College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Liberty Flames season with what you need to know.
CFN in 60 Podcast: 2020 Liberty Flames
60 second Liberty Flames preview
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Liberty Flames Previews 2019 | 2018
2019 Record: 8-5 overall
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze, 2nd year, 8-5
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 104
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 65
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 116
NOTE: Obviously, no one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Liberty Flames Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense was able to find a good consistency and balance last year, but there’s some overhauling to do. QB Stephen Calvert is gone along with RB Frankie Hickson and new Washington Redskin WR Antonio Gandy-Golden.
Head coach Hugh Freeze knows how to put together a high-powered attack with an up-tempo passing game, but he and co-offensive coordinators Kent Austin and Maurice Harris need to come up with their man men to run the whole thing.
CFN in 60 Video: Liberty Flames Preview
– There might not be any sort of a drop-off in the overall offensive production if Auburn transfer Malik Willis can playtime part right away. He had to sit out last year, and he’s not going to be the passer that Calvert was, but he can move. Sophomore Brandon Robinson and redshirt freshman Johnathan Bennett will be deep in the hunt. They’ll get their chances, but Bennett is coming off a knee injury, Willis has been waiting his turn, and Chris Ferguson is a big passer transferring in from Maine.
There isn’t another Gandy-Golden in the receiving corps – even with hopes high for redshirt freshman CJ Yarbrough – but four of the top five receivers are back, including TE Johnny Huntley. The passing game might not average 289 yards per game again, but it’ll be effective.
– The right side of the O line has to be replaced, but three starters are back from a group that wasn’t bad in pass protection and did a decent enough job for the ground attack to get by. Getting Ole Miss transfer Bryce Mathews for one tackle job helps.
Senior Joshua Mack is a terrific veteran back who should statistically explode. The former Maine transfer will share the rotation a bit, but if all goes according to plan, he’s the main man. If Wills really does grab the starting quarterback job, he’ll be one of the team’s better runners.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Liberty Flames Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: Liberty Flames Defense 3 Things To Know
– The defense won’t need quite as much time as the offense to get going. The top three tacklers are done from a D that didn’t do enough against the run and got gouged a bit too much at times by mediocre offenses, but the pass rush was strong. Losing top playmaking end Jessie Lemonier hurts, but sophomore TreShaun Clark is a good one on the outside, and there’s excellent bulk to rotate in at the tackles. The line will be okay early on.
– The linebacking corps has upside, but it needs a slew of new parts to rise up. Throw in the loss of second-leading tackler Elijah Benton at one safety spot, and there are a whole lot of tackles that need to be replaced. There’s almost no bulk in this group – 225-pound Charlotte transfer Anthony Butler has to help there – but speed and athleticism aren’t a problem. The Flames are, for the most part, throwing a slew of safety-sized guys at linebacker, and …
– Corner-sized guys will hang out at safety. CB Bejour Wilson is done, but Jimmy Faulks is a decent veteran at one corner gig, There are plenty of options to rotate in at safety, with good-tackling junior Javon Scruggs a versatile option who can play just about anywhere. There isn’t going to be a whole lot of thump on this D overall, but everyone can move.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top Liberty Flames Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top Liberty Flames Players
Best Liberty Flames Offensive Player
RB Joshua Mack, Sr.
The expectation was that the former star at Maine would step in right away and be something special. He ran for over 2,000 yards for the Black Bears, and last year he did his part behind Frankie Hickson with 774 yards and seven touchdowns. While he can catch a bit, his role will be as the workhorse who should average around six yards per pop.
2. QB Malik Willis, Jr.
3. WR DJ Stubbs, Sr.
4. OT Tristan Schultz, Sr.
5. WR CJ Yarbrough, RFr.
Best Liberty Flames Defensive Player
S Javon Scruggs, Jr.
It doesn’t matter if he’s a safety or a corner – he’s a safety – he produces in any role. He’s a good tackler for his 5-11, 175-pound size with tremendous quickness and a nose for being around the ball. He won’t bring much thump, but he was active enough to make 58 tackles with two picks with 4.5 tackles for loss.
2. DE TreShaun Clark, Soph.
3. CB Jimmy Faulks, Sr.
4. S Tayvion Land, Soph.
5. CB Kei’Trel Clark, Soph.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Liberty Flames Offense
The offensive line has to settle in right away. Talent-wise, there isn’t too much of a big concern with three starters returning and several good new parts to challenge for jobs, but there’s a whole lot of responsibility on this group’s shoulders.
With the top skill position players gone and with battles still going on for spots, the front five has to be even more of a rock. There will be more mobility at quarterback, but overall the pass protection has to be stronger
Biggest Key To The Liberty Flames Defense
Don’t give up multiple rushing touchdowns. The Flames don’t have a whole ton of bulk up front, and there’s little to no weight in the linebacking corps, but getting around the ball isn’t usually a problem for this D. However, there’s a big issue when teams are able to pound the ball on this group in the red zone.
In the two years as an FBS program, Liberty has allowed two or more rushing touchdowns 11 times. It’s record in those 11 games is 1-10, only slipping by New Mexico two years ago. It’s record when it allowed one touchdown or none? 13-1.
Key Liberty Flames Player To A Successful Season
QB Malik Willis, Jr.
The Auburn transfer will have to battle for the job with several other options looking to take over for Stephen Calvert, but he’s got the tools and the talent to potentially take Hugh Freeze’s offense to another level over the next two years.
The 6-1, 195-pounder is a terrific dual-threat option who should add something different to the Flames’ mix – he’s a dynamic playmaker. He saw a little bit of time at Auburn – he ran for over 300 yards and hit 11-of-14 passes – and now it’s his time to own a starting gig all to himself.
Key Game To The Liberty Flames Season
FIU, Sept. 26
If all goes according to chalk, Liberty will lose at Virginia Tech to kick things off, beat North Carolina A&T, and have a 50/50 shot at WKU. After that, the home date against FIU will be the true measuring stick to see just how quickly the team has jelled with all of its new starting skill player parts.
With two FCS games on the slate, Liberty has to win five games against FBS teams to get bowl eligible. With road games at Virginia Tech, Syracuse, NC State, there’s not a whole lot of margin for error. Beating FIU at home would take the pressure off a bit before the final two months.
– Liberty Flames Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Liberty Flames Fun Stats
– Time of Possession: Opponents 32:16 – Liberty 27:44
– Punt Return Average: Opponents 8.20 yards – Liberty 0.53 yards
– 4th Down Conversions: Opponents 11-of-24 (45.8%) – Liberty 5-of-16 (31.25%)
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Liberty Flames Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: Liberty Flames Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
Liberty has been more than just competitive in its first two seasons in the FBS world, but it’s also done a whole lot of bum-slaying.
There’s no dogging the Cure Bowl win over Georgia State, or the effort in a good-fight loss to BYU, beating New Mexico State twice, UMass, New Mexico, and two FCS teams makes it easy to build up a nice base of victories.
Fortunately, this year’s team has a whole lot of ready-made wins built right in.
There are two FCS teams, UMass at home, and winnable games against Bowling Green and UConn, but the three road games against Virginia Tech, Syracuse and NC State are a problem, and home dates against FIU and Southern Miss are hardly sure things.
Set The Liberty Flames Regular Season Win Total At … 7.5
Bet at BetMGM Liberty Win Total: 7
Fortunately, the Flames have the firepower reloaded at the skill sports to be even better offensively. There’s no bulk on the defensive side, but there aren’t a whole lot of thumping teams to deal with.
Win the winnable home games, don’t screw up on the road at UConn, and it’ll be off to a second straight bowl game and another winning season under Hugh Freeze.
