Game No. 6 - October 14, 2006

Transcription

1 Liberty University 2006 Football Schedule LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Game No. 6 - October 14, 2006 Record: 3-2 Big South: 0-0 8/31 ST. PAUL S W/ /9 GLENVILLE STATE W/ /16 at #22/25 Towson L/ /23 at Savannah State W/ /30 at Wake Forest L/ /14 WILLIAM & MARY 1 p.m. (Homecoming) 10/21 GARDNER-WEBB * 1 p.m. (Parents Day) 10/28 at Coastal Carolina * 12:30 p.m. 11/4 WESTERN CAR. 1 p.m. 11/11 CHARLESTON SO. * 1 p.m. (Senior Day) 11/18 at VMI * 1 p.m. * - Big South Conference Game All Times Are Eastern Standard Time Football Quick Facts Location: Lynchburg, Va. Enrollment: 9,558 (Resident), 21,588 (Total) Chancellor: Dr. Jerry Falwell President Emeritus: Dr. A. Pierre Guillermin Exec. VP/COO: Dr. Ronald Godwin Director of Athletics: Jeff Barber Founded: 1971 Nickname: Flames Colors: Red, White and Blue Football Began: 1973 All-Time Football Record: Affiliation: NCAA I-AA Conference: Big South Stadium: Williams Stadium Capacity: 12,000 Surface: FieldTurf 2005 Record: 1-10 Conference Record: 0-4 (5 th ) Offensive Formation: Two-Back Set Defensive Formation: 3-4 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 26/15 Starters Returning/Lost: 17/8 Head Coach: Danny Rocco (Wake Forest, 84) Record at Liberty: 3-2 (First season) Overall Record: 3-2 (First season) Media Information Radio Station: WRVL 88.3 FM Play-By-Play Broadcaster: Jerry Edwards Color Commentator: Paul Rutigliano Sideline Reporter: Jamie Hall Statistician: H.J. Owen Engineer: Chris Wygal Producer: Mark Edwards Television Station: None Play-By-Play Broadcaster: N/A Color Commentary: N/A WILLIAM & MARY Tribe (1-4, 0-3 Atlantic 10) vs. LIBERTY Flames (3-2, 0-0 Big South) Williams Stadium (12,000) Lynchburg, Va. - 1 p.m. (EST) The Game The Liberty University Flames (3-2, 0-0 Big South) host the College of William & Mary Tribe (1-4, 0-3 Atlantic 10) in a non-conference tilt at Williams Stadium (12,000) in Lynchburg, Va., on October 14, Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (EST). Ticket Information Tickets for the Liberty-William & Mary game can be purchased at the Flames Ticket Office. Premium seating is available for $18 per ticket, while Reserved seats can be purchased for $13 per ticket. General Admission tickets are on sale for $8 each. For more information, contact the Flames Ticket Office at (434) 582-SEAT. Scouting The Tribe William & Mary enters the game after dropping its third-straight Atlantic 10 conference game in a 48-7 loss at Massachusetts last weekend and falling to 1-4 overall on the year. William & Mary has moved the ball most effectively through the air this season behind the quarterbacking tandem of Jake Phillips and Mike Potts. Phillips leads the team as he has thrown for 611 yards by completing 57-of-113 pass attempts, while Potts has thrown for 442 yards by completing 39-of-64 pass attempts. Both hurlers have tossed two touchdown passes. Joe Nicholas leads all William & Mary receivers with 302 yards receiving and four touchdowns, while Elijah Brooks is the Tribe's leading ground gainer, rushing for 351 yards and three scores thus far. Defensive back Kevin Allen guides William & Mary's defensive efforts with a teamhigh 32 tackles, while defensive lineman Adrian Tracy follows with 30 tackles, including a team-high 6.0 tackles for a loss (28 yards). Homecoming Happiness Today's game will mark the 34th Homecoming football game in the history of the program. Liberty has enjoyed much success on the festive weekend as the Flames enter the game having posted a overall record in previous Homecoming games. Liberty University Athletic Media Relations Asst. AD For Athletic Media Relations/FB Contact: Todd Wetmore Mailing Address: Office Phone: (434) Liberty University Home Phone: (434) Athletic Media Relations Cell Phone: (434) University Blvd. Address: twetmore@liberty.edu Lynchburg, VA Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director: Ryan Bomberger Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director: Vincent Briedis Athletic Media Relations Fax: (434) Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director: Paul Carmany Football Press Box: (434) For More Information, visit - the official site of Liberty Athletics!

2 Opponent Information Scouting The Tribe General Information Location: Williamsburg, Va. Enrollment: 5,700 Founded: 1693 Nickname: Tribe Colors: Green, Gold, and Silver Conference: Atlantic 10 Stadium: Walter J. Zable Stadium at Cary Field (12,259) Surface: Natural Grass President: Gene R. Nichol (Okla. St. '73) Athletic Director: Terry Driscoll (B.C. '69) Office Phone: (757) Coaching Information Head Coach: Jimmye Laycock (W&M '70) Record at School: (27 years) Career Record: (27 years) Office Phone: (757) Best Time to Reach Coach: Mornings Player & Team Information 2005 Record: 5-6 Conference Record/Finish: 3-5/T3rd S Offensive Formation: Pro-Style Defensive Formation: Multiple 4-3 Lettermen Returning/Lost: 29/18 Starters Returning/Lost: 13/11 Off./Def. Starters Returning: 8/5 Sports Information/Media Relations SID: Pete Clawson Office Phone: (757) Fax Number: (757) Address: pmclaw@wm.edu Street Address: PO Box 399 Williamsburg, VA Website Address: Press Box Phone: (757) RESULTS (5-6, 3-5 A-10) 9/1 at Marshall L/ /10 at VMI W/ /17 at Rhode Island L/ /24 LIBERTY W/ /8 NEW HAMPSHIRE W/ /15 at Northeastern W/ (2 OT) 10/22 TOWSON W/ /29 at Villanova L/ /5 JAMES MADISON L/ /12 DELAWARE L/ /19 at Richmond L/ SCHEDULE (1-4, 0-3 A-10) 9/2 at Maryland L/ /16 MAINE L/ /23 VMI W/ /30 HOFSTRA L/ /7 at Massachusetts L/ /14 at Liberty 1 p.m. 10/21 at James Madison 3 p.m VILLANOVA 1 p.m. 11/4 at Towson 1 p.m. 11/11 at Delaware 1 p.m. 11/18 RICHMOND 1 p.m. LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Williams Stadium - Home Of The Flames This year marks the Flames' 17 th season of competition in Williams Stadium. Prior to the 1989 season, Liberty played its home games at Lynchburg's City Stadium. Liberty holds a record at the on-campus facility (69.9 winning percentage), and started competition in the venue with a victory over Towson on October 21, The Flames have posted 13 winning seasons at home over the last 16 years, including a perfect 5-0 record during the 1992 campaign. Flames Year-By-Year Record At Williams Stadium (.667) (.667) (.400) (1.000) (.600) (.667) (.833) (.500) (.600) (.800) (.600) (.600) (.500) (.333) (.833) (.667) (.167) (1.000) Total (.699) Fancy New Field For The Flames The Flames faithful noticed quite a few new items during Liberty s game against St. Paul s on August 31, but one of the most noticeable things that will jump out at people entering the stadium is Liberty's new playing surface. During the summer, the Athletics Department made a concerted effort to upgrade several athletics facilities, including a new playing surface at Williams Stadium. Stateof-the-art FieldTurf was installed at Williams Stadium, replacing the old AstroTurf that had been used since the opening of the facility in FieldTurf is the latest innovation in artificial playing surfaces and is the surface of choice for 24 NFL stadiums, including Ford Field where Super Bowl XL was played last February, and at over 40 NCAA stadiums across the country. Rojas Enters Season As Lone Member Of 100 Career Tackle Club The Flames graduated three defenders last year that were members of the Flames' 100 career tackle club with C.J. Moore leading the way as he finished his career with 282 career stops. Following the defensive back in the 100 career tackle club were linebacker Kenneth Kemp (163 career tackles) and fellow defensive back Shane Lancaster (162 career stops). Entering today s game, Liberty has just two players on its active roster with more than 100 career tackles, including senior linebacker Manny Rojas, who leads the squad with 299 career stops. Rojas finished 2005 with a career-high 102 tackles. Brandon Duke joined the club against Savannah State and now has 104 career tackles. On the verge of joining Rojas and Duke in the elite club are defensive linemen Steve Ackley with 94 career stops and Jason Horn with 88 career stops. Active Players With 100 Or More Career Tackles Name Total Career Tackles Manny Rojas Brandon Duke Steve Ackley Jason Horn Nick Hursky Saturday Night Lights Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames are 3-1 in night games. Since 1976, Liberty is in night games. In Broad Daylight Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames are 0-1 in games played during the day. Since 1976, Liberty is in day games.

3 Big South Conference Overview (as of October 9, 2006) Overall Standings W L Pct. Charleston So Coastal Carolina Liberty Gardner-Webb VMI Big South Standings W L Pct. Coastal Carolina Charleston So Gardner-Webb Liberty VMI Big South Players of the Week October 7 Offensive: Jerome Simpson, WR, CCU Defensive: Jamar Leath, LB, CCU Specialist: Sean Lundy, DB, CCU Freshman: Tim Maypray, RB, VMI Last Week s Results October 7 Charleston So. 38 at Savannah St. 13 Furman 27 at Coastal Carolina 29 VMI 7 at Army 62 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Forecast For Winning Season Looks Good This year marks the seventh time in the history of the football program that Liberty has started a campaign with a 2-0 record, a fact which bodes well for a possible winning season. In five out of six seasons in which Liberty has started the year with a 2-0 record, the Flames have gone on to post an overall winning record. The only time that Liberty has failed to finish a year above the.500 mark after a 2-0 start was in 1975 when Liberty won its first three games, but finished the year with a 4-5 record. Year Season Start Final Record ???? WOW - What A Wonderful Crowd The excitement of a new brand of Flames' football is quickly growing. Evidence of the excitement was seen in the attendance figure at Liberty's home game against Glenville State on September 9 as 11,423 saw the Flames down the Pioneers, The crowd marked the 12th-largest attendance in the 17-year history of Williams Stadium, which has been Liberty's home since the 1989 season. Larger home crowds have proven to be an advantage for the Flames as Liberty has posted a 12-7 record in Williams Stadium home games where 10,000 or more fans have attended. In 1998, Liberty had three games in which it accumulated 10,000 fans, while four seasons have seen crowds of 10,000 fans assemble at Williams Stadium twice during the course of the year. Upcoming Schedule October 14 Coastal Carolina at VMI * 1 p.m. William & Mary at Liberty 1 p.m. Edward Waters at Char. So. 1:30 p.m. Glenville St. at Gardner-Webb 6 p.m. Big South Conference 2006 Preason Poll Team Total Votes 1. Coastal Carolina (15) Charleston Southern Gardner-Webb (1) Liberty (3) VMI 25 Big South Conference Preseason Players of the Year/ All-Conference Selections Offensive Player of the Year: Collin Drafts, QB, Charleston Southern Defensive Player of the Year: Jada Ross, LB, Charleston Southern LU s Preseason All-Conference Players Running Back: Zach Terrell Tight End: Chris Luck Defensive Line: Jason Horn Linebacker: Manny Rojas Defensive Back: Patrick Calvary Liberty's Top 15 Home Attendance Figures At Williams Stadium Date Opponent Results Attendance 1. 10/3/98 Charleston Southern W/ (OT) 12, /11/97 Hampton L/ (OT) 12, /8/94 Delaware State L/ , /4/03 VMI W/ , /27/90 Samford W/ , /2/99 Johnson C. Smith W/ , /3/94 Concord W/ , /2/93 North Carolina A&T L/ , /2/04 Gardner-Webb W/ , /19/98 South Florida L/ , /2/95 West Virginia Tech W/ , /9/06 Glenville State W/ , /30/00 Wingate W/ , /1/05 VMI L/ , /24/98 Buffalo L/ (OT) 10,831 The Coaches Liberty University head coach Danny Rocco is just the second coach in school history to start his Flames coaching career off with a 2-0 record after wins over St. Paul's and Glenville State, while the first-year head coach enters today's game with a 3-2 overall record at Liberty. Rocco came to Liberty after a five-year stint at Virginia, including the last three years as associate head coach. The remainder of Rocco's 22-year assistant coaching career includes stints at Maryland, Texas, Boston College, Tulsa, Colorado, Wake Forest and with the NFL's New York Jets. William & Mary's Jimmye Laycock is one of the elder statesman of I-AA football as the skipper has served as the Tribe's head coach for 27 years, accumulating a career coaching record at his alma mater (graduated from the program in 1970).

4 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Sports Network I-AA Top 25 Poll as of October 7, 2006 Teams Points 1. New Hampshire (88) (5-0) 2, Appalachian State (21) (5-1) 2, Montana (4-1) 2, Cal Poly (5-1) 2, Illinois State (4-1) 2, Youngstown State (5-1) 2, Southern Illinois (5-0) 2, Massachusetts (4-1) 1, North Dakota State (5-0) 1, Richmond (4-1) 1, Furman (4-2) 1, Hampton (6-0) 1, James Madison (4-1) 1, Northern Iowa (3-2) 1, Harvard (4-0) 1, Eastern Illinois (3-3) Tennessee-Martin (5-1) UC Davis (2-3) Central Conn. State (5-1) Alabama A & M (4-1) San Diego (5-0) Towson (4-1) Maine (3-2) Princeton (4-0) Portland State (3-3) 340 College Sports News I-AA Football Poll as of October 7, 2006 Teams Points 1. New Hampshire (22) (5-0) Appalachian State (5) (5-1) Montana (4-1) Cal Poly (5-1) Illinois State (4-1) Youngstown State (5-1) Southern Illinois (5-0) North Dakota State (5-0) Massachusetts (4-1) Hampton (6-0) Richmond (4-1) Furman (4-2) James Madison (4-1) Northern Iowa (3-2) Harvard (4-0) Eastern Illinois (3-3) Tennessee-Martin (5-1) Alabama A & M (4-1) San Diego (5-0) Central Conn. State (5-1) UC Davis (2-3) Princeton (4-0) Maine (3-2) Coastal Carolina (4-2) Towson (4-1) 67 Bold Indicates 2006 opponent The Series This contest will mark the third meeting between the two programs with William & Mary holding a perfect 2-0 record against Liberty in the previous two meetings in their most recent meeting last year, William & Mary racked up 635 yards of total offense en route to a 56-0 victory over Liberty on Cary Field at Walter J. Zable Stadium in the Tribe's first home game of the year the contest marked the third-straight game that Liberty failed to score a point, running Liberty's scoreless streak to 192:39 to surpass the previous school record of 139:50 set during the 1977 season in the series' first meeting during the 2004 campaign, William & Mary scored 27 of the game's first 30 points and never looked back en route to a win over the Flames at Williams Stadium eventual Walter Payton award winner Lang Campbell threw for 368 yards as he completed 19-of-30 pass attempts, marking the sixth most passing yards allowed by Liberty in school history both times the two teams have squared off, William & Mary has been nationally ranked as the Tribe ranked 16th in 2005 and 14th in 2004 William & Mary is a member of the Atlantic 10 Confernce for football Liberty has posted a combined record against current members of the Atlantic 10 the Flames have squared off against Atlantic 10 members: Hofstra (1-7), James Madison (5-9), Maine (0-1), Towson (6-4), Villanova (1-3) and William & Mary (0-2). Series Results Overall Record: W&M leads, 2-0 Record at Home: W&M leads 1-0 Record on Road: W&M leads 1-0 Record under Rocco: First Meeting Current Streak: W&M, W2 Year-By-Year Results 10/4/04 L Lynchburg, Va. 9/24/05 L 0-56 Williamsburg, Va. Natural Versus Artificial Surfaces Under head coach Danny Rocco, the Flames are 2-2 on artificial turf and 1-0 on natural grass. Overall, Liberty is on natural grass and on artificial turf. The Flames play their home games at Williams Stadium, which has an artificial surface as new state-of-the-art FieldTurf was installed prior to the start of the 2006 season. Liberty has posted a 2-0 record at home since the new surface was installed. Four Fearless Leaders During halftime of Liberty's annual spring game on April 29, head coach Danny Rocco introduced his new player leadership group as he named Jason Horn, Rashad Jennings, Manny Rojas and Jarrett Winfrey as 2006 team captains. Senior Jarrett Winfrey helps to anchor Liberty's offensive line, while newcomer Rashad Jennings adds some excitement to the Flames' offense at tailback in Liberty's new two-back offensive set. On the defensive side of the ball, senior Jason Horn leads the Flames' defensive line, while linebacker Manny Rojas returns for his fifth year with the program and serves as the Flames' leader at linebacker. New Faces On The Sidelines First-year head coach Danny Rocco has added four new faces to the Flames' coaching staff since taking over the program last December. Rocco has brought in a new offensive coordinator in Scott Wachenheim and a new defensive coordinator in Tom Clark. Rocco also added a new quarterbacks coach in Brandon Streeter and a new defensive line/special teams coach in Chad Wilt. Remaining from last year's staff are Pete Sundheim (assistant head coach/tight ends), Frank Hickson (running backs), Marshall Roberts (defensive backs), Charlie Skalaski (wide receivers/recruiting coordinator) and Robert Wimberly (linebackers).

5 Big South Conference 2006 Preseason Football All-Conference Team OFFENSE Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Colin Draft, QB, Sr., Charleston Southern Quarterback Colin Drafts, Sr., Charleston Southern Running Back Zach Terrell, So., Liberty Aundres Perkins, Sr., Coastal Carolina Wide Receiver Maurice Price, Jr., Charleston Southern Duvaughn Flagler, Jr., Gardner-Webb Jerome Simpson, Jr., Coastal Carolina Tight End Chris Luck, Jr., Liberty Offensive Line Demario Deese, So., Gardner-Webb Brad Poston, Sr., Coastal Carolina Brian Kepple, Sr., Coastal Carolina Kris King, Sr., Gardner-Webb Ricky Howell, Jr., Charleston Southern DEFENSE Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Jada Ross, LB, R-Jr., Charleston So. Defensive Line Brian Johnston, Jr., Gardner-Webb Jason Horn, Sr., Liberty Adrain Gardy, Sr., Coastal Carolina Eric Hall, Sr., VMI Linebacker Jada Ross, R-Jr., Charleston Southern Jamar Leath, Sr., Coastal Carolina Manny Rojas, R-Sr., Liberty J.P. Weaver, Sr., Gardner-Webb Defensive Backs Quinton Teal, Sr., Coastal Carolina Daniel Cooke, So., Gardner-Webb Patrick Calvary, So., Liberty C.J. Hirschman, Jr., Charleston Southern SPECIAL TEAMS Kicker Josh Hoke, Sr., Coastal Carolina Punter Michael Hanna, So., Gardner-Webb LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Clark Has Ties To The Tribe Flames first-year defensive coordinator Tom Clark might provide Liberty with some direct insight into William & Mary's program as he served in the same capacity for the Tribe for three seasons ( ), including helping William & Mary to a share of the Atlantic 10 Conference title in Wachenheim Brings New Ways To Flames' Offense For the first time in over a decade, the Flames are running a two-back offense as new offensive coordinator Scott Wachenheim has brought the offensive scheme back to Liberty. The last time that Liberty ran a two-back set was during the 1994 and 1995 seasons with Lawrence Worthington and J.T. Morris, and the tandem proved to be successful as Worthington finished his career with 2,723 yards rushing, which ranks third in school history. Wachenheim comes to Liberty after spending the previous 12 seasons at Rice, including his last five years as offensive coordinator. Wachenheim helped Rice build a dominant ball-control offense that ranked among the nation's best during his tenure. During the 2004 season, Rice led the nation in rushing offense (306.5 yards per game), while the Owls' 2003 squad ranked second in the country, racking up a school record of 3,800 rushing yards. In 2001, Wachenheim's direction enabled Rice to break the school record for points scored (333) and total offense (4,846 yards). Five Flames Honored By Big South On July 28 the Big South Conference officially kicked off the 2006 football season by hosting its annual Big South Football Media Day in Charlotte, N.C. As part of the yearly ceremony, the conference announced its preseason all-conference teams and the preseason players of the year. Five members of the Flames football program were named to the preseason allconference squad. Offensively, sophomore running back/quarterback Zach Terrell, last year's Big South Rookie of the Year, was joined by junior tight end Chris Luck on the preseason all-conference team, which is voted on by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media panel. Liberty's defensive selections were led by a pair of senior team captains as defensive lineman Jason Horn and linebacker Manny Rojas were named to the squad. The two elder defensive players were joined by sophomore defensive back Patrick Calvary who had a breakout freshman season for the Flames last year. Rocco Adds Players From The Next Level Since taking over the football program last December, head coach Danny Rocco has signed five I-A transfers. A trio of I-A players joined the program last January as running back Rashad Jennings transferred from Pittsburgh, linebacker Stevie Ray Lloyd transferred from Virginia Tech and offensive lineman Zach Davis transferred from East Carolina. Just prior to the start of the season, Rocco added a pair of players he recruited as high school stars as offensive lineman Eddie Pinigis and defensive lineman/linebacker Vince Redd have both transferred from Virginia. Jennings, Lloyd and Pinigis have each started the first four games of the year, while Davis has seen playing time in three out of four games. Redd is sitting out this year and will be eligible to compete next season. Return Specialist Kory Alston, Sr., Gardner-Webb Long Snapper Matt Skeen, Sr., Gardner-Webb Rocco Joins Rutigliano In Elite Group Danny Rocco became just the second coach in the history of the football program to start his Liberty coaching career with a pair of victories as the Flames picked up victories over St. Paul's and Glenville State to open the season. The first and only other coach to accomplish the feat was Sam Rutigliano ( ). The school's all-time winningest coach started his 11-year tenure at Liberty by winning the first six games of the 1989 campaign. The Flames finished 1989 with a 7-3 overall record and Rutigliano finished his career with a coaching record, which included six winning seasons.

6 Liberty University Head Football Coach Danny Rocco Quick Facts Biographical Information Birth date: July 1, 1963 Wife: Julie Children: Two - David (15) and Amy (13) Hometown: Huntington, Pa. College: Wake Forest, 1984 Record at Liberty: 3-2 (First season) Overall Record: 3-2 (First season) Coaching Experience: 2005-Present : Liberty (head coach) : Virginia (associate head coach/linebackers) : Virginia (assistant head coach/linebackers/recruiting coordinator) 2000: New York Jets (assistant linebackers/special teams) : Maryland (outside linebackers/assistant special teams) 1997: Texas (special teams coordinator/defensive ends) : Texas (outside linebackers) : Boston College (defensive line) : Tulsa (outside linebackers) 1987: Colorado (assistant linebackers) 1986: Wake Forest (defensive line) : Wake Forest (defensive graduate assistant) Bowl Games As A Player: 1983: Mirage Bowl (Wake Forest) 1980: Fiesta Bowl (Penn State) 1979: Liberty Bowl (Penn State) Bowl Games As A Coach: 2005: Music City Bowl (Virginia) 2004: MPC Computers Bowl (Virginia) 2003: Continental Tire Bowl (Virginia) 2002: Continental Tire Bowl (Virginia) 1996: Fiesta Bowl (Texas) 1995: Sugar Bowl (Texas) 1994: Sun Bowl (Texas) 1993: Carquest Bowl (Boston College) 1992: Hall of Fame Bowl (Boston College) 1989: Independence Bowl (Tulsa) Championships Won: 1996: Big XII Conference (Texas) 1995: Southwest Conference (Texas) 1994: Southwest Conference (Texas) Danny Rocco s Weekly Interview Opportunities Tuesday 10:50 Big South Confernece Coaches Teleconference 1:00 Weekly Press Conference Williams FB Operations Center Wednesday 5:45 Post-practice interviews Thursday 5:45 Post-practice interviews Coach Rocco is available for interviews during the above times with a 24 hour notice. Please contact the Athletic Media Relations office to schedule all interviews ( ). LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Overtime Update The Flames enter today's game having posted a 3-4 record in overtime games, with Liberty's last overtime contest coming against 14th-ranked Coastal Carolina on October 22, The Flames dropped a heartbreaking, decision to the conference foe at Williams Stadium on October 22, 2005, in triple overtime to mark the longest game in school history. The Flames have only played one overtime game away from Williams Stadium, which was the team's first extra period game, a loss at Morgan State on September 21, Liberty's last victory in an overtime contest came on November 22, 2003, when it closed out the 2003 campaign with a win over Hofstra. Red Zone Report Entering today's game, the Flames have converted on 14-of-28 Red Zone scoring opportunities (77.8 percent) on the season. Liberty has scored eight rushing touchdowns, two pass touchdowns and converted on four field goal attempts. The Flames have failed to convert on four Red Zone scoring chances as they missed two field goals, fumbled the ball once and had a game end inside the Red Zone. Conversely, Liberty's opponents enter the game having converted on 6-of-8 Red Zone scoring opportunities (75.0 percent). Liberty's opponents have scored two rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns and knocked down two field goals. The Flames' opponents have failed to convert inside the 20-yard line twice as they missed a field goal and had a half end with possession of the ball in the Red Zone. Danny Demands Stout Defense Head coach Danny Rocco spent his previous 22 years of football coaching as an assistant/associate coach at various levels on the defensive side of the field and he is quite proud of his current defensive unit at Liberty. Liberty enters today's game ranked third in the nation in scoring defense as the Flames are allowing an average of 10.2 points per game. The Flames have recorded shutouts in two out of their first four games and are one of just two I-AA teams to have recorded multiple shutouts this year (the other is Cal Poly). The Flames also rank 19th in rushing defense ( yards per game), 42nd in pass efficiency defense (119.05) and 26th in total defense ( yards per game). Finally Picking One Up On The Road The Flames halted a six-game road losing streak on September 23rd with their 28-0 shutout victory over Savannah State. The Flames went winless on the road last year (0-5), while dropping their first road contest of the 2006 season at Towson (10-3). Prior to the victory over Savannah State, Liberty's last road win was in a thriller at Chattanooga on November 13, Flames Halt I-AA Losing Streak Liberty halted an 11-game losing streak against I-AA opponents on September 23rd with its win over Savannah State. Last year, the Flames dropped all 10 games against I-AA opponents, while Liberty fell 10-3 the week prior at Towson. Prior to the victory over Savannah State, Liberty's last victory over an I-AA opponent came against Elon, 27-17, in the final game of the 2005 season (Nov. 20). The Year Of The Cats The September 23rd game marked the third time this year that the Flames have squared off against a "Tiger" as Savannah State's mascot is the Tigers. This year, the Flames will square off against four opponents that have feline-related mascots/nicknames as St. Paul's, Towson and Savannah State are the Tigers, while Western Carolina is the Catamounts.

7 Liberty University s NCAA I-AA Statistical Rankings (as of October 7, 2006) Team Rankings Rushing Offense rd Passing Offense th Total Offense th Scoring Offense rd Rushing Defense th Pass Efficiency Defense nd Total Defense th Scoring Defense rd Net Punting th Punt Returns nd Kickoff Returns rd Turnover Margin th Pass Defense th Passing Efficiency th Sacks th Tackles For Loss th Sacks Allowed T13th Individual Rankings Rushing Rashad Jennings th (115.40) Passing Efficiency Brock Smith th (109.56) Receiving Yards Per Game Brandon Turner th (51.20) Punting Ben Beasley nd (39.52) Punt Returns Wynton Jackson th (11.93) Kickoff Return Wynton Jackson st (23.50) Field Goals Ben Beasley rd (0.80) Scoring Rashad Jennings th (9.60) All-Purpose Runners Rashad Jennings nd (123.80) Wynton Jackson nd (104.20) Sacks Jason Horn th (1.00) Steve Ackley T63rd (0.50) Tackles For Loss Jason Horn th (1.70) LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Points Are At A Premium The Flames have allowed just 51 total points this year in five games, which has the Flames ranked third in the nation in scoring defense (10.20 points per game). The Flames are currently on pace to break the school record for fewest points allowed in a season as Liberty finished the 1979 campaign with a record thanks in part to allowing just 176 total points (16.0 points per game). Defense Dominates In First Half Wake Forest became the first team this year to put points on the board against the Flames in the first half as the Demon Deacons halted Liberty's first half scoreless streak just over three minutes into the game with a 52 yard field goal on September 30th. Prior to the Wake Forest game, Liberty first four opponents failed put a single point on the scoreboard during the first 30 minutes of the contest. Entering today's game, Liberty's best quarter of the season defensively is the third quarter. The Flames have surrendered just seven total points in the first 15 minutes after halftime with Towson being the only team to score on Liberty in the third quarter of the game. Keeping It Inside The Commonwealth Today's game will mark the 32nd time that Liberty has squared off against a I-AA opponent that hails from the Commonwealth of Virginia with Liberty holding a overall record in the previous contests. The Flames have posted a 4-2 record against Hampton, a 3-1 record against Norfolk State, a 5-9 record against James Madison, a 2-3 record against VMI and a 0-2 record against William & Mary. The only Virginia I-AA opponent that Liberty has never faced is Richmond. First Time For Everything William & Mary is one of 12 teams that Liberty has faced multiple times without posting a victory as the Flames are 0-2 in previous meetings with the Tribe. Liberty is also winless against Bowie State (0-2), Delta State (0-2), Eastern Kentucky (0-2), East Tennessee State (0-4-1), Furman (0-3), Georgia Southern (0-3), Hampden-Sydney (0-3), Jacksonville State (0-2), South Florida (0-4), S. Connecticut State (0-2), Toledo (0-2), West Georgia (0-2) and Western Illinois (0-2). Final Tune-Up Before Conference Play The William & Mary game will mark the Flames' second-to-last non-conference game of the year and the last before Liberty enters Big South action. Next weekend, the Flames close out a brief two-game homestand with their conference opener against Gardner-Webb before traveling to Conway, S.C., to face co-defending conference champions Coastal Carolina. Liberty's last non-conference game of the year is against Western Carolina at Williams Stadium on November 4. Sacking Sensation The Wake Forest game was the first time this season that Liberty has failed to record exactly three sacks in a game as the Flames were only able to get to the Demon Deacons' quarterback once on September 30th. Liberty currently ranks 15th in the nation in sacks per game as the team is averaging 2.60 sacks per contest, while senior captain Jason Horn individually ranks sixth in sacks by averaging 1.00 sacks per contest. However, the Flames will have to continue to step up the defensive pressure if Liberty wants to break the school record as the 1990 squad finished the year with a program-best 40 sacks.

8 Interview Policies Liberty University head football coach Danny Rocco has requested a 24-hour notice on all interviews, including interviews for himself, members of the coaching staff and the players. Please plan ahead and call the Office of Athletic Media Relations when requesting interviews. All efforts will be made to make sure that the requested individual(s) are available with prior notice. Preseason camp interview schedule: Players and coaches are available after each practice session for post-practice interviews for a designated amount of time. If you need to conduct an interview during a different time, please contact the Office of Athletic Media Relations for alternate plans. However, due to the rigorous time schedule of preseason camp, it is requested that every effort be made to conduct following practice sessions. Regular season interview schedule during game week: Head coach Danny Rocco, members of the football coaching staff and players are available for interviews Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of game weeks. Tuesday interviews: Head coach Danny Rocco will host a weekly media press conference each Tuesday during the season to address the media. The press conference will be held in a designated area in the Williams Football Operations Center. The press conference will start at 1 p.m. and run for 30 minutes. Requested players and members of the coaching staff can be available for one-on-one interviews following Coach Rocco's weekly press conference. Player/coaching staff interviews will start at 1:30 p.m. and will run for 30 minutes. However, players will not be asked to miss class time or any other academic/team requirements for these interviews. Wednesday and Thursday interviews: Head coach Danny Rocco, members of the coaching staff and players will be available after practices on Wednesday and Thursday. If you request an interview, you are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled finish time of practice just in case practice finishes early. Coach Rocco, members of the coaching staff and players will not be held if you are not present at the conclusion of practice. Postgame interviews: The Liberty University football locker room is closed to members of the media at all times, both at home and on the road. LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Keeping The Quarterback Clean Liberty enters today's game ranked tied for 13th in the nation in total sacks allowed as Liberty's opponents have recorded just five sacks over the first five games (1.00 per game). Liberty has finished three games without allowing a sack this year (St. Paul's, Glenville State and Savannah State), while Wake Forest finished with an opponent season-high three sacks on September 30th. Special Season For The Special Teams The Flames' special teams unit has played a huge part in Liberty's turnaround success this season as the Flames rank among the nation's Top 35 in most of the special teams categories. Liberty currently ranks 32nd in the nation in punt returns (11.50 punt yardage return average) and 33rd in kickoff returns (21.42 kickoff return yardage average). Individually, Wynton Jackson ranks 28th and 31st in punt returns (11.93 average return) and kickoff returns (23.50 average return) and Ben Beasley ranks 32nd in punting (39.52 average). Far Too Many Flags The Flames were whistled for a season-high nine penalties at Wake Forest on September 30th for a total of 91 yards (also a season high). Liberty's previous season high came against Savannah State as the Flames were flagged for seven infractions for 57 yards. On the year, Liberty currently ranks third in the Big South as the Flames are averaging 6.0 penalties per game for an average of 47.8 yards per game. Taking Care Of The Ball The Flames have truly valued possession of the ball this season as Liberty has committed just four turnovers during its first five games of the season. Liberty fumbled the ball twice against Glenville State and once at Towson, while Brock Smith threw the first quarterback interception of the season in the Flames' last game at Wake Forest. Liberty has finished two games this year without committing a turnover (St. Paul's and Savannah State). Finally Finding It Through The Air The Flames recorded their first passing touchdown of the season against Wake Forest two weeks ago as Brock Smith hooked up with Darnell Edwards for two touchdown catches in the road contest. Prior to the Wake Forest game, Liberty had only scored on rushing touchdowns (13) and field goals (4). The receptions marked the only two catches of the game for Edwards and the first two touchdown catches of his career at Liberty. Home postgame interviews: Head coach Danny Rocco and requested players/members of the coaching staff will be available after a brief 10-minute cooling off period after each home game. Interviews will be conducted in a designated area inside of the Williams Football Operation Center, beginning with Coach Rocco followed by requested players/members of the coaching staff. Media members will be escorted down onto the field by a member of the Athletic Media Relations staff with approximately five minutes left in the fourth quarter. After the team leaves the playing field and enters the locker room, a member of the Athletic Media Relations staff will escort the media to the designated interview area. Road postgame interviews: Head coach Danny Rocco and requested players/members of the coaching staff will be available after a brief 10-minute cooling off period after each road game. Coach Rocco and requested players/member of the coaching staff will be available for interviews outside of the locker room or in a designated interview area (if one is available). A member of the Athletic Media Relations staff will escort the members of the media to the designated interview area. Manny Moves Up Manny Rojas moved into a tie for fourth place on the Big South's all-time career tackle list with his six stops two weeks ago against Wake Forest. Rojas is now tied with Mario Williams (Gardner-Webb) as both linebackers have 299 career tackles. Rojas needs just 10 more tackles to become the Big South's all-time career tackle leader as VMI's Justin Huggard finished his career with 308 tackles. Big South All-Time Career Tackles Leaders 1. Justin Huggard, VMI Todd Baldwin, VMI Keppy Baucom, GWU Mario Williams, GWU Manny Rojas, LU

9 Big South 2006 Players of the Week September 2 Offensive: Sean Mizzer, RB, VMI Defensive: Jamaal Walton, DB, VMI Specialist: Wynton Jackson, RS, LU Freshman: Brandon Jackson, WR, GWU September 9 Offensive: Tyler Thigpen, QB, CCU Collin Drafts, QB, CSU Defensive: Okeba Rollinson, DB, CSU Specialist: Michael Hanna, P, GWU Freshman: Stan Doolittle, QB, GWU September 16 Offensive: Jerome Simpson, WR, CCU Defensive: Manny Rojas, LB, LU Specialist: Ben Beasley, P, LU Freshman: Jamar Anderson, WR, CCU September 23 Offensive: Rashad Jennings, RB, LU Defensive: Quinton Teal, SS, CCU Specialist: Hunter Smith, K, GWU Freshman: Chris Rocco, DB, LU September 30 Offensive: Tyler Thigpen, QB, CCU Defensive: Mario E. Brown, LB, GWU Specialist: Michael Hanna, P, GWU Freshman: David Montgomery, RB, GWU October 7 Offensive: Jerome Simpson, WR, CCU Defensive: Jamar Leath, LB, CCU Specialist: Sean Lundy, DB, CCU Freshman: Tim Maypray, RB, VMI Offensive: Defensive: Specialist: Freshman: Offensive: Defensive: Specialist: Freshman: Offensive: Defensive: Specialist: Freshman: Offensive: Defensive: Specialist: Freshman: Offensive: Defensive: Specialist: Freshman: Offensive: Defensive: Specialist: Freshman: October 14 October 21 October 28 November 4 November 11 November 18 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Big Day For Brock Brock Smith threw for a season-high 211 yards (fourth highest in his career) against Wake Forest two weeks ago as he completed 15-of-25 pass attempts with two touchdowns. Smith became the first Liberty quarterback to throw for a touchdown against a I-A opponent since Kyle Painter did so against UCF in 2002 (seven games) and his 211 yards marked the most passing yards by a Flames' signal caller against a I-A opponent since Biff Parson threw for 321 yards against South Florida in 2001 (eight games). Bootin' Ben Ben Beasley finished the Wake Forest game two weeks ago with a career high in punt and kickoff yard averages as the senior averaged 44.7 yards on seven punts (313) and 64.0 yards on three kickoffs (192). The 313 punt yards marked the second-highest total of his career, including a career-best 58-yard punt in the first quarter. Moving Over The 1,000 Yard Mark Brandon Turner led the Flames in receiving yards against Wake Forest two weeks ago as he caught four passes for 84 yards. The receiving numbers tied a season high in receptions and marked a new season best in receiving yards. The 84 receiving yards pushed the junior over the 1,000 yard mark for career receiving yards as the wide out has caught 74 passes for 1,002 yards (13.5 average). Turner's receiving mate Wynton Jackson stands on the verge of joining the 1,000 yard mark as the fellow wide receiver has caught 74 passes for 926 yards entering today's game. Lloyd Still In The Lead Stevie Ray Lloyd tied with Patrick Calvary for the team lead with eight tackles at Wake Forest two weeks ago, enabling the linebacker to keep his spot atop the Flames' tackling leaders. Lloyd, who transferred from Virginia Tech in the off-season, currently leads the Flames with 36 tackles and ranks sixth in the Big South Conference among linebackers as he is averaging 7.2 tackles per game. Finding The End Zone Rashad Jennings leads the Flames and the Big South Conference in scoring as the running back has found the end zone eight times this year, with all eight coming on rushing touchdowns. Jennings currently ranks 12th in the nation in scoring as he is averaging 9.6 points per contest. Horn Still Having A Field Day Jason Horn currently leads the Big South in tackles for a loss and sacks as the senior has recorded 7.5 tackles for a loss (44 yards) and 5.0 sacks (40 yards) over the first five games of the year. The defensive lineman currently ranks sixth nationally in sacks (1.00 per game) and 11th in tackles for a loss (1.70 per game). Horn has recorded a tackle for a loss in four out of five games this year (no TFL against Savannah State) and a sack in three out of five games (two against St. Paul's and Glenville State and one against Wake Forest). Looking To Be Better Off The Break The Flames didn't play last Saturday as last week was Liberty's bye week for the 2006 season. Liberty is hoping that the time off will treat them better than the past as Liberty enters the game with a 6-15 record coming off of bye weeks since the 1976 season. Liberty's last victory after having a week off came against Charleston Southern in a 17-6 victory over the Bucs on November 1, 2003, starting a four-game winning streak to end the season.

10 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Liberty University Depth Chart Offense WR 1 Wynton Jackson (Jr., 6-1, 180) 89 Dominic Bolden (So., 5-10, 175) WR 6 Brandon Turner (Jr., 6-2, 170) 4 Darnell Edwards (R-Sr., 6-3, 200) TE 43 Chris Luck (R-Jr., 6-5, 260) 82 Corey Rasberry (Jr., 6-4, 255) - or - 80 Richard Thom (R-Jr., 6-3, 230) LT 68 Stephen Sene (R-Sr., 6-6, 310) 74 Josh Weaver (R-Fr, 6-4, 280) LG 54 Britt Stone (R-So., 6-2, 270) 60 Mario Cosby (R-Fr., 6-2, 270) C 55 Mike Godsil (So., 6-2, 285) 69 Zach Davis (R-So., 6-4, 285) RG 58 Jarrett Winfrey (R-Sr., 6-4, 265) 56 Bryan Mosier (R-Fr., 6-2, 295) RT 73 Eddie Pinigis (R-Jr., 6-8, 295) 74 Josh Weaver (R-Fr., 6-4, 280) FB 8 Chris Stokes (R-Jr., 6-1, 240) 46 Derrick Bishop (Fr., 5-10, 220) RB 3 Rashad Jennings (R-So., 6-1, 240) 34 Terron Lawrence (R-Fr., 5-7, 170) - or - 35 Wesley Cheek (Fr., 6-0, 200) AB 7 Zach Terrell (So., 6-0, 200) 34 Terron Lawrence (R-Fr., 5-7, 170) QB 13 Brock Smith (So., 6-3, 240) - or - 7 Zach Terrell (So., 6-0, 200) Defense DE 91 Jason Horn (Sr., 6-1, 275) - or - 96 Tyler Turner (R-Jr., 6-3, 240) N 90 Colin Dugan (So., 6-0, 285) 92 Trey Jacobs (Fr., 6-4, 285) - or - 78 Chris Renick (R-Fr., 6-2, 330) DE 45 Steve Ackley (Jr., 6-3, 260) 52 Don Carlos McWhorter (R-Sr., 6-2, 255) SLB 44 Brandon Duke (R-Jr., 6-0, 225) 32 Ian Childress (So., 6-4, 220) MLB 51 Manny Rojas (R-Sr., 6-0, 245) 59 Weston Lambert (R-Sr., 6-2, 255) JLB 11 Stevie Ray Lloyd (R-Jr., 5-11, 235) 99 Dan Hughes (R-Jr., 6-2, 230) - or - 16 Pat Parziale (So., 6-1, 220) WLB 32 Ian Childress (So., 6-4, 220) - or - 22 Derek Lisko (So., 6-1, 205) LCB 9 E.L. Estes (R-Jr., 5-11, 185) 31 Donald Manns (Fr., 5-9, 175) - or - 27 Tim Torrence (Fr., 5-8, 165) SS 24 Ryan Greiser (So., 6-1, 205) 21 Pierre Penn (Jr., 5-11, 195) FS 5 Pat Dickerson (R-Jr., 5-10, 195) 14 Chris Rocco (Fr., 5-11, 190) RCB 2 Patrick Calvary (So., 5-9, 175) 23 Michael Corral (So., 5-9, 185) - or - 27 Tim Torrence (Fr., 5-8, 165) Special Teams KO 38 Ben Beasley (Sr., 5-9, 180) 39 Zac Kolegue (Jr., 5-10, 190) PK 39 Zac Kolegue (Jr., 5-10, 190) 38 Ben Beasley (Sr., 5-9, 180) P 38 Ben Beasley (Sr., 5-9, 180) 39 Zac Kolegue (Jr., 5-10, 190) H 14 Chris Rocco (Fr., 5-11, 190) 38 Ben Beasley (Sr., 5-9, 180) LS 42 Dan Pope (R-Jr., 6-3, 205) 80 Richard Thom (R-Jr., 6-3, 230) KR 1 Wynton Jackson (Jr., 6-1, 180) 3 Rashad Jennings (R-So., 6-1, 240) PR 1 Wynton Jackson (Jr., 6-1, 175) 2 Patrick Calvary (So., 5-9, 175) College of William & Mary Depth Chart Offense WR 16 R.J. Archer (R-Fr., 6-2, 205) 2 Elliott Mack (So., 6-0, 195) TE 85 Matt Trinkle (Sr., 6-5, 260) 86 Drew Atchison (Jr., 6-7, 250) LT 67 Brent Cochran (Jr., 6-5, 300) 78 Chris Ilardo (R-Fr., 6-3, 316) LG 72 Justin Oliver (Jr., 6-4, 295) 56 C.J. Muse (R-Fr., 6-4, 305) C 68 Cody Morris (Sr., 6-4, 285) 51 Tim Kelley (Jr., 6-2, 316) RG 53 Luke Hiteshew (So., 6-1, 295) 75 Eric O'Brien (So., 6-1, 270) RT 71 Brad Stewart (Jr., 6-3, 300) 79 Michael Grant (So., 6-5, 300) WR 27 Joe Nicholas (Jr., 6-3, 210) 4 D.J. McAulay (So., 5-11, 180) TB 9 Elijah Brooks (Sr., 5-9, 215) 28 DeBrian Holmes (So., 5-9, 185) FB 49 Raphael Bynum (R-Fr., 5-9, 225) 5 Tony Viola (Jr., 6-1, 217) QB 18 Jake Phillips (So., 6-3, 225) - or - 10 Mike Potts (Jr., 6-4, 220) Defense DE 97 Adrian Tracy (R-Fr., 6-4, 235) 39 T.J. O'Neill (Jr., 6-1, 241) DT 77 Brian Williamson (Sr., 6-3, 290) 93 Sean Lissemore (R-Fr., 6-4, 245) DT 95 Cortenous Herbert (R-Fr., 6-3, 260) 99 Josh Larkins (So., 6-2, 320) DE 94 Josh Wright (Sr., 6-3, 245) 92 Ryan Jones (Jr., 6-3, 260) ILB 52 Travis McLaurin (Sr., 5-11, 240) 35 Ryan Horvath (Jr., 6-1, 235) OLB 21 Michael Pigram (So., 5-10, 218) 50 Todd Reyher (So., 6-0, 215) OLB 40 Chris Ndubueze (Sr., 6-1, 230) 23 Trevor McLaurin (Sr., 5-11, 236) CB 24 Richard Riley (Sr., 6-2, 190) 31 Max Harris (Fr., 5-10, 175) SS 36 Kevin Allen (So., 6-3, 205) 41 Sheldon Alexander (R-Fr., 6-1, 205) FS 8 Alan Wheeling (Sr., 5-9, 180) 22 David Houff (So., 6-1, 185) CB 37 Derek Cox (So., 6-1, 185) 19 David Caldwell (Fr., 5-11, 200) Special Teams PK/KO 91 Blair Pritchard (Sr., 5-11, 235) 87 David Miller (Fr., 6-0, 170) P 91 Blair Pritchard (Sr., 5-11, 235) 15 Corey Davis (Sr., 6-1, 200) HO 14 Christian Taylor (Sr., 6-3, 205) 16 R.J. Archer (R-Fr., 6-2, 195) LS 94 Josh Wright (Sr., 6-3, 245) SS 67 Brent Cochran (Jr., 6-5, 300) KR 28 DeBrian Holmes (So., 5-9, 180) 9 Elijah Brooks (Sr., 5-9, 210) PR 37 Derek Cox (So., 6-1, 185) 8 Alan Wheeling (Sr., 5-9, 180)