Flames Football coaches sat down for a series of “Rise With Us” video interviews about Liberty’s transition to the FBS. See more interviews at LibertyFlames.com.
What are some of the differences you’ve seen from before Liberty announced it was headed to the FBS to now, as the Flames embark on the first season with FBS status?
Head Coach Turner Gill:
“Now that Liberty is playing at the highest level, there is excitement from fans all across the country. High school coaches, principals, and athletic directors want to listen to us a little bit more, and (prospective recruits) say, ‘I’ve been waiting for a school that is truly an evangelical, Christian university that I want to go to and play at the highest level in football.’ They want to come visit us and see our university, so that’s exciting, not just from the athletic side of it, but from the student side.”
Talking to these prospects who may not know much about Liberty, how often does it happen that once they get here, they say, “Coach, you weren’t kidding. This place is phenomenal.”
Assistant Coach Marshall Roberts (defensive backs):
“There are so many people around this country that have no clue about this hidden gem. What you really push for is ‘Just come.’ What I tell them is, ‘Get to know the people who are going to invest in your life, get to know the atmosphere that is going to transition you from a boy to a man.’ But for the most part you’ve just got to get them here and walk around this campus. This is a special place.”
What are your thoughts on how the stadium renovations will change the game-day atmosphere, and how exciting is this for the program?
Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Joe Dailey:
“We’ve always had a phenomenal game-day atmosphere here, so once this tower gets built and the other side is filled with students and fans on game day, I can’t even really imagine what it’s going to be like. It was awesome with just that lower tier, but now that we’ve got this whole thing closed in, it’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be amazing. I can’t wait for that first kickoff to see what it looks like from the (coaches’) box.”
Assistant Coach Kyle DeArmon (wide receivers):
“I’ve been to a lot of places as a player and now as a coach, and I really feel like we have one of the best home environments and home atmospheres. Now with the stadium expansion, we just know that the student section is going to be taken up a notch, and the home crowd and the Lynchburg locals and the alumni base — everyone’s really, really excited. It’s just an electric atmosphere. It’s loud. You’ve got fireworks, you’ve got everything going on. It’s a great place to play. I loved playing here as a student-athlete. And now to coach and to stand on the sidelines and take a second to look around and see what has been built even since I’ve been here, is pretty special.”
How does it feel to be an FBS quarterback? Do you feel the fanbase “rising” with you?
Stephen “Buckshot” Calvert:
“It’s a dream come true; it’s what I’ve been striving for my whole life. Just being a part of this program and being the first actual team to be a part of the FBS transition here, it’s a wonderful feeling right now for the coaches and the team itself and for everyone around us. We have a lot of support, and as you see, it started with just the indoor practice facility, and now we’re moving on to the stadium being expanded. It’s just a great time to be a Flame. We’ve got great days coming; it’s going to be an exciting year, and everybody is looking forward to it. We just have to look at it as we’re all together — God has us on this team for a reason, and that’s to glorify Him and be successful on the field.”
