UVA Not Overlooking Liberty With Hokies Looming In The Distance

By Jerry Ratcliffe

If anyone thinks Virginia is focusing on the Virginia Tech football game after Thanksgiving and not on this week’s opponent, Liberty, then think again.

There’s a theory out there that suggests the Cavaliers’ collective minds are on the Tech game (Friday, Nov. 29, noon) with so much at stake. The Hokies have won 15 straight games in the series, which has arguably even been a rivalry over that span, and the ACC Coastal Division title and a spot in the conference championship game vs. Clemson, is likely up for grabs.

Meanwhile, Liberty comes to town this Saturday (also at noon, RSN), and while the Flames are 6-4, they are a non-conference opponent and a bit of a trap game if you will. Should the Wahoos overlook Liberty, it would have no bearing on the Coastal race, but would be considered a letdown and setback for the program.

Bronco Mendenhall has no intentions of allowing that to happen. The Cavaliers are 18.5-point favorites according to the boys in Las Vegas. Liberty is probably scoffing at that line after losing by only a touchdown, 31-24, at BYU on Nov. 9, and is also coming off a bye week coming into Saturday’s game.

The Flames are coached by Hugh Freeze, the former Ole Miss coach, who is considered an offensive whiz. Liberty has certainly posted some impressive numbers this season, particularly with its passing game.

Senior quarterback Stephen “Buckshot” Calvert is one of two active FBS QBs with 11,000 career passing yards and owns a 23-to-3 TD pass-to-interception ratio this season. Calvert has thrown 281 passes since his last interception on Sept. 7.

His main target is another senior, wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden, who is No. 2 in the country with 1,244 receiving yards this season and is 136 yards from becoming the Flames’ all-time, single-season record holder.

During his weekly presser on Monday, the topic of the temptation to be more focused on the Hokies than Liberty came up. Mendenhall didn’t blink with his response.

“I think it’s hard when there’s a game of that significance, with the implications that it has, meaning that [Tech] is a rivalry game and it is potentially for the Coastal Division championship, until you watch Liberty on film, and that’s just a quick reality check,” Mendenhall said. “Much like a year ago, when [Liberty] could score at such an efficient and effective level, and I would say that’s continued to even an improved standard with an improved football team.

“So once that happens and you get into the Liberty work specifically, there’s no time for [looking or planning ahead for Tech], and it’s just interference because of the quality of opponent. I think Huge Freeze is doing a really nice job there.”

The Flames have six wins, including a five-game winning streak from Sept. 14 through Oct. 19, when they rattled off triumphs over Buffalo (35-17), Hampton (62-27), New Mexico (17-10), New Mexico State (20-13), and Maine (59-44).

Liberty opened the season with two losses to Syracuse (24-0) and Louisiana (35-14). It has lost two of its last three outings against Rutgers (44-34) and BYU (31-24). The Flames defeated UMass, 63-21, in between those two losses.

The Cavaliers downed Liberty last season by a 45-24 count, but led only 24-17 at the half. UVA picked off three Calvert passes in that game.

While Liberty is scoring 33 points per game and averaging 443 yards of offense per game, it is giving up 27 points a game and 424 yards per outing.

Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins, who passed for 168 yards and rushed for 89 more against the Flames last season, is taking nothing for granted.

“Shoot, we almost lost to Old Dominion,” Perkins said when focus on the game was mentioned.

“We’re putting a big emphasis on Liberty,” said senior defensive end Eli Hanback. “That’s our only focus. They have one of the best passers in the country.”

Many observers believe that with the bye week last week that Virginia began working on Virginia Tech, but Mendenhall said that is not the case.

“It’s really difficult, just from the mindset standpoint [to look ahead],” the coach said. “Typically and traditionally, all I’ve ever done is just focus on the present and the game that looms ahead, and that usually has given us the best chance to be consistent, the best chance to build momentum, the best chance to continue to improve our program.

“As a baseline, that just is much more comfortable. I’m much more comfortable there, as is our staff and our program. So that’s what our approach has always been.”