Some quick-hit stuff today from Liberty:

—The men’s basketball program added a late recruit and has lost one of its players from the class signed in the spring. Asaad Woods, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound wing from Mesa Mountain View High School in suburban Phoenix (the alma mater of Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap) signed a national letter of intent with Liberty Saturday morning.

The website ArizonaPreps.com called Woods one of “the top unsigned prospects this offseason,“ and the site lauded Liberty assistant coach Brian Joyce for his recruitment of Woods. Woods was also looking at Longwood.

The Arizona Republic named Woods an honorable mention player on its Class 5A (largest schools) all-state team. Woods’ team went 25-6 and advanced to the semifinals of the 5A-I tournament (4A and 5A in Arizona are split into two divisions.)

He averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds per game as a senior.

“He’s a big wing who is versatile and has a really good feel for the game,“ Liberty coach Dale Layer said. “He can score it, handle it and pass it, and he has a defensive presence.“

Here’s ArizonaPreps.com’s scouting report on Woods:

“Woods is a rare find in the state of Arizona. Not just because of his variety of skill sets on the basketball court, but also because of his nice size and ability to play a multiple amount of positions on the floor. Woods has very good physical size and strength, already possessing a Division-I ready body. Woods has a very good overall feel for the game, as he is capable of handling the basketball in the half-court set or in the open floor, and is also capable of scoring around the basket or away from the basket. A left hander, Woods shoots the basketball best from mid-range but is also capable of stepping out to three-point distance, although he needs more work in this area of his game to reach his full potential as a player. Where Woods flourishes though, is in his ability to distribute the basketball to open teammates while drawing defenses to himself off the dribble. He is also a very unselfish player, which should fare very nicely at the collegiate level. Woods is also a very good rebounder, especially on the offensive end of the floor where he utilizes his strong body to gain good inside position. He is also an excellent on-the-ball defender and is capable of becoming a lock-down defender in college. A very good looking sleeper prospect.“

—Woods took the scholarship that was meant for guard Chris Johnson, who is not in school and didn’t make it to Liberty because of an academic issue, Liberty coach Dale Layer said. Johnson was a junior-college transfer from Kilgore College in Texas who was originally from North Preston, Nova Scotia in Canada.

Moving on to some football news:

—Flames’ wide receiver Ervin Garner sustained an MCL strain in his left knee Tuesday at practice and will be out for at least the next two weeks, but Flames coach Danny Rocco didn’t rule out Garner playing in the Sept. 4 opener against St. Francis, though it’s more likely Garner could return for the Sept. 11 game at Ball State.

Rocco said there was no ligament damage in the knee. Garner was wearing a protective knee brace during practice and had an ice bag on his knee afterward Wednesday.

In Garner’s place, Pat Kelly moves into a starting role in some packages, specifically three-receiver sets. Gabe Henderson, Greg Pratt and Kyle DeArmond will get reps in specialty situations, like when Liberty runs four receivers out on the field.

—Cornerback Donald Manns missed practice Wednesday with a sore foot tendon. “It looks like he could be good by the end of the week,“ Rocco said. Kevin Fogg is getting a lot of reps with the first-team defense in practice in Manns’ place.

—A player to watch on the defensive line is redshirt freshman Cory Freeman, who figures into the defensive end rotation with seniors Pat Bannon, Terry Adams and Daryl Robertson.

“Cory looks like he’s got a lot of upside potential,“ Rocco said.

—Watched a good deal of the punt return drills today, and the players who fielded punts, in order, were: B.J. Hayes, Ron Hobby and Fogg. No Mike Brown, today at least.

—The Flames will practice Saturday at City Stadium, the Flames’ temporary home field while the new press tower continues to be built. The practice will begin at noon as Rocco wants to simulate playing a noon game on the grass field, much like the team will a week from Saturday when St. Francis visits.

—Rocco said the team will dress in the locker room at Williams Stadium for that game and then bus to City Stadium. Then, they’ll return to Williams Stadium afterward to shower and dress. This is understandable. Anyone who has been in the Hillcats clubhouse—which will be the Flames’ locker room—can attest to the fact that the quarters are rather snug. And that’s for a 25-man baseball team. Imagine trying to stuff close to a 100 football players in there.