Liberty Football Preview 2025: The Flames Will Keep Winning

Miami Herald

2 days ago

The bar is set a whole lot higher for Liberty than it is for most programs.The school has only been doing the FBS thing for seven seasons. In that time, it hasn't had a losing season, has gone to six bowl games, a Fiesta Bowl, and has a conference title - it was an independent for the first five seasons.Even in Conference USA, it's not a given to win lots of games every year. Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, and Western Kentucky have known success, but no one has been able to establish a solid run like Liberty has. And right now, in CUSA, no one has the ho-hum-just-win-at-least-eight-games expectations.
It helps that the Flames play schedules that you and ten friends could win six games against, but that's partly because the 2022 team screwed everything up. When you lose at Wake Forest and Virginia Tech by a total of two points, blow out BYU, and leave Arkansas with a big paycheck and a win, programs aren't going to want to play you.
And that's not the worst thing in the world. The Liberty schedule might be full of scrimmages, but that's the deal. The 2025 team, unlike the 2024 version, has to be able to take advantage of the slate.It lost a ton of key parts - especially on the D line - to the transfer portal, but the program does a decent job of quickly filling gaps. This is the most talented team in CUSA, Jamey Chadwell is a right-coach-right-program fit, and it should be another don't-take-routine-success-for-granted great year.
Liberty Flames Preview 2025: Offense
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- Liberty Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season- It was a strange year for the Flame offense. It was fourth in the nation in rushing, but it had a hard time completing passes. It moved the ball and led Conference USA in third down conversions, but stalled way too often. Star quarterback Kaidon Salter is gone to Colorado, but …- Ethan Vasko (Coastal Carolina) is good, but he doesn't solve the accuracy issues. He can run, and he'll get hot, but he gave away nine picks for the Chanticleers. Ryan Burger was the No. 2 man last year - he knows the system.
- Star receiver Treon Sibley are gone, but this is CUSA's best receiving corps. Elijah Canion is a dangerous veteran on the outside, Reese Smith is a big play target inside, and Tyson Mobley should do even more. Starting tight end Jacob Jenkins is back after catching ten passes with two scores.
- The line isn't a rock, but it's good enough. The team's best blockers are gone - Xavior Gray to Northwestern and Jordan White to Vanderbilt - but Aaron Fenimore is the league's best center, Jack Tucker is back at left tackle, and there's decent depth to push for the other three spots.- Leading rushers Quinton Cooley and Billy Lucas combined for close to 2,200 yards and 18 touchdowns, and Kaidon Salter's 579 yards are gone, too. Julian Gray has been more of a return man than a runner, but he'll be dangerous along with Caden Williams to pound away.
Liberty Flames Preview 2025: Defense
- There wasn't enough of a pass rush, and there were issues taking the ball away, but the defense was solid. The transfer portal dropped a hammer on certain parts, though, especially on the line.- Jay Hardy would've been a main man at tackle, but he took off for Auburn. TJ Bush was the leading playmaker behind the line, but he's gone to Cal. Landing Aaron Hester (Florida State) will help on the outside, but CJ Bazile will be the star of the pass rushing show.The inside is the concern, though, with Hardy done along with Chris Boti (Arkansas State). No pressure, Bryce Dixon, but hold up as the anchor of the line.
- Joseph Carter led the team with 88 tackles and will once again be among the best linebackers in CUSA. The options are limited around him, but Deuce Spurlock (Florida) has the pressure on his shoulders to be a statistical star.- It'll be disappointing if the corners aren't one of the team's biggest strengths. The starting combination of Dexter Ricks and Amarian Williams is back after coming up with five picks. There are plenty of options and good depth, but they're the rocks.The safeties are just as strong - A'Khori Jones and Quinton Reese are All-CUSA veterans who can hit. Eldric Griffin is about to bust out as the full-time free safety.- Liberty Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season
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