The Flames conclude the regular season -- and their final at the FCS level -- against Charleston Southern. The finale is scheduled for noon on Nov. 18 in North Charleston.

CHARLESTON SOUTHERN BUCCANEERS

COACH: Mark Tucker, 0-0, fifth season at CSU (first as head coach)

2016 RECORD: 7-4, 4-1, tied for first in the Big South

POSTSEASON: lost at Wofford, 15-14, in FCS first round

Charleston Southern overcame a heartbreaking loss to Gardner-Webb early in Big South Conference play to run the table and deliver convincing victories over Liberty and Kennesaw State to earn a second consecutive trip to the FCS playoffs.

However, the Buccaneers need to replace the production of running backs Mike Holloway, Darius Hammond and Mike Robinson in the option attack, and Mark Tucker has taken over the coaching duties after Jamey Chadwell left to join the staff at Coastal Carolina.

QB Shane Bucenell (59.3 completion percentage, 1,100 yards, 15 TD, 6 INT; 88 carries, 325 yards, 3.7 average, 4 TD)

WR Kameron Brown (27 catches, 540 yards, 20.0 average, 6 TD)

DE Anthony Ellis (45 tackles, 16.0 TFL, 7.0 sacks, 1 PBU, 8 QBH, 2 FF)

LB Solomon Brown (70 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 7 PBU, 8 QBH, 1 FF, 1 block)

LB Zane Cruz (49 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 PBU, 5 QBH, 1 FR)

K Tyler Tekac (43-45 PAT, 4-6 FG, 38 long, 0 blocked)

RB Mike Holloway (105 carries, 881 yards, 8.4 average, 9 TD; 13 catches, 169 yards, 13.0 average, 2 TD)

RB Darius Hammond (100 carries, 576 yards, 5.8 average, 4 TD; 15 kick returns, 506 yards, 33.7 average; 21 punt returns, 225 yards, 10.7 average)

WR Colton Korn (15 catches, 235 yards, 15.7 average, 3 TD)

DB Troy McGowens (30 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 4 INT, 4 PBU, 1 FR)

DB Corbin Jackson (57 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 PBU)

P Truett Burns (48 punts, 37.7 average, 61 long, 16 I20, 4 50+, 1 TB, 0 blocked)

1. Whos toting the rock?

Gone are Mike Holloway, Darius Hammond and Ben Robinson. Its the second time in three seasons there is uncertainty at running back (remember when Christian Reyes graduated and people wondered the same thing?). The Buccaneers will continue to run the option offense under Tucker and he expects there to be plenty of battles. Chanin Hamilton and Ronnie Harris, both redshirt-sophomores, are currently slated atop the depth chart, with true freshman and midyear enrollee Elijah Henry and senior Noah Shuler, a transfer from Division III Methodist, in the hunt for carries.

We feel like weve recruited well. We have two upperclassmen returning that have played meaningful snaps in meaningful games; they just havent play near of them, Tucker said. We dealt with this two years ago when Christian Reyes graduated, and we had this group that just graduated out and that was their opportunity to shine. It gives our upperclassmen and some young guys opportunities to shine. Were just like everybody else in the room. Were dealing with running back and secondary.

Were going to have plenty of competition. Weve got kids that can flat go. How good a job they do of buying in and how good a job do we do of teaching and well see where it all comes out.

The Buccaneers lost two defensive backs to graduation, which means the front seven will continue to cause problems for opposing offenses. Ellis, Brown and Cruz anchor the 3-4 defense, which will have a new playbook under new defensive coordinator Zane Vance.

With the intensity, theres a lot of players buying into that, buying into what the coaches are saying, what theyre trying to teach us, the plays defensively, we have a whole new playbook, so the plays are different, Ellis said.

3. New mentality under Tucker.

Tucker has made it a focal point for the players to not be satisfied with back-to-back playoff appearances. He has established his style of coaching and the players have bought in.

This spring, coach Tuck made it a point to keep that intensity and increase it, Cirone said. I think change-wise, there is a slight change. Its definitely for the better, I believe. I think coach Tuck has the right mentality on where he wants to bring the program.

Charleston Southern had a Big South-leading three players named to the STATS FCS preseason All-America team Ellis, first team; Brown, second team; Cirone, third team. In the series against Liberty, CSU has scored 31 or more points in three straight victories after reaching that threshold only twice in the first 21 meetings. The Buccaneers ranked sixth in the FCS in rushing offense, averaging 266.5 yards per game. After having two guarantee games last season against North Dakota State and Florida State, CSU opens the season with a guarantee game at Mississippi State. CSU has two players on the roster with Virginia ties -- redshirt-sophomore kicker Kyle Reighard (Salem High School outside of Roanoke) and redshirt-freshman linebacker Malik Wright (Colonial Forge High School in Stafford).

Charleston Southern athletics: @csusports

Charleston Southern football: @CSUFB

Jeff Hartsell, who mostly covers The Citadel but sometimes covers CSU for the Post & Courier: @Jeff_fromthePC

Scott Eisberg, sports director at WCIV TV in Charleston: @SEisbergWCIV

Sept. 2: at Mississippi State, 4 p.m.

Sept. 9: at South Carolina State, 6 p.m.

Sept. 16: at Elon, 6 p.m.

Sept. 30: MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE, 6 p.m.

Oct. 14: at Presbyterian, noon

Oct. 21: SAVANNAH STATE, 6 p.m.

Oct. 28: MONMOUTH, 6 p.m.

Nov. 4: at Gardner-Webb, noon

Nov. 11: at Kennesaw State, 3:30 p.m.

THE SERIES (home team in CAPS)

1993: LIBERTY 42, Charleston Southern 6

1994: LIBERTY 59, Charleston Southern 27

1995: Liberty 19, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 15

1996: LIBERTY 38, Charleston Southern 7

1997: Liberty 48, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 14

1998: LIBERTY 28, Charleston Southern 21

1999: Liberty 34, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 14

2000: Charleston Southern 25, LIBERTY 0

2001: Liberty 45, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 31

2002: LIBERTY 31, Charleston Southern 17

2003: Liberty 17, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 6

2004: LIBERTY 34, Charleston Southern 6

2005: CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 31, Liberty 30

2006: LIBERTY 34, Charleston Southern 20

2007: Liberty 50, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 10

2008: LIBERTY 42, Charleston Southern 0

2009: Liberty 20, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 13

2010: LIBERTY 44, Charleston Southern 20

2011: Liberty 38, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 16

2012: LIBERTY 26, Charleston Southern 12

2013: Liberty 56, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 14

2014: Charleston Southern 38, LIBERTY 36

2015: CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 31, Liberty 24

2016: Charleston Southern 48, LIBERTY 26

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Get to know a '17 Liberty opponent: Charleston Southern - Lynchburg News and Advance (blog)