For a third straight game to open the 2022 season, a Liberty football game was decided by one score. This one, a 37-36 loss on the road to No. 18 Wake Forest. The Flames’ two-point conversion with 1:10 remaining on the clock fell short as head coach Hugh Freeze elected to go for the win in regulation rather than try for overtime. Liberty falls to 2-1 on the season and here is everything head coach Hugh Freeze had to say following the game:

OPENING THOUGHTS

“We worked on something that we thought would be good (on the two-point conversion). Credit to them, they had a good call, didn’t play us man there. Hindsight, I wish I called something different or maybe kicked it or tried our luck in the in the overtime. I’m proud of the way they fought. They just showed such resiliency and continued to fight. We are far from perfect, we have so much to work on, which tells me I’ve got to do a better job of coaching. There’s a lot of plays out there, particularly in the first half that we’re not making. I’ve got to coach it better because our kids are playing too dang hard for us to have to fight uphill. Really proud of our kids. Credit to Wake Forest, they are gutsy too. They are a veteran team, top 20 team in the country. We could have easily walked out of here with a win tonight. Really proud of our kids.”

TALK ABOUT YOUR ABILITY FOR THE OFFENSE TO RESPOND IN THE 2ND HALF, ESPECIALLY ON THE GROUND.

“We just ran our offense. We obviously saw what they were doing in the first half and how they were trying to play us. I felt we had some runs in the first half too. We’re pulling some when we should be handing it off. That’s what we’ve got to get cleaned up because I think if we can just stay on schedule we will be a pretty good team. But when we get off schedule we make some mistakes, post snap reads or in our protections. We are a little beat up offensively tonight. We need to get some folks healthy. We’ve proven that we are a pretty good second half team. Felt like if we could keep it close we would make a run in the second half and that’s what our kids did.”

DID THINGS START TO SLOW DOWN FOR SALTER IN THE 2ND HALF?

“Yeah, you know, truthfully, he had throws that he should have made differently if you go look at the film. On the last fourth down he should have gone to Demario right off the hitch for the first down, but he does things like that that other people can’t do. I love his competitive spirit, I love his teachable spirit. He makes no excuses. That just makes me want to help him that much more be successful and hopefully we can.”

DO YOU THINK YOUR DEFENSE WORE DOWN IN THE 4TH QUARTER?

“Maybe they did, I don’t know, I haven’t talked to them yet. I don’t think they ever quit trying or fighting. I’m sure you get tired playing a team like this. I don’t know how many plays they had they had to have a considerable amount. I’m sure that they did, but I loved their fight.”

HOW PROUD WERE YOU OF YOUR TEAM IN THE 3RD QUARTER TO PUT THIS GAME IN DOUBT GOING INTO THE 4TH?

“I love this group. I love this group of coaches and kids. I love their fight, their spirit. Really, really proud. Frustrated that it didn’t feel like I did a good enough job to get us the win tonight. That stings. I hate it. I hate that feeling, but I’m proud as heck of these kids.

WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY?

“I thought we were pretty solid other than we gave up a big return, that hurt us. We got a foolish penalty that cost us field position. Outside of that, I thought special teams were pretty solid. We’re having to play Demario a few too many snaps. We’ve got to hopefully get Shedro back and some other guys back, rest them some. I thought special teams were solid, obviously a big blocked punt.”

WAS SHEDRO DINGED IN THE 2ND HALF?

“No, he got hurt in the first quarter and didn’t return.”

PLAYING WITH 2 BACKUP OFFENSIVE LINEMEN, WERE YOU PROUD OF HOW THAT GROUP PLAYED?

“We gave up some pressures that I have to see the film. You know, you’ve got to give some of that to them too. They’ve got a good D-Line, good rushers. Obviously, we put ourselves in a position to win. Rushed for almost 200 yards. I think that’s a solid effort against a Power Five team that’s ranked top 20 in the country.”

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO GO FOR 2?

“I didn’t plan it. I planned it before we started that possession. I said if we score, we are going to go for two and try to win it.”

DID IT MATTER HOW MUCH TIME WAS LEFT ON THE CLOCK?

“Probably not. I think we were just going to try to win it right there.”