Following the bye week, Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze met with the media Monday afternoon. Here are some of his main talking points:

BYE WEEK

“We enjoyed the off week. It was very, very much needed for our football team.”

“It was good to get a rest too. Unfortunately, most of our coaches didn’t get to, but I was able to get caught up on a lot of things in the office and in recruiting and at the same time get some rest. Hopefully, it will help me for the rest of this year.”

On the team’s schedule last week – “(We) got back (from New Mexico State) early Sunday morning. All Sunday off other than treatment. We treated Monday like a Sunday so it was just film, no practice. Then, we practiced Tuesday, Wednesday. Thursday our coaches hit the road, and (strength coach) Dom (Studzinski) and I had a conditioning session with them Thursday. They were off Friday and Saturday, and then we had an abbreviated Tuesday practice yesterday.”

SEASON TWO BEGINS NOW

“In my mind, we’re beginning season two. Our kids hear me talk about that, I always segment the season into three different categories. This is season two for us, we’re 0-0 and got a four game stretch, three of which are on the road. We start off at home against a Maine football team that is a scary team to me. They know how to win, final four team last year in the FCS ranks.”

“(Season two) starts with a home game that is very, very critical for us in the season because of the stretch of games we have after it on the road. This is a critical game in our season, in my mind, and it’s the only one that I look at. I really want to get after it and set the tone for this season.”

“I’ve looked at every tendency we have offensively and defensively. Coaches are creatures of habit, we have to force ourselves to try and break some of our tendencies. That will be the goal of the first few games of this second season.”

TIVO & VEGETABLE SOUP

“I think the greatest invention in my lifetime is TiVo. I TiVo so many games. I don’t always get to go back and watch all of it, but I have them there in case I have time. I was able to see most of our opponents, maybe not the entire game, but to see some of that, and then watch some of my friends coach as well and see some good quality football and have my notepad there in case there’s something I see that’s new and different. I enjoy those Saturdays I’m not sweating and making decisions whether it’s to go for it on 4th down or what play to call on 3rd down. Those are nice to watch other people do that and you not have to. It was a restful Saturday. My wife made me (vegetable) soup, which I love. I probably had 5, 6, 7 bowls of it, but I ate it for breakfast lunch and dinner. It was a good day.”

HAVEN’T HIT STRIDE OFFENSIVELY YET, TEMPO RETURNING?

“We’re fortunate to win the four games feeling the way we haven’t hit our stride yet offensively. We’re close, I’ll always believe that. You might see more tempo in a few of these games if we’re healthy on defense, which I think would help me, Buckshot, our offense, and our receivers.”

INJURY UPDATE

“We were extremely beat up. Fortunately, it’s nothing that is long term. We feel like we have a chance to get everyone back before the game this Saturday, that’s our hope, particularly defensively. The only offensive guy we had was Sam (Isaacson). He practiced (Sunday). I think we’re all the way there.”

“Secondary wise, I expect everyone to be back. Defensive line – (Devonte) Lloyd and (William) Green, we’re trying probably to preserve their year. I don’t know that we can, don’t write that I said that’s done or anything. We’re halfway through, if we could somehow save their year to give us depth moving forward in the D-Line, I think it would be advantageous for us.”