NCAA Division I Football Championship First Round November 29
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Table of Contents NCAA Division I Football Championship First Round Turner Gill Bio .............2 Weekly Schedule ........2 November 29, 2014 Quick Facts .................3 Matchup Info ..............3 Big South Conference .4 Milestone Watch ........4 No. 20/23 Liberty Flames at No. 15/15 James Madison Dukes A LU Win Would .........4 (8-4, 4-1 Big South) (9-3, 6-2 CAA) Quick Hitters ...............4 Harrisonburg, Va. (Bridgeforth Stadium - 24,877) - 4 p.m. - ESPN3 Uniform Tracker ..........4 On This Date ...............4 First and 10 - Today’s Top Storylines Top 25 Polls .................5 1) Big South Conference champion No. 20/23 Liberty will make its NCAA FCS Playoff debut Saturday at 4 p.m. when the Flames travel to face long-time Commonwealth rival No. 15/15 James Madison. Team Notes .................5 Individual Honors .......6 2) Saturday’s game will mark the 18th all-time meeting between Liberty and James Madison. See page Off. Player Notes .........6 3 for information on the series history and page 20 for the game-by-game series sesults. Team Players of Week 7 Def. Player Notes ........7 3) LB Nick Sigmon and a number of other Liberty seniors played in the most recent Liberty-JMU contest, Sept. 17, 2011 at Williams Stadium. The Dukes pulled out a 27-24 victory on a last-second field goal. Attendance Records ...8 See page 3 for more information on that matchup. Player Career Highs ....8 Team Captains ............9 4) Liberty is seeking its first win over JMU since 1992, its first victory over a CAA opponent since 2003 Pronunciation Guide ..9 and its first-ever road win against a CAA foe. See page 4 for more on the game’s historical significance. Injury Update ............9 5) DE Chima Uzowihe blocked a last-second field goal attempt, sealing Liberty’s 15-14 win over No. 2/1 Record Chase ..............9 Coastal Carolina and clinching a playoff berth. See page 4 for more on the Flames’ improbable season. Big Games .................11 NCAA/BSC Stats ........12 6) WR Darrin Peterson has racked up a program single-season record 1,214 receiving yards in 2014 and needs six catches to break the single-season mark of 81. See page 4 for other milestones within reach. Depth Chart ............. 13 Start Chart ................14 7) Backup QB Stephon Masha led the Flames to victory at No. 2/1 Coastal Carolina in his second career Radio/TV Info............15 start. See page 6 for more information on the two-time Big South Freshman of the Week. Numerical Roster ..... 16 Coaching Staff ......... 18 8) DE Chima Uzowihe (8.0 sacks) and DE Toby Onyechi (7.5 sacks) are each closing in on the Big South single-season record of 8.5 sacks. See page 7 for more information on the Flames’ defense. Opp. Sched./Results .19 Series History ............20 9) S Jacob Hagen has intercepted a nation-leading eight passes this season. See page 12 for where the Overtime History ......20 Flames rank among the NCAA and Big South Conference statistical leaders. The Last Time ...........21 10) Liberty has won five of its last six games, while James Madison enters the playoffs on a seven-game Flames in the NFL .....22 winning streak. See below for the Flames’ results and page 19 for the Dukes’ results. 2014 Stats .................23 2014 Liberty Flames Football Schedule Date Opponent Time/Result TV Series Note Aug. 30 at No. 23/23 North Carolina L, 29-56 ESPN3 UNC leads, 1-0 Liberty led 22-21 in 3rd Q before UNC scored 28 pts. in 3:49 Sept. 6 at Norfolk State W, 17-0 LFSN/ESPN3 LU leads, 4-2 Flames’ 1st road win over in-state non-conf. DI foe since 1997 Sept. 13 Brevard W, 56-31 LFSN/ESPN3 LU leads, 2-0 Liberty racked up 625 yards in home-opening victory Sept. 20 No. RV/25 Bryant (Hall of Fame) W, 38-21 LFSN/ESPN3 LU leads, 1-0 Flames jumped out to 24-0 lead against unbeaten Bryant Sept. 27 at Indiana State L, 19-38 LFSN/ESPN3 ISU leads, 2-0 Indiana State forced four Liberty turnovers, passed for 340 yds. Oct. 4 No. 20/21 Richmond (Homecoming) L, 39-46 (2OT) LFSN/ESPN3 UR leads, 2-0 Liberty’s 2nd straight double OT loss on Homecoming Oct. 11 at Appalachian State W, 55-48 (OT) ESPN3 ASU leads, 7-3 Flames’ 3rd victory over an FBS opponent all-time Oct. 25 Gardner-Webb* (Family Weekend) W, 34-0 ESPN3 LU leads, 12-8-1 Liberty held GWU to 56 total yards in shutout win Nov. 1 at Presbyterian* W, 28-7 LFSN/ESPN3 LU leads, 8-4 Flames picked off 4 PC passes to win in snowy Clinton Nov. 8 Monmouth* (Military Appreciation) W, 34-24 ASN LU leads, 2-0 Liberty scored 10 unanswered 4th-quarter pts. to pull out win Nov. 15 Charleston Southern* (Senior Day) L, 36-38 LFSN/ESPN3 LU leads, 19-3 CSU ran for 359 yds., 4 TDs and held off Liberty’s late rally Nov. 22 at No. 2/1 Coastal Carolina* W, 15-14 ESPN3 Series tied, 6-6 Liberty blocked FG to clinch 7th Big South title, 1st playoff berth Nov. 29 at No. 15/15 James Madison 4 p.m. ESPN3 JMU leads, 12-5 Flames’ first-ever NCAA FCS Playoff contest * - Big South Conference game Rankings listed are AP/USA Today for FBS opponents and Sports Network/FCS Coaches Poll for FCS opponents ASN - American Sports Network LFSN - Liberty Flames Sports Network 2 2014 LIBERTY FOOTBALL GAME NOTES Flames Head Coach Turner Gill Third Year at Liberty Career Coaching Record: 47-62 - Record at Liberty: 22-13 (13-3 Big South) Year-by-Year Head Coaching Record: • Signed free agent contract with the Cleveland Buffalo 2006-09 20-30 (14-18 MAC) Indians in 1986 2006 2-10 1-7 MAC - 6th/East • Played for A Waterloo Indians in 1986 2007 5-7 5-3 MAC - T1st/East • Played for AA Williamsport Bills in 1987-88 2008 8-6 5-3 MAC - 1st/East Football Turner Gill 2009 5-7 3-5 MAC - 5th/East • Played two seasons in the CFL for the Montreal Coaching Career Kansas 2010-11 5-19 (1-16 Big 12) Concordes 2012-14 – Liberty 2010 3-9 1-7 Big 12 - 6th/North • Career passing – 411-of-727 (56.5 comp. %), • Head Coach 2011 2-10 0-9 Big 12 - 10th 4,928 yds., 23 TDs, 24 INTs 2010-11 – Kansas Liberty 2012-14 22-13 (13-3 Big South) • Career rushing – 173 carries, 826 yds. (4.8 avg.), • Head Coach 2012 6-5 5-1 Big South - T1st 7 TDs 2006-09 – Buffalo 2013 8-4 4-1 Big South - T1st • Head Coach 2014 8-4 4-1 Big South - T1st Career Coaching Highlights: 2005 – NFL Green Bay Total 47-62 28-37 (Conference) Nebraska (Asst. Coach) • Director of Player • QB Coach (1992-03); WR Coach (2004) Development/Off. Asst.) College Career Highlights: • 13-straight bowl appearances 1992-04 – Nebraska • Nebraska – 1980-83 • Three national championships (1994, 1995, • Asst. HC, QB, WR • Three-time All-Big Eight selection 1997) 1991 – SMU • 1983 Heisman Trophy finalist (finished fourth) • Coached All-America QBs Tommy Frazier (1995) • Wide Receivers • 1983 Nebraska Co-Captain and Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch (2001) 1990 – Nebraska • 1983 Novak Trophy Winner • 2002 Frank Broyles Award finalist (national Asst. • Graduate Asst. • Career passing – 231-of-428 (54.0 comp. %), Coach of the Year) 1989 – North Texas 3,317 yds., 34 TDs, 11 INTs Buffalo (Head Coach) • Graduate Asst. • Career rushing – 290 carries, 1,593 yds. (4.5 • 2007 MAC Coach of the Year avg.), 18 TDs • 2008 MAC Champions/International Bowl Education: • Record as starting quarterback – 28-2 Kansas (Head Coach) • B.A., Behavior Analysis • Big Eight record as starting quarterback – 20-0 • Coached 10 All-Big 12 honorees (North Texas, ’90) • Three-straight Orange Bowl appearances • Defeated No. 15 Georgia Tech, 28-25, for his first Hometown: • Nebraska Football Hall of Fame inductee (1989) win at Kansas • Fort Worth, Texas • Orange Bowl Hall of Fame inductee (2006) Liberty (Head Coach) Wife: • Played baseball for Nebraska in 1983 • Big South Conference Champions in 2012 and • Gayle • All-Big Eight selection at shortstop 2013 Children: • Defeated No. 6/8 Stony Brook, 28-14, on Nov. • Jordan and Margaux Post Collegiate Playing Career Highlights: 10, 2012 for Liberty’s first-ever win over a Top 10 Birthday: Baseball program • Aug. 13, 1962 (Age 52) • Selected in the MLB Draft by the Chicago White • Coached 29 total All-Big South honorees in 2012 Sox in 1979 and by the New York Yankees in and 2013 1983 Liberty Flames Football Weekly Schedule Sunday Tuesday Wednesday Friday 3 p.m. 10:40 - 10:50 a.m. 2:45 p.m. Home Game Schedule • Team Meeting • Big South Weekly Teleconference (Call-In/ • Team Meeting 3:30 p.m. 5:25 - 6:25 p.m. Media Only) 4 - 6:15 p.m. • Team Meeting • Practice (Closed to Public/Media) 12:30 - 1 p.m. • Practice 4:30 - 5 p.m. • Turner Gill Weekly Press Conference • Coach Gill, Asst. Coach & Players available • Walk Thru Practice Monday • Location: Donor Room (Williams Football for interviews following practice (Meet on • Closed to Media Practice: Ops Center) field at 5:45 p.m.) Road Game Schedule • No practice - Players’ Day Off 1 - 2:15 p.m. TBA 7 - 8 p.m. Player/Asst. Coach Weekly Interviews Thursday • Flames Sports Hotline With Turner Gill • Location: Donor Room (Williams Football 2:45 p.m.