As he continues to recover from back surgery during training camp, Liberty head football coach Hugh Freeze met with the media for the first time this season on Thursday following the team’s practice in preparation for the team’s Saturday night game against New Mexico.

KEY WORD THIS WEEK WAS HABITS

“I felt like our habits were better in practice this week. Hopefully, that’s a result of us knowing we have a great battle on our hands Saturday night, and we need to execute in order to win this football game.”

INJURY UPDATE

“We’re not letting (CB Bejour Wilson) go live, but we’re expecting him to play. I would say it’s day-to-day, but our expectation is for him to play a certain number of snaps.”

“(S) Isaac (Steele) is ready to go. (CB Emanuel) Dabney is probably a no go.”

“(Chris) Megginson moved back to corner, his natural position, leaving Tayvion (Land) at safety. That will give us a little more depth at corner. He’s looked good this week, Megginson. He’s natural at corner, our young freshmen continue to impress.”

“(DE) Brayden Monday is back, so is (S) Rion Davis. (DT) Devonte Lloyd is out, but (DT) Elisha Mitchell is back. One of these days we will have them all and be able to rotate them. I wish we were a little deeper in the back end.”

“Lloyd is dealing with a bulging disc in his back, nothing long term, hadn’t been able to practice, so I wouldn’t feel comfortable playing him. Elisha’s gotten all the reps this week.”

“(DT) William Green not close to playing, that stress fracture has been a bear for him. It’s just not getting better.”

WR Noah Frith

WR NOAH FRITH IS BACK

“Excited about getting him back. Kevin Shaa has been phenomenal, having a really good year, but now you add Noah back where Shaa doesn’t have to play every single snap. You get another big body when you get in your bigger sets down in red zone or wherever. It’s a little easier for those big bodies outside like he and AGG than it is for Shaa where he doesn’t have room to work. Noah had an outstanding spring and fall camp, real excited to get him back.”

BACKUP QB UPDATE

On Johnathan Bennett who had his surgery this week –  “He’s in great spirits. He’s really a mature kid for a freshman. It’s a freak deal that happened, he certainly wishes he was able to be our backup quarterback, but he’s started rehab. He and I were in there together yesterday.”

“Brandon (Robinson) and Landon (Brown) are tit for tat, it could go either way with them. Probably the edge to Brandon right now because the things we’ve already done with him in the run game, but both have gotten reps this week in case their number is called. I feel there is a central package that (Robinson) would be able to focus in really well.”

ON THE RUN GAME

“We have to have the appearance that we are running the ball. I just want to take what the defense gives. I truthfully call probably more run plays than pass plays, but we throw them sometimes. I do expect us to be better at running it this week. This defense is hard to run against. Notre Dame, the only way they ran it really was quarterback runs which we’re not this year. That’s not who we are right now.”

ON THE DEFENSE’S PREPARATION

“I’m curious how today went because I haven’t talked to them, I was with the offense inside, they were outside. I will watch it tonight. I feel good about the plan. Offensive football today has changed for most people. It’s hard to stop offenses that are really in the new age. Unfortunately for us, (UNM OC Joe) Dailey understands that. He has answers, just like ours. It’s going to be very hard to completely stop them. We don’t expect that. We’ve got to be really good in the red zone, try to keep them out of the end zone, make them kick field goals.”

ON HIS CONTINUED IMPROVED HEALTH

“We’re 2-0 in the NASCAR pit box. I’m feeling a lot better like I could get out of the way if i need to, but our kids and coaches are like, ‘You might want to stay in the pit box one more week.’ I haven’t made that decision yet. I will probably be in the pit box one more week. I may change my mind, that’s probably the wisest thing to do.”

Freeze was at practice all week this week without the assistance of a golf cart or walker for the first time since he was admitted to the hospital early on during training camp in August.