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By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
2016 was business as usual for the Liberty Eagles.
Another 10-win season? Check.
Another SCA title? Check.
All-State quarterback? Check.
Season-ending loss to Lamar? Check.
If Lamar didn’t exist, MV-BT/Liberty would likely have two or three rings by now.
The Eagles are 98-17 in the last nine seasons and six of those losses have come against Lamar in the playoffs.
Still, that doesn’t change the fact that Liberty Football has been one of Missouri’s best recently, claiming four consecutive conference championships and district titles in eight of the last nine years.
Liberty returns 16 starters entering the 2017 season, but must fill in the void left by three departing all-staters.
Josh Pruett became a Liberty legend over the last three years, finishing his career with 9,712 total yards and 137 touchdowns in that time, leading Liberty to a 35-4 record in that time.
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Backfield mate Marcos Rodriguez put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and was a standout defensively. Brenton Bush had 1,949 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns last year, while also being the most productive defensive back in the SCA.
But, it won’t be a rebuild for Liberty, just a reload.
This will be one of the biggest, most experienced offensive lines Acklin has had in years with four starters returning led by Chase Smith. All four of those returners weigh-in at 230lbs or more.
Senior Caleb Clark, Junior Brodyn Kenaga and sophomore Devin Wallander will return as starters to the offensive line, joining Smith to form a unit that led the way for Liberty to average nearly 400 yards per game.
“Chase has been a starter for Liberty since he was a freshman,” said Acklin. “He is our anchor at left offensive tackle but has played every position on the OL except center. Smith can play multiple positions on defense, from DL, DE, or any LB position. Being versatile is one of his attributes that makes him a great football player.”
Smith will also lead a defense that held opponents to one score or less six times last year, including six shutouts.
Liberty’s play up front will dictate its success, as will the health of senior Koel Orchard.
Orchard will be a four-year starter when all is said and done, with his elite speed making him a home run threat every time he touches the ball. As a freshman and sophomore he primarily played running back. Last year he lined up all over the field, racking up 837 total yards and 14 touchdowns.
He also picked off five passes and finished with more than 100 tackles defensively.
“Koel was all-everything last year and we expect the same this year,” said Acklin. “He can play multiple positions on offense and defense. Orchard will play everything from RB, WR, and QB on offense and can play anything from DE, LB, CB, and FS.”
Acklin suggested that this year his offense could look as run-heavy as Thayer, or could be as pass-happy as Glendale based on who the Eagles are playing on that particular Friday night.
Several Eagles are poised for breakout seasons.
Kenaga has the size and length at 6-foot-4, 230lbs to create havoc on both sides of the line. Expect him to build on his 18 tackles for loss and six sacks.
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With Bush graduating and Orchard likely playing several different positions, look for Jackson Connor (Sr.), Colton Foster (Jr.) and Ethan Smith (So.) to shoulder much of the burden in the receiving game. Junior tight end Andrew Holden will also see an uptick in production as a matchup nightmare against opposing linebackers and safeties due to his 6-foot-4 frame.
Liberty has lost just one SCA game since 2013, which came against Ava. The Eagles have won seven straight against Mountain Grove and haven’t lost a game in Grove, the site of the 2017 regular-season meeting, since 2008.
The road to the SCA crown still goes through Liberty, but Acklin is confident this will be an extremely competitive year in the conference.
“It never gets any easier in the SCA,” said Acklin. “Mountain Grove has a lot of talent returning at the skill positions, Thayer is always one of the best Class 1 teams in Missouri, Salem will be much better than some may think and Ava has the ingredients to have a very solid year because of their size, speed and experience.”
Liberty opens the season on Aug. 18 at Cape Girardeau Central. The Eagles home open is in Week 2 vs. Aurora.
