LIBERTY REPORT: Liberty at Youngstown State game blog

By Chris Lang
Sports writer
Published: September 27, 2008

Just got back from a quick tour of the field at Youngstown State’s Stambaugh Stadium. I’m hearing there’s a good chance that tonight’s game between the Flames and Penguins will be a sellout. If so, a lot of people will have to migrate in from the tailgates down the street. Both sides of the stands are mostly empty.

Some quick hitters:

* LU coach Danny Rocco repeated the words “start fast” to his team as they ran through pregame warmups. The best way to neutralize a rowdy home crowd is to score early, and that’s something the Flames didn’t do at Western Carolina. Youngstown State is better than WCU, and a slow start will be much more unforgiving.

* In my mind, the key matchup tonight is Liberty’s linebackers against YSU’s run game. If the Flames keep the Penguin run game in check and control the time of possession, they’ll be in good shape.

* I’d expect the Flames to try to run out of the power-I early and often, and if YSU stuffs the middle like Western Carolina did, it could be a long night.

* Quick comment on how much the Ford Mustang has improved over the last two decades. My rental for the trip is a 2008 Mustang, a sharp contrast to the 1982 Mustang that was my first car when I was 16. The heater core on that old bucket of bolts used to leak like crazy, and I was never sure if I’d actually reach my destination in that car without the vehicle blowing up mid-route. No such problems with the 2008 version. Looks nicer, too.

* If anyone has questions during the game, please post in the comment section and I’ll try to get to them. Will be back with more as the game goes along.

END OF FIRST QUARTER—YSU 7, Liberty 0

The Penguins were absolutely dominant, controlled the clock and forced a turnover defensively—pretty much everything that Liberty could not have happen if it wanted to compete here tonight.

Update, Brandon Summers scampers in from 18 yards out for a touchdown, and it’s 14-0. Ryan Greiser missed the tackle at the line of scrimmage, and there was no one behind the line to catch Summers on the draw.

Telling stat so far: Youngstown State has run 23 plays. Liberty has run 7.

HALFTIME—Liberty 14, YSU 14

Youngstown State has only run for 53 yards, but the Penguins short passing game has almost acted as a substitute for the run game. Quarterback Brandon Summers was feeling pretty good, not surprising considering he had completed 19 of 21 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown before trying to force a ball to Donald Jones in way too tight of a window. Liberty’s Chuck Duffey intercepted the pass, and LU heads into the half with momentum after picking up a key stop. LU will get the ball to open the second half.

Liberty’s Rashad Jennings has looked like a Walter Payton Award candidate tonight. He spun away from the line of scrimmage and broke free for a 55-yard run in the second quarter, leading to the Flames’ second touchdown. Brock Smith made a heck of a run to gain a key first down on that drive. On 3rd-and-7 from the YSU 20, Smith made four reads, realized everyone was covered, then ran the “book” play. Smith weighs about 250 these days, but you wouldn’t know it from the hurdle he made to secure the final yard for the first down.

It appears that Liberty has settled down nicely after a rough start tonight, which is what veteran teams do. If Liberty can come out and run the ball and wear down YSU’s defense on the first drive of the second half, the Flames should be in good shape.

END OF THIRD QUARTER—Liberty 28, YSU 14

Quite the turn of events here. The Flames are at their best when the power run game is working and the special teams are clicking. Well, Jennings has 186 yards and three touchdowns, and Dominic Bolden ripped off a 52-yard punt return that set up the third Jennings touchdown. YSU is going back to its run game to try to get the offense going.