As WKU Football looks for a bounce-back victory against Liberty, I talked with Bryson Gordon, Liberty beat writer for the Lynchburg News and Advance, to talk about the game between the Hilltoppers and Flames.
Liberty heads into the matchup with a 7-2 record. The reigning conference champions went undefeated in the regular season last year but took their first losses as a Conference USA school against Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State this year.
Gordon said the Flames’ problem this season is the decreased margin for error from last year.
“I think the conference has elevated itself around them (Liberty),” Gordon said.
He credited teams like WKU, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston who have improved and “increased the competition.”
Liberty operates their offense through the run game. The Flames host C-USA’s second-best rushing attack, averaging 250 yards per game on the ground.
The combination of running back Quinton Cooley and quarterback Kaiden Salter is the reason for the rushing success. Cooley has just over 1,000 yards on the season and Salter follows with 603.
Gordon compared Cooley to Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry in the way “his run style just wears on you over the course of a game.”
“I think if Liberty has its way if they can do what they want to do, they’re going to go to Cooley 25 times,” Gordon said.
Defensively, Liberty ranks fourth in the conference in points allowed, giving up 23.9 points per game. Gordon said defensive ends TJ Bush and CJ Bazile Jr. and linebacker Joseph Carter are names to look out for on the Flames defense.
Gordon said a weakness of the defense has been cornerbacks.
“That is a position where it’s been an issue a little bit for Liberty,” Gordon said.
Gordon said Saturday’s game depends on “what Liberty team shows up,” but said he expects a high-scoring Liberty victory.
“I think home field’s going to be good for Liberty. I think they might pull it out just because of that,” Gordon said. “But if the Liberty team that showed up against Umass and the Liberty team that showed up against Jax State and Kennesaw shows up, Western will win by a couple scores.”
Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at [email protected].
