Josh Woodrum threw for over 300 yards for the first time this season, but the story offensively was...once again...the running game, or the lack thereof. Senior Des Rice finished with 52 yards on 10 carries and DJ Abnar had only 2 net yards before leaving with an injury. Woodrum did eclipse the 9,000 passing yard mark in the game, and is within striking distance of the all-time passing yardage record at Liberty, and could potentially hit 10,000 yards passing, but it will likely take making the playoffs to do it unless he goes for some very gaudy numbers in the final 5 games of the year.
A big loss for the Flames is DJ Abnar, who injured his ankle in the loss to G-W. He gave the Flames a "lightning" complement to the "thunder" of Des Rice, although Flames fans remember when he brought the thunder to an Appalachian State defender last year down in Boone (check out the video on youtube if you get a chance). It will be Todd Macon moving into the #2 role the rest of the year.
Grades for G-W
Offense: C+
Woodrum threw for over 300 yards as I noted before, but for the Flames to be successful, they need balance, and less than 80 yards rushing as a team is not going to help with that. Rice and Macon will need to really step their games up with DJ out for the year, and the line will have to do a significantly better job up front.
Defense: C-
Allowing 34 points to a team that had not broken 20 since the opening game of the sevsason is unacceptable. So is allowing a QB to rush for over 150 yards including a 40+ yard TD. The defense needs to tighten up if they are going to keep another L from going on the board the rest of the year (which is what it will take for Liberty to make the postseason at this point)
Special Teams: C-
Zac Parker did have the first punt return for a TD for Liberty in a couple years, but it was his muff that set up the Bulldogs for the game clinching TD.
Overall: C
Now on to this week's now VERY important matchup:
#22 Liberty 3-3 (0-1 Big South)
vs.
Monmouth 2-4 (0-1 Big South)
This week the Flames conclude their four game road trip with the first ever trip to the state of NJ to take on second year Big South affiliate member Monmouth. The Flames have won both prior meetings with Monmouth, but those games were in Lynchburg. The Flames hope to actually reverse an unusual trend this week, as they have actually lost their last two debut road games against Big South members (2008 at Presbyterian and 2009 at Stony Brook).
Liberty is playing their first regular season game north of the state of Maryland since 2011 when they traveled up to LaValle Stadium and lost to Stony Brook 41-31.
Matchup
Location: Monmouth Stadium, West Long Branch, NJ
Series: Third Meeting (Liberty leads 2-0)
Last Meeting: 34-24 Liberty (11/8/2014)
Kickoff: 1:00 PM
Radio: The Journey FM Radio Network/Liberty Flames Sports Network (Liberty)
Alan York play-by-play; No Radio Information for Monmouth
Television: ESPN3/National: Matt Harmon Play-by-play
Coaches: Turner Gill (4th Season at Liberty 24-17 Record), Kevin Callahan (23rd Season at Monmouth 128-106 Record)
Last Week: Liberty L 20-34 vs. Gardner-Webb, Monmouth L 7-37 vs. Charleston Southern
The Flames need this one...BADLY. After coming off an inexplicable loss to Gardner-Webb, the Flames have to win out to have a chance at the postseason (They can reach 7 Division 1 wins before hosting Coastal Carolina of course, but they don't want to leave it in the hands of the committee). Monmouth does get one of their top DBs back in Marcus Leslie, and I expect he will get the assignment against Darrin Peterson, who is closing in on a few Liberty and Big South career records.
The Flames know their backs are against the wall in this one and they have traditionally done well in just that sort of a situation. I expect Liberty to win this one and get started on a downhill run to a matchup with CCU with the Big South title on the line
Liberty 28
Monmouth 17
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