Media Game Coverage on Sportspage Gleaner
LYNCHBURG, Va. - VMI Football jumped to a 1-0 start in Big South Conference play with a 10-7 win in a defensive struggle that was not decided until the final minute of regulation.
Liberty placekicker Zacry Kolegue missed a 28-yard field goal with :47 left that would have tied the game. The attempt hit the left upright and ricocheted back to the field. The Keydet offense ran the clock out to secure VMI's first conference win and first road league victory since a 19-10 win over Coastal Carolina on November 1, 2003.
The Keydet offense did not commit a turnover on the afternoon while the defense registered three sacks for -26 yards that disrupted the Flame offense.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Keydets opened the scoring on a 12-play, 90-yard drive that was topped by quarterback Jonathan Wilson's 34-yard scramble to the end zone with 8:54 left in the half. The play came on a third and 10 call, and Wilson eluded a Flame blitz and broke free down the right sideline before cutting back at the 10 and darting to the endzone. Barrett Way's extra point made it 7-0, VMI.
Way's fifth field goal of the season, a 33-yard attempt with :23 left in the half, put VMI up, 10-0 at halftime. The drive was set up by a pivotal Justin Huggard interception which halted a Liberty drive that had moved inside the VMI 10 yard-line moments before. Huggard stepped in front a Brock Farrel pass over the middle at the VMI 2 and returned it 22 yards to the VMI 24. Sophomore back Nat Jackson carried three times for 19 yards on the ensuing scoring drive and also nabbed a key 30-yard screen pass that moved the ball to the Liberty 20-yard line.
Liberty took its opening drive of the second half and marched 65 yards in nine plays to reach the endzone on a Marcus Hamilton three yard run. Farrel completed all three pass attempts for 43 yards on the drive including a 30-yarder to Lauren Williams that moved the ball to the VMI 14. The touchdown at the 10:33 mark of the third quarter ended a Liberty scoreless string of 227 minutes that dated back three-plus games.
The contest then settled into a defensive struggle with both teams having drives derailed by penalties and tackles for loss by opponent defenders. VMI had the ball for five possessions after Liberty's touchdown, but could get no closer than the Flame 33 with five minutes to go in the game.
The Flames started their final drive at their own 20 with 5:17 remaining; consecutive passes to Wynton Jackson for 23 yards and Brandon Turner for 28 yards moved the ball to the VMI 14. A botched quarterback draw two plays later that was corralled by Keydet end Charlie Liesfeld pushed the ball back to the VMI 17, and the Flames then netted a five-yard rush before Kolegue's 28-yard misfire.
The Keydets netted 125 yards on the ground for their best rushing effort since a 207 yard effort in the season opener against Davidson. Jackson led VMI in rushing with 65 yards on 16 carries while freshman Bryan Royster had 44 yards on 13 carries.
Wilson completed 14 of 21 passes for 120 yards while Zohn Burden shook off a nagging bruised knee and led VMI receivers with five catches for 43 yards.
Farrel completed 17 of 25 passes for 209 yards but was picked off twice.
Huggard led VMI in tackles with 14 stops including 2.5 TFL for 10 yards and an interception. Senior cornerback Titus Green had 11 tackles while sophomore Marcus Brown turned in his first career interception.
VMI returns home next Saturday to face league foe Charleston Southern at 1:00 p.m. on Parents Weekend. Liberty plays host to Chattanooga at 7:00 p.m. next Saturday.
VMI Head Coach Cal McCombs - "We took care of the ball on offense and when you take care of the ball, you have a chance. Last time we did this in a game was in 2002, so hopefully our team will see that when you take care of the ball, good things happened. On our touchdown, Jonathan took the ball and ran up the middle on a blitz. That was one of the best blitz beaters when you can turn it into a quarterback draw. We're going to have to score more than 10 points to win ball games. Our defense kept stepping up all day. On that last Liberty drive people may be thinking the momentum is going to turn, but our kids hung in the boat knowing that they weren't in the endzone yet. Charlie (Liesfeld) makes a big play and Titus (Green) made a big play on the option on the far side and they were forced to kick a field goal. Sometimes they make them, sometimes they don't. It was a hard fought win, it was conference play and we needed that win because of the league but we also needed a road win because you have to have them to have a chance at a decent season."
