Orange Extra: Give Us Liberty!

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It's a Saturday of firsts for the Syracuse football team when the Orange open their season at Liberty on Saturday, Aug. 31. It's the kickoff of the program's 130th campaign and a season starter that comes with much anticipation. Here's a quick look at what to watch for when the Orange and Flames take the field:

FIRST(S) OF ALL
Below is a listing of firsts related to Saturday's matchup:

Syracuse and Liberty are squaring off for the first time on the gridiron.
The Orange represent the first Power-Five team to play at Williams Stadium.
Liberty will be hosting a ranked FBS opponent for the first time.
Syracuse enters a season opener as a ranked team for the first time since the 1998 campaign.
On the Liberty side, this will be Coach Hugh Freeze's first game in charge of the Flames.
The 2019 season is Liberty's first as a full-fledged FBS member.
The Flames are seeking the program's first victory against a ranked FBS foe and the first triumph versus a member of the ACC.

MR. FREEZE
Hugh Freeze is recognized as one of the most innovative offensive coaches in college football. He assumed the helm at Liberty after head-coaching stints at Ole Miss, Arkansas State and Lambuth. He has produced a 42-32 overall record as a college football head coach.

Freeze was named the 2009 AFCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year and the Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year after guiding Lambuth to a 12-1 mark. The successful season earned him a job offer at Arkansas State. He led the 2011 Red Wolves to a 10-2 record and earned Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year.

His next stop was at Ole Miss. During his tenure he guided the Rebels into the 2014 Peach Bowl and the 2016 Sugar Bowl. Freeze's squad was 10-3 and defeated five nationally-ranked opponents in 2015.

MARQUEE MATCHUP: SYRACUSE DEFENSE VS. LIBERTY OFFENSE
Season starters always carry unique challenges, not the least of which is preparing for a team that hasn't played an official game in at least eight months. In the case of Syracuse's coaches scheming against Liberty, the Orange staff is up against a foe with a new coach – which equates to no game film on Liberty with Hugh Freeze calling the shots.

Syracuse's defense versus Liberty's offense is a broad matchup to dissect, but represents the basic tug-of-war that will take place on Saturday.

Syracuse's defensive unit features a number of quality assets:

Defensive ends Kendall Coleman and Alton Robinson, who evenly split 20 quarterback sacks last season. They represent two of six returning FBS players who posted double-digit sack totals in 2018. Robinson is on the 2019 Bednarik and Nagurski Award watch lists, recognition presented to the defensive player of the year.
Defensive coordinator Brian Ward. The Orange defense has made steady improvement in each of Ward's three seasons in charge. Syracuse has shaved an average of 11.6 points and 62.5 rushing yards per game from 2016 to 2018.
Preseason All-American free safety Andre Cisco, the nation's leader in interceptions a year ago.
Strong safety Evan Foster, who is expected to make his 26th consecutive appearance with the first string.

Liberty counters with its own star-studded unit:

The Flames' offense features quarterback Stephen Calvert, a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher Frankie Hickson and Antonio Gandy-Golden, who accumulated 1,000+ yards of receptions in 2018.
Calvert, who tossed 21 touchdown passes a Fall ago, is on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Preseason Watch List.
Gandy-Golden represents the Flames on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.
Eight returning starters from the 2018 campaign.

If Syracuse is able to employ a formula it used with great success in 2018 – limiting the opposition's third-down conversions and winning the turnover battle – the outcome should be favorable for the Orange. For Liberty to pull the historic upset, the Flames are likely going to have to put points on the board. A lot of them.

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Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Andre Cisco

Kendall Coleman

Evan Foster

Alton Robinson

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