSU? (Lose to SIU and then to Ill. St, would be a huge meltdown, but it could happen I guess...)

FAMU and CCSU losing would help, too, just to put a bigger gap between us.

[JMUNJ08]

Yes, UMass and UD with those wins are in over us, and LU fans would be dumb to argue that.

EWU? They probably get in over us, but I'm really not sure if they deserve it. Conference affiliation will get them in, I'm sure, and while I wouldn't like it, I would accept it. I still doubt they win those two games.

Teams LU needs to lose to be reasonable secure with an at-large spot
---
Delaware
UMass
EWU
Montana State
Weber State
SFA/TXST/McNeese (would take a lot of chaos to make this happen, but it could happen)
App St. (UTC and Elon could beat the 'neers, but they could also win both games...)
UNI

and maybe... SDSU? (Lose to SIU and then to Ill. St, would be a huge meltdown, but it could happen I guess...)

FAMU and CCSU losing would help, too, just to put a bigger gap between us.

That's all you need to feel better about getting in? xlolx

Looks like a lot but I agree that they will all help and just a few may get you in the back door.

[joecooll6]

Manson, I agree we should have beaten JMU, and blame that squarely on the players. We did not appear to be 100% into that game IMHO. On the road at Presby last year, we were also not focused, and go caught off guard.

What I have a problem with is that people are treating the JMU loss like they treated the Presby loss. JMU is still a very good team that happened to fall apart due to injuries and other issues.

I am not saying like coach said that if we win out we are in. But I will say that if we win out, and some others pick up a loss, our 9-2 needs to stand out. This should give us a shot. In no way are we guaranteed if some of the big boys are 8-3, but we should get real consideration. I hate that we get penalized because of the conference we are in, but I do understand why.

Like others have said, my fear is that a team from one of the big conferences gets in at 7-4 over us. Yes, then I will WINE.

The big issue for me last year was when committee members said we were never in the discussion.

Anyway there is WAY too much football left to play, and we'll see.

You could see it as being penalized for your conference, but it could also be the reason why you're in the conversation at all. Would you be in position to be in playoff consideration if you were in the CAA (probably not) or SoCon (.....maybe)?

[ToTheLeft]

I think we could get 8 wins with Elon's schedule THIS YEAR (not on a regular basis, but this year we could get 8 wins, on a regular basis maybe 6...)

[ToTheLeft]

That's all you need to feel better about getting in? xlolx

Looks like a lot but I agree that they will all help and just a few may get you in the back door.

Well, not ALL of them, but if 2/3 - 3/4 of them bail, we'd be looking good.

[Thumper 76]

and maybe... SDSU? (Lose to SIU and then to Ill. St, would be a huge meltdown, but it could happen I guess...)

FAMU and CCSU losing would help, too, just to put a bigger gap between us.

SDSU would have to go back in time to lose to Ill. St., but they could somehow manage to completely screw the pooch against Western Ill. xthumbsupx

[CID1990]

This coming from a Citadel fan!?!? xlolx

Yep.

One who has actually watched his team win a playoff game.

How 'bout you?

[CID1990]

This coming from a Citadel fan!?!? xlolx

Considering that next year, the additional teams in the playoffs would likely be Liberty, Central Connecticut and two more CAA teams?

You betcha. Any playoff team would breathe a sign of relief at getting that first matchup. Even if the two CAA teams were Rhode Island and Northeastern.

(Unless Indiana State makes it in)

[Seawolf97]

Fair enough.

My dislike for Liberty is mainly because of Jerry Sr.'s comments (Teletubbies, Gays) when he was alive and how there is no separation of church and state and how they get all these students who are not from the area in Lynchburg to register to vote and have taken over the town from the locals.


Great Falwell quotes from blaming us for the attacks of 9-11 and beyond....

"I put all the blame legally and morally on the actions of the terrorist, [but America's] secular and anti-Christian environment left us open to our Lord's [decision] not to protect. When a nation deserts God and expels God from the culture ... the result is not good."

This is another good one
"AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.

Great one below...haha what a crazy guy....
"Good Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions."

This list goes on and on and on.....

Scary Stuff xcoffeex

[Sly Fox]

If JMU can hang on, this will be a great afternoon for the Flames. Now we need to take care of business on the field tonight.

[Sly Fox]

JMU does their part.

[Keenan]

As does Lafayette. Thanks for playing Central Connecticut!

[Keenan]

VMI 14
LIBERTY 54
FINAL
xnodx

[kirkblitz]

lib made it !

[WestCoastAggie]

lib made it !

How so? xeyebrowx

[knucklehead]

He's on a quest! He's Liberty's newest bigest fan.

[GreatAppSt]

Danny Rocco talks playoffs


What does Rocco say now?

xpopcornx

[SuperJon]

"We control our own destiny."

[joecooll6]

Rocco's a LIAR!!

[knucklehead]

Danny Rocco talks playoffs


What does Rocco say now?

xpopcornx

Same thing he said last week if we win out.

[knucklehead]

Rocco's a LIAR!!

Take that back or me and my pals will hunt you down. xthumbsupxxsmiley_wix

[SuperJon]

Danny Rocco talks playoffs


What does Rocco say now?

xpopcornx

If you honestly care, I'll post his press conference from tonight on here tomorrow when it goes live on our website.

[T-Dog]

Hey Flamers, if you make it, we'd be happy to have you in Boone in the first round. xthumbsupx

Rather Liberty than SCSU again, those guys are good.

[SuperJon]

There are at least three teams in the playoffs closer to us than Appalachian. I highly doubt we go to Boone if we do get in.

[knucklehead]

SuperJon who are they? Richmond, WM, and Who?

[T-Dog]

There are at least three teams in the playoffs closer to us than Appalachian. I highly doubt we go to Boone if we do get in.

Elon's not getting a home game unless they get a seed (which means they beat App and I say that doesn't happen. xsmiley_wix)

I could see W&M being sent on the road. They could be the odd team sent out west.

My guess is if Liberty gets in, you'll go to Richmond, unless they get sent on the road for some reason.

I just don't want to play SCSU in the first round again after the scare last year. xlolx

[SuperJon]

If you honestly care, I'll post his press conference from tonight on here tomorrow when it goes live on our website.

Danny Rocco's Post Game Comments After VMI (http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm?PID=10869&newsID=4583&TeamID=)

[blukeys]

I just hate Liberty and what the school stands for....not a thorn in my side because I don't take the Flamers football team seriously. If you played in the CAA you would have a losing record right now, and if you played in the SoCon you may be a .500 team.

Some of your fans are cool, but far too many cry about not making the playoffs yet you lose to a 3-5 JMU team this year and the Blue Hose last year.

Well, I don't hate Liberty and even if my personal politics caused me to dislike the school and its founder I would not think that would be adequate to penalize its football team.

I am lucky in that I get both the Comcast Mid Atlantic Philly broadcasts which frequently gives you CAA, Patriot League (quite a few Lafayette games) and Ivy League games. I also get Comcast out of Wash/Balt which gives me Big South games on MASN. I can either tivo or catch games on tape delay especially on MASN. I have now watched 3 complete Liberty games and I have to agree they would have a losing record in the CAA North or South. The JMU game was no fluke. JMU is a much better team than Liberty.

The Big South skill people are not impressive. I have yet to see one that could start on a .500 CAA team. Ditto for the non-skill players. VMI has a bunch of really gutsy kids who simply should be playing in D-2 or D-3. They hung tough with Liberty for about 25 minutes on emotion.

For all the Liberty playoff talk, JMU would have a much better chance of making it through a playoff field than Liberty. The weak conference competition gives a false impression that Liberty is a top tier team. They aren't.

[ASU_MBA]

Well, I don't hate Liberty and even if my personal politics caused me to dislike the school and its founder I would not think that would be adequate to penalize its football team.

I am lucky in that I get both the Comcast Mid Atlantic Philly broadcasts which frequently gives you CAA, Patriot League (quite a few Lafayette games) and Ivy League games. I also get Comcast out of Wash/Balt which gives me Big South games on MASN. I can either tivo or catch games on tape delay especially on MASN. I have now watched 3 complete Liberty games and I have to agree they would have a losing record in the CAA North or South. The JMU game was no fluke. JMU is a much better team than Liberty.

The Big South skill people are not impressive. I have yet to see one that could start on a .500 CAA team. Ditto for the non-skill players. VMI has a bunch of really gutsy kids who simply should be playing in D-2 or D-3. They hung tough with Liberty for about 25 minutes on emotion.

For all the Liberty playoff talk, JMU would have a much better chance of making it through a playoff field than Liberty. The weak conference competition gives a false impression that Liberty is a top tier team. They aren't.

Spot on....xthumbsupx

[knucklehead]

For all the Liberty playoff talk, JMU would have a much better chance of making it through a playoff field than Liberty. The weak conference competition gives a false impression that Liberty is a top tier team. They aren't.

I think it's great that you have seen LU play so much this year, WOW! ;)