(Photo Credit: The News and Advance)
Key Players Returning:
WR Elijah Canion, WR Tyson Mobley, TE Jacob Jenkins, OC Aaron Fenimore, OT Jack Tucker, DE CJ Brazile Jr., DT Bryce Dixon, LB Joseph Carter, CB Dexter Ricks Jr., CB Amarian Williams, FS/PR Brylan Green, SB A’Khori Jones, KR Julian Gray, and PT Max Morgan.
Key Players Departing:
QB Kaidon Salter, RB Quinton Cooley, RB Billy Lucas, WR Treon Sibley, TE Bentley Hanshaw, OG John Paul Flores, OG Jordan White, OT Xavior Gray, DE TJ Bush, NT Chris Boti, LB Jahmar Brown, LB Jerome Jolly Jr., FS Quinton Reese, and PK Colin Karhu.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Jayon Coleman (Houma, Louisiana).
3 Star Recruits: DE Samuel Cohen (Richmond, Virginia), QB Ethan Houck (Brunswick, Maryland), WR Casey Cain (UNLV transfer), QB Michael Merdinger (North Carolina transfer), WR Nasir Newkirk (Greensboro, North Carolina), WR Bryce Randolph (Wesley Chapel, Florida), OL Gabe Smith (Alpharetta, Georgia), ATH La’Mychael Gunn (Auburn, Alabama), and DL Kam Cullins (Kennesaw, Georgia).
2024 Results:
G01 CAMPBELL W 41-24
G02 @ New Mexico State W 20-24
G03 UTEP W 28-10
G04 EAST CAROLINA W 35-24
G05 @ App State Canceled
G06 FIU W/OT 31-24
G07 @ Kennesaw State L 24-27
G08 JAX STATE L 21-31
G09 @ Middle Tennessee W 37-17
G10 @ UMASS W/OT 35-34
G11 WESTERN KENTUCKY W 38-21
G12 @ Sam Houston L 18-20
BOWL vs. Buffalo L 7-26
Team Info:
2024 Overall: 8-4 (4th in CUSA)
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-1
CUSA: 5-3
Non-CUSA: 3-1
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze
Liberty: 21-5
Bowls: 2-3
Career: 120-62
(Photo Credit: Lynchburg News and Advance)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Ryan Burger (8-19, 88 yards, 42.1%, 4.6 avg., 0 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Vaughn Blue (35 car., 207 yards, 5.9 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Tyson Mobley (29 rec., 276 yards, 9.5 avg., 1 TD)
TD’s Scored: Billy Lucas (5)
Sacks: CJ Bazile Jr. (2)
Tackles: Joseph Carter (88)
Interceptions: Amarian Williams (3)
Pass Deflections: Joseph Carter/A’Khori Jones (3)
Tackles For Loss: CJ Bazile Jr./J. Carter/A. Jones (5)
Forced Fumbles: Dexter Ricks Jr. (2)
Kick Returns: Julian Gray (17 ret., 348 yards, 20.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Brylan Green (9 ret., 122 yards, 13.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Max Morgan (43 punts, 1822 yards, 42.4 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 15 Ethan Vasko (RS JR/TR)
RB: 1 Julian Gray (RS SR/TR)
WR: 2 Casey Cain (RS JR/TR)
WR: 5 Elijah Canion (RS SR/TR)
WR: 6 Reese Smith (RS SR)
TE: 84 Jacob Jenkins (RS SR/TR)
LT: 75 Jack Tucker (RS SR/TR)
LG: 51 DJ Geth (RS SR/TR)
OC: 61 Aaron Fenimore (RS SO)
RG: 55 Harrison Hayes (RS SR)
RT: 56 Christian Williams (RS JR/TR)
KR: 1 Julian Gray (RS SR/TR)
PK: 85 Brayden Beck (RS SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 57 Aaron Hester (RS JR/TR)
DT: 99 Bryce Dixon (SR)
NT: 93 Eli Hall (RS JR/TR)
DE: 11 CJ Bazile Jr. (SR)
LB: 25 Joseph Carter (RS SR)
LB: 11 Derrell Farrar (RS JR/TR)
NB: 6 Christian Bodnar (RS SO)
CB: 26 Amarian Williams (RS SR)
CB: 20 Dexter Ricks Jr. (RS JR)
FS: 15 Brylan Green (SR)
SS: 29 A’Khori Jones (SR)
PR: 1 Julian Gray (RS SR/TR)
PT: 37 Max Morgan (RS SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/30 MAINE BLACK BEARS | The series is tied 1-1. The Flames won (59-44) the last meeting in 2019, and they lost (20-42) the inaugural meeting in 1992.
09/13 @ Bowling Green Falcons | The series is tied 1-1. The Flames won (34-24) the last meeting in 2023, and they lost (3-62) the inaugural meeting in 2003.
09/20 JAMES MADISON DUKES | Liberty trails the series 6-12. The Flames won (26-21) the last meeting in 2014, and they lost (24-27) the prior meeting in 2011.
09/27 @ Old Dominion Monarchs | Liberty leads the series 4-1. The Flames won (38-10) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (38-24) the prior meeting in 2022.
09/06 @ Jacksonville State Gamecocks | Liberty trails the series 1-5. The Flames lost (21-31) last season’s meeting, and they won (31-13) the prior meeting in 2023.
10/08 UTEP MINERS | Liberty leads the series 2-0. The Flames won (28-10) last season’s meeting, and they won (42-28) the inaugural meeting in 2023.
10/14 NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES | Liberty leads the series 6-2. The Flames won (30-24) last season’s meeting, and they won (49-45) the prior meeting in 2023.
11/01 DELAWARE BLUE HENS | First meeting.
11/08 MISSOURI STATE BEARS | The series is tied 1-1. The Flames won (27-19) the last meeting in 1994, and they lost (20-31) the inaugural meeting in 1989.
11/15 @ Florida International Panthers | Liberty leads the series 3-0. The Flames won (31-24 OT) last season’s meeting, and they won (38-6) the prior meeting in 2023.
11/22 @ Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | Liberty won (56-30) the only prior meeting in 2023.
11/29 KENNESAW STATE OWLS | The series is tied 2-2. The Flames lost (24-27) last season’s meeting, and they lost (28-42) the prior meeting in 2017.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Away: 4-1
Neutral: 1-0
CUSA: 7-1
Non-CUSA: 5-0
Overall: 12-1 (1st in CUSA/CUSA Champions – Bowl Eligible)
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