Roughneck93
09-04-2015, 08:09 AM
Columbia not overlooking improved Liberty
Posted: Friday, September 4, 2015 2:00 am
By EVAN DUNBAR evan.dunbar@thefacts.com (evan.dunbar@thefacts.com)
WEST COLUMBIA — For a program that is consistently successful, sometimes its toughest challenge each week is getting motivated to play a team that may not be on its level talent-wise.
Such is the dilemma for the Columbia Roughnecks this week, as the team returns home to face Liberty (1-0), a squad that finished just 1-8 last season. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. today at Griggs Field in West Columbia.
The contest will be broadcast on legacysportsnetwork.com (http://legacysportsnetwork.com/).
The ’Necks (1-0) handled the Panthers with ease last season, winning, 49-20,* in the teams’ first-ever meeting. Columbia coach Randy Lynch said this isn’t same Liberty team from a year ago and that his team needs to be ready to play.
“Liberty has improved. They have been down, but they have eight starters returning on both sides of the ball,” Lynch said. “(Liberty head coach Chad Taylor) has a big senior class and they had a big win last week. They played really, really well.”
Lynch was referring to the Panthers’ 41-6 win over Anahuac last week, ending a four-game losing streak from last season.
“It’s another challenge for us,” Lynch said. “(Taylor) has been counting on this class to have a big year and they showed up last week.”
For the ’Necks, cleaning up some miscues will be key to a successful night, as the team racked up 140 yards in penalties in its Week 1, 29-15 win over Hallettsville.
“We want to eliminate the penalties,” Lynch said. “Two of them were 30 yards for unsportsmanlike (conduct), as the referee thought our defense was simulating (Halletsville’s) snap count. We were just yelling out motions and other calls and we weren’t actually doing that. It was a misunderstanding.”
Despite that, Lynch said his team’s sloppiness is still a concern, and there is no excuse for having as many penalties as his team had.
“You could tell it was the first game of the season a little bit,” Lynch said. “When we false start in practice, we do push-ups. We are always working on that kind of stuff. There are definitely some things we need to clean up.”
As far as Columbia’s game plan is concerned, Lynch said his team will continue to pound the ball on the ground with Dakarius Bell, who ran for 166 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries against Hallettsville, but Lynch said he also wants to find more balance with the passing game.
“We want to continue to run the football, but we want to try to be more balanced,” Lynch said. “We only threw eight passes last week and I think we can do more there.
“We are a running team, it’s been what we do. We have always been a running team. That is is the identity of Columbia football.”
Lynch said his team will not overlook the Panthers and said having the game be his team’s home opener is helping his team with their focus and intensity.
“The kids are excited about returning home,” Lynch said. “A lot of these kids know what is at stake and they know we have to go in each and every night and execute. We have a bunch of two-year lettermen and even a few three-year lettermen. They know that if you don’t execute properly, you won’t win.”
http://thefacts.com/sports/article_0decaaf1-bee4-5bd3-a68b-c08e621ad55b.html
Posted: Friday, September 4, 2015 2:00 am
By EVAN DUNBAR evan.dunbar@thefacts.com (evan.dunbar@thefacts.com)
WEST COLUMBIA — For a program that is consistently successful, sometimes its toughest challenge each week is getting motivated to play a team that may not be on its level talent-wise.
Such is the dilemma for the Columbia Roughnecks this week, as the team returns home to face Liberty (1-0), a squad that finished just 1-8 last season. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. today at Griggs Field in West Columbia.
The contest will be broadcast on legacysportsnetwork.com (http://legacysportsnetwork.com/).
The ’Necks (1-0) handled the Panthers with ease last season, winning, 49-20,* in the teams’ first-ever meeting. Columbia coach Randy Lynch said this isn’t same Liberty team from a year ago and that his team needs to be ready to play.
“Liberty has improved. They have been down, but they have eight starters returning on both sides of the ball,” Lynch said. “(Liberty head coach Chad Taylor) has a big senior class and they had a big win last week. They played really, really well.”
Lynch was referring to the Panthers’ 41-6 win over Anahuac last week, ending a four-game losing streak from last season.
“It’s another challenge for us,” Lynch said. “(Taylor) has been counting on this class to have a big year and they showed up last week.”
For the ’Necks, cleaning up some miscues will be key to a successful night, as the team racked up 140 yards in penalties in its Week 1, 29-15 win over Hallettsville.
“We want to eliminate the penalties,” Lynch said. “Two of them were 30 yards for unsportsmanlike (conduct), as the referee thought our defense was simulating (Halletsville’s) snap count. We were just yelling out motions and other calls and we weren’t actually doing that. It was a misunderstanding.”
Despite that, Lynch said his team’s sloppiness is still a concern, and there is no excuse for having as many penalties as his team had.
“You could tell it was the first game of the season a little bit,” Lynch said. “When we false start in practice, we do push-ups. We are always working on that kind of stuff. There are definitely some things we need to clean up.”
As far as Columbia’s game plan is concerned, Lynch said his team will continue to pound the ball on the ground with Dakarius Bell, who ran for 166 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries against Hallettsville, but Lynch said he also wants to find more balance with the passing game.
“We want to continue to run the football, but we want to try to be more balanced,” Lynch said. “We only threw eight passes last week and I think we can do more there.
“We are a running team, it’s been what we do. We have always been a running team. That is is the identity of Columbia football.”
Lynch said his team will not overlook the Panthers and said having the game be his team’s home opener is helping his team with their focus and intensity.
“The kids are excited about returning home,” Lynch said. “A lot of these kids know what is at stake and they know we have to go in each and every night and execute. We have a bunch of two-year lettermen and even a few three-year lettermen. They know that if you don’t execute properly, you won’t win.”
http://thefacts.com/sports/article_0decaaf1-bee4-5bd3-a68b-c08e621ad55b.html