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Has Liberty only been an FBS program for eight years?
Considering how important the program has been, it seems like it's been a part of the Group of Five/Six world for a whole lot longer.
And also ... has it only been three years since Liberty was 13-0 going into a New Year's Six Fiesta Bowl date with Oregon?
After everything seemed to be business as usual in 2024 with a 5-0 start, things started to fall apart. The Flames went 7-11 since then, but this season is when the program should be back to its normal high standard.
Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Liberty Flames head coach Jamey Chadwell reacts from the sidelines during the second quarter against the Oregon Ducks in the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Last year's 4-8 run was the worst season in the eight years by two wins - the campaign never got going, and it ended with a thud.
But it's Liberty.
It's able to get the transfers and talent other Conference USA programs can't even look at, there's a ton of returning experience, and after a few years off, everything cranks back up.
Running backs coach Newland Isaac takes over the offensive coordinator duties from an attack that needs a scoring spark.
Last year's offense put up yards, but it couldn't score enough - the Flames went 1-6 when failing to get past 27 points.
This year's attack has way more experience and upside.
The hope is that the time logged in means more consistent production. It starts with an offensive line that wasn't great in pass protection, but powered away for the ground attack.
Four starters are back, with guard Alex Birchmeier from Penn State filling in the gap at guard. This bunch will look great because ...
The running back room is loaded. Top running back Evan Dickens and his 1,339 yards and 16 touchdowns are off to Boston College, but there's no worry whatsoever with Kanye Udoh (Arizona State), Kam Davis (Florida State), Peyton Jones (Duke), and Terron Kellman (Wyoming) all proven backs who can produce.
Downfield plays. The passing game wasn't accurate or consistent enough, but the attack was great at pushing the ball down the field.
No one was better in Conference USA at hitting the deep shots in an offense that averaged 13.5 yards per completion.
The quarterbacks. Starter Ethan Vasko came in from Coastal Carolina and threw for close to 2,000 yards and ten scores, but he only hit 57% of his passes with 12 interceptions.
In comes Deshawn Purdie, a big option from Wake Forest with a little bit of experience, and Jaylen Henderson, a big, mobile option who'll get every shot at the gig.
The receiving corps lost leading man Donte Lee to Texas Tech, and now it's up to second-leading receiver Jamari Pearson to become more of a factor.
Makai Jackson (Indiana), Rashawn Cunningham (Charleston Southern), and Refeno Vangates (NC Central) all have to be great right away.
The turnovers have to slow down. It's not even that the offense turned it over 21 times; it's the problem with the bulk mistakes that screwed things up.
The Flames gave it up three or more times in four games and went 1-7 when turning it over and 3-1 when they were error-free.
Kanye Udoh, RB Jr.
The 6-1, 220-pound thumper started his career with over 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns in two seasons at Army, and was supposed to be a big deal last year with Arizona State. He got in a little bit of work, but he wasn't a main man in the rotation.
In a loaded group of Liberty backs, he should be a workhorse at times.
The offense was fine - it was just uneven. The defense was even more up and down, but it's about to attack more under former Virginia Tech assistant Shawn Quinn as the new defensive coordinator.
The front six is loaded with returning veterans, the secondary is mostly transfers, and the pieces are all there to be far better than the 69th-best defense in America.
The bulk of transfers for the secondary should be okay. There isn't a superstar in the group, but Boston College cornerback Ashton McShane is an instant starter, and safeties Ashton Whitner (Ball State) and D-Icey Hopkins (Georgia State) should be among the team's leading tacklers.
The pass rush should improve. It's more about style than talent - the overall group in place is good enough to get into the backfield on a regular basis.
Brenton Williams is a former Auburn Tiger with SEC tools. He was second on the team with three sacks last season, and Aaron Hester has the athleticism to play a bigger role on the other side.
Leading tackler Derrell Farrar is back after coming up with 71 tackles with a sack, and Aidan Vaughan is a promising 6-3, 220-pound middle linebacker with range. These two should be all over the place, with veterans Micah Pollard and Ethan Crisp adding more size in the rotation.
The pass rush should be better - it can't be any worse. The Flames were 120th in the nation with 16 sacks and 126th in tackles for loss.
Even worse, ten of those sacks came in three games. That was part of the reason the team was so bad at coming up with ...
Third down stops. This was a maddening killer last year. The Flames couldn't stay in several games because they couldn't get the defense off the field.
They allowed teams to convert 50% or more of their tries six times, including the last three games, all losses. Only two teams - a bad UTEP squad, and Maine from the FCS - were held to under 35%.
There's some bulk up front, but not enough. That's sort of by design for a defense that wants a good rotation of active and athletic playmakers.
Even so, it would be nice to have a few giant bodies on the inside to hold up against the run, and none of the tackles are pushing past 300 pounds.
Derrell Farrar, LB Jr.
Enough veterans are back on defense to not need a ton of true alpha leadership types, but Farrar has four years of experience under his belt - the first three at App State - and proved last year that he can be a tough guy playmaker in the linebacking corps.
Not only will he likely lead the team in tackles again, but he'll almost certainly get into the backfield more.
Ethan Vasko, QB Sr.
Or Jaylen Henderson, or Deshawn Purdie, or any of the other quarterback options. The Flames like all-around playmakers at the position, but all that really matters to get better is a 60-plus % completion rate.
None of the other current quarterbacks is known for their crisp accuracy.
To hammer away at this, completing passes
The Flames were 4-1 when completing better than 55% of their passes, and 0-7 when they didn't.
The running backs will take the pressure off the quarterbacks in what should be another balanced attack.
Now the passers have to move the chains and hit the short and midrange throws, not just bomb away for the big ones.
at James Madison, September 5
Liberty doesn't play Power Four teams - actually, it's more like the other way around since no one wants to deal with a Flame program good enough to pull off a non-conference upset - so James Madison counts as the biggest team on the slate.
It might sound crazy considering Liberty just went 4-8, but beat the Dukes on the road to open things up, and it's possible to dream of really, really big things - like a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Liberty once again nailed it when it came to bringing in Power Four-level talents looking for more playing time.
This is the rare Group of Six program that usually wins the transfer portal. There weren't any crippling losses, and the talent coming in will quickly fill in the gaps on offense and take over the secondary on the other side.
Makai Jackson, WR (Indiana)
The 6-0, 200-pound slot target is tough with the ball in his hands, with the ability to crank up big plays.
He only caught three passes for Indiana last year, but before that, he made 73 grabs for 1,163 yards and seven scores - averaging 16 yards a catch - with App State. He'll help replace ...
Donte Lee, Jr., WR (Texas Tech)
He's one of the few transfers who hurts.
He's a 6-3 deep threat who averaged 17.5 yards per catch on 42 grabs with six scores over his two years with Liberty. Now he'll be part of the Texas Tech passing attack.
Last year was just a blip, right?
Head coach Jamey Chadwell was dealing with private health issues - obviously, that's far more important than anything football related - and everything appears to be fine. On the field ...
The offense that needed a while to get up to speed should be better and sharper, and the defense that struggled late in the season is more experienced and deeper.
The Flames should be back to their winning ways as long as they don't have any major hiccups.
CFN Prediction: 8-4
Four of the losses were by one score each. There was an inexcusable loss at Bowling Green early on, as it turned out, losses to James Madison and Old Dominion from the Sun Belt were better than they seemed at the time.
Missing Jacksonville State from the conference schedule is a plus, the road games aren't that bad outside of the non-conference date at James Madison and a CUSA trip to Kennesaw State.
With the right tweaks and breaks, it could be 2023 all over again.
Continue reading...
Considering how important the program has been, it seems like it's been a part of the Group of Five/Six world for a whole lot longer.
And also ... has it only been three years since Liberty was 13-0 going into a New Year's Six Fiesta Bowl date with Oregon?
After everything seemed to be business as usual in 2024 with a 5-0 start, things started to fall apart. The Flames went 7-11 since then, but this season is when the program should be back to its normal high standard.
Liberty Is Too Good To Stay Down For Long
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Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Liberty Flames head coach Jamey Chadwell reacts from the sidelines during the second quarter against the Oregon Ducks in the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Last year's 4-8 run was the worst season in the eight years by two wins - the campaign never got going, and it ended with a thud.
But it's Liberty.
It's able to get the transfers and talent other Conference USA programs can't even look at, there's a ton of returning experience, and after a few years off, everything cranks back up.
Liberty Quick Hits
- Head Coach: Jamey Chadwell (4th year, 25-13; 9th year overall, 64-35)
- Best Case / Worst Case: Win Conference USA and push for a College Football Playoff spot/struggle and end up fighting for a bowl game
- Key Player: Ethan Vasko, QB Sr. (or whoever wins the quarterback battle)
- 2025 Record: 4-8
- Biggest Question: Can Liberty's quarterback play be better and more consistent?
Liberty Key 2025 Stats
- Total Offense: Liberty 4,674 yards, Opponents 4,510 yards
- Liberty Passing Offense: 2,356 yards, Rushing Offense: 2,328 yards
- Liberty 1st Quarter Points Allowed: 37, 4th Quarter Points Allowed: 107
Offense
Running backs coach Newland Isaac takes over the offensive coordinator duties from an attack that needs a scoring spark.
Last year's offense put up yards, but it couldn't score enough - the Flames went 1-6 when failing to get past 27 points.
This year's attack has way more experience and upside.
What’s Working
The hope is that the time logged in means more consistent production. It starts with an offensive line that wasn't great in pass protection, but powered away for the ground attack.
Four starters are back, with guard Alex Birchmeier from Penn State filling in the gap at guard. This bunch will look great because ...
The running back room is loaded. Top running back Evan Dickens and his 1,339 yards and 16 touchdowns are off to Boston College, but there's no worry whatsoever with Kanye Udoh (Arizona State), Kam Davis (Florida State), Peyton Jones (Duke), and Terron Kellman (Wyoming) all proven backs who can produce.
Downfield plays. The passing game wasn't accurate or consistent enough, but the attack was great at pushing the ball down the field.
No one was better in Conference USA at hitting the deep shots in an offense that averaged 13.5 yards per completion.
What Needs Work
The quarterbacks. Starter Ethan Vasko came in from Coastal Carolina and threw for close to 2,000 yards and ten scores, but he only hit 57% of his passes with 12 interceptions.
In comes Deshawn Purdie, a big option from Wake Forest with a little bit of experience, and Jaylen Henderson, a big, mobile option who'll get every shot at the gig.
The receiving corps lost leading man Donte Lee to Texas Tech, and now it's up to second-leading receiver Jamari Pearson to become more of a factor.
Makai Jackson (Indiana), Rashawn Cunningham (Charleston Southern), and Refeno Vangates (NC Central) all have to be great right away.
The turnovers have to slow down. It's not even that the offense turned it over 21 times; it's the problem with the bulk mistakes that screwed things up.
The Flames gave it up three or more times in four games and went 1-7 when turning it over and 3-1 when they were error-free.
Player to Watch
Kanye Udoh, RB Jr.
The 6-1, 220-pound thumper started his career with over 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns in two seasons at Army, and was supposed to be a big deal last year with Arizona State. He got in a little bit of work, but he wasn't a main man in the rotation.
In a loaded group of Liberty backs, he should be a workhorse at times.
Defense
The offense was fine - it was just uneven. The defense was even more up and down, but it's about to attack more under former Virginia Tech assistant Shawn Quinn as the new defensive coordinator.
The front six is loaded with returning veterans, the secondary is mostly transfers, and the pieces are all there to be far better than the 69th-best defense in America.
What’s Working
The bulk of transfers for the secondary should be okay. There isn't a superstar in the group, but Boston College cornerback Ashton McShane is an instant starter, and safeties Ashton Whitner (Ball State) and D-Icey Hopkins (Georgia State) should be among the team's leading tacklers.
The pass rush should improve. It's more about style than talent - the overall group in place is good enough to get into the backfield on a regular basis.
Brenton Williams is a former Auburn Tiger with SEC tools. He was second on the team with three sacks last season, and Aaron Hester has the athleticism to play a bigger role on the other side.
Leading tackler Derrell Farrar is back after coming up with 71 tackles with a sack, and Aidan Vaughan is a promising 6-3, 220-pound middle linebacker with range. These two should be all over the place, with veterans Micah Pollard and Ethan Crisp adding more size in the rotation.
What Needs Work
The pass rush should be better - it can't be any worse. The Flames were 120th in the nation with 16 sacks and 126th in tackles for loss.
Even worse, ten of those sacks came in three games. That was part of the reason the team was so bad at coming up with ...
Third down stops. This was a maddening killer last year. The Flames couldn't stay in several games because they couldn't get the defense off the field.
They allowed teams to convert 50% or more of their tries six times, including the last three games, all losses. Only two teams - a bad UTEP squad, and Maine from the FCS - were held to under 35%.
There's some bulk up front, but not enough. That's sort of by design for a defense that wants a good rotation of active and athletic playmakers.
Even so, it would be nice to have a few giant bodies on the inside to hold up against the run, and none of the tackles are pushing past 300 pounds.
Player to Watch
Derrell Farrar, LB Jr.
Enough veterans are back on defense to not need a ton of true alpha leadership types, but Farrar has four years of experience under his belt - the first three at App State - and proved last year that he can be a tough guy playmaker in the linebacking corps.
Not only will he likely lead the team in tackles again, but he'll almost certainly get into the backfield more.
Keys to the Season
- Complete more passes and keep the offense consistently moving.
- Generate more of a pass rush and be more disruptive overall defensively.
- The secondary has to be fine with almost all transfers taking over starting jobs.
Player Who Needs To Shine
Ethan Vasko, QB Sr.
Or Jaylen Henderson, or Deshawn Purdie, or any of the other quarterback options. The Flames like all-around playmakers at the position, but all that really matters to get better is a 60-plus % completion rate.
None of the other current quarterbacks is known for their crisp accuracy.
Biggest Concern
To hammer away at this, completing passes
The Flames were 4-1 when completing better than 55% of their passes, and 0-7 when they didn't.
The running backs will take the pressure off the quarterbacks in what should be another balanced attack.
Now the passers have to move the chains and hit the short and midrange throws, not just bomb away for the big ones.
Biggest Game
at James Madison, September 5
Liberty doesn't play Power Four teams - actually, it's more like the other way around since no one wants to deal with a Flame program good enough to pull off a non-conference upset - so James Madison counts as the biggest team on the slate.
It might sound crazy considering Liberty just went 4-8, but beat the Dukes on the road to open things up, and it's possible to dream of really, really big things - like a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Transfer Portal
Liberty once again nailed it when it came to bringing in Power Four-level talents looking for more playing time.
This is the rare Group of Six program that usually wins the transfer portal. There weren't any crippling losses, and the talent coming in will quickly fill in the gaps on offense and take over the secondary on the other side.
Best Signing
Makai Jackson, WR (Indiana)
The 6-0, 200-pound slot target is tough with the ball in his hands, with the ability to crank up big plays.
He only caught three passes for Indiana last year, but before that, he made 73 grabs for 1,163 yards and seven scores - averaging 16 yards a catch - with App State. He'll help replace ...
Biggest Loss
Donte Lee, Jr., WR (Texas Tech)
He's one of the few transfers who hurts.
He's a 6-3 deep threat who averaged 17.5 yards per catch on 42 grabs with six scores over his two years with Liberty. Now he'll be part of the Texas Tech passing attack.
Other Names to Know
- Ashton McShane, CB (Boston College)
- Alex Birchmeier, OG (Penn State)
- D-Icey Hopkins, S (Georgia State)
CFN Season Prediction
Last year was just a blip, right?
Head coach Jamey Chadwell was dealing with private health issues - obviously, that's far more important than anything football related - and everything appears to be fine. On the field ...
The offense that needed a while to get up to speed should be better and sharper, and the defense that struggled late in the season is more experienced and deeper.
The Flames should be back to their winning ways as long as they don't have any major hiccups.
CFN Prediction: 8-4
Four of the losses were by one score each. There was an inexcusable loss at Bowling Green early on, as it turned out, losses to James Madison and Old Dominion from the Sun Belt were better than they seemed at the time.
Missing Jacksonville State from the conference schedule is a plus, the road games aren't that bad outside of the non-conference date at James Madison and a CUSA trip to Kennesaw State.
With the right tweaks and breaks, it could be 2023 all over again.
Continue reading...
