Summer break has officially concluded for the Liberty Flames, who returned to campus on Thursday for the opening of training camp. Liberty will hold its first preseason practice of 2021 on Friday as hype and expectation have surrounded the Liberty Football Center in recent months.
The Flames earned the program’s first-ever top 25 national ranking, finishing No. 17 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll after a 10-1. With 20+ starters back from the postseason appearance, headlined by Heisman Trophy candidate Malik Willis, Liberty is being projected as a fringe top 25 team and one of the top non-Power Five team in the country.
Despite the preseason accolades, there are still plenty of matters to be worked out during the 16 camp practices. Ten such questions — as well as some insight into their potential answers — are listed below.
Who will step in at WR?
It’s been a summer full of question marks at wide receiver. Will CJ Yarbrough be back? Is Austin Ogunmakin going to be on the team? What’s the status of JJ Holloman? Can Noah Frith stay healthy? Can CJ Daniels and Kevin Shaa handle the workload on the outside?
We’ve gotten the answer to several of those as Yarbrough has moved on from football and Ogunmakin is not on the roster. The rest are still to be decided. Holloman has been on Liberty’s campus much of the summer working out with the team, but finalizing his transfer from FIU, his second transfer after previously leaving Georgia, has proven difficult. The rest will be answered as training camp and the season unfolds.
How will Malik Willis improve?
The Liberty signal caller has gotten nothing been hype the past few months, but if you ask him or Coach Freeze they would say he has several areas of improvement to make. Will his decision making improve? Can the timing of his dropbacks improve? Can he take another step as a passer?
Will LB prove to be as reliable as the 2020 group?
Entering the 2020 campaign, linebacker was the biggest question mark and seen as the biggest weakness. Charlotte grad transfer Anthony Butler and Aaron Pierre developed into a strong leading unit and the group was anything but a weakness. Butler is trying his hand at the NFL and many other new names have arrived at the position. Can Rashaad Harding step into Butler’s roles? Can Ahmad Walker prove reliable as a true freshman? Will the depth be improved?
How will TJ Green fit in at running back?
Green has the talent and could take Liberty’s rushing attack to an entirely new level this season, but how will he fit in with Joshua Mack and Shedro Louis? Will all three push each other and improve each other? Green and Mack each have the potential to be 1,000 yard backs and Louis is an explosive change of pace back. The Flames have the potential to be lethal out of the backfield.
Who will be the backup QB?
Has Johnathan Bennett solidified himself after Chris Ferguson’s exit from the program? Could we see Tennessee transfer Kaidon Salter make a push or will Freeze want to preserve his season of eligibility? Having a starting quarterback who likes to make plays with his legs as much as Willis does, makes the backup quarterback spot more important than most times would like to admit.
How will the safety room shake out?
This unit has a new coach for a third straight season under Freeze and defensive coordinator Scott Symons as Jack Curtis takes over the duties. Liberty has also welcomed in several new faces to the position room as well. We all know what to expect out of starter Javon Scruggs. Washington State transfer Skyler Thomas has all the makings of being one of the best defensive players on the team. What about the rest of the depth at the position? Is Quinton Reese ready to take on an increased role? Is Rocket Rahimi ready to compete at the FBS level? Juawan Treadwell, Cedric Stone, and Benjamin Alexander also provide some experience and depth for the Flames here.
Can the defense be even better than last season?
The improvement Liberty’s defense has made under Coach Symons the past two seasons can’t be put into words. The defense has gone from a significant team weakness to keeping the team in games when the offense has struggled to point points on the board. The final stats and numbers from 2020 seem almost too hard to duplicate, but there is still plenty for the defense to improve upon. Will this unit be even better than the 2020 version? It certainly has the potential.
Which freshmen will break through?
For the third straight season, Liberty welcomes its most talented freshman class in school history. But, this time, the Flames are talented and deep across the board. Will there be room for anyone to break into the lineup? Will someone be too good to keep off the field? Wide receiver Kylen Austin, defensive end/linebacker Kaci Seegars, linebacker Ahmad Walker, and defensive lineman Khristian Zachary are the most likely candidates for playing time and names to keep an eye on during camp.
Which transfers make an immediate impact?
In addition to those freshmen, Coach Freeze has played the transfer portal masterfully, bringing in countless numbers of talented transfers into the program. We’ve already mentioned Holloman, Salter, Green, Harding, and Thomas. Other names to watch include corner Daijahn Anthony, defensive tackle Jay Hardy, linebacker Storey Jackson, and corner Duron Lowe. Wow, all those returnees plus all this added talent? This roster is much deeper and more talented than we’ve ever seen at Liberty.
How will the Flames handle the increased expectations?
We’ve discussed this several times this offseason and it will continue to be a story leading into the season. The Flames are now on the national radar and will have many more eyes on them throughout the year than ever before. How will the coaching staff and players handle those expectations? How will they handle the first time they encounter adversity?
