Tyren Dupree. Noah Frith. Jonathan Graham. Brendan Schlittler.
That group is all sixth year seniors for Liberty football this season. They have had a first class seat to watch the Flames’ meteoric rise as a football program.
They have been a part of three coaching staffs, saw monumental wins, countless program firsts, and get to have their careers culminate with the VRBO Fiesta Bowl against No. 8 Oregon on January 1st.
Talk about stories they will have to share for the rest of their lives.
When these players were recruited to come to Lynchburg and play for the Flames, Liberty had just announced its intentions to move to the FBS level as an Independent. Turner Gill was the head coach. They bought the hope and dreams of the Flames being a successful FBS program. It was not a guarantee. They took the gamble.
In the current age of the transfer portal and NIL, all four of these could have easily decided to take an exit ramp and look for other opportunities. They didn’t. They decided to stay and finish their careers in the red, white, and blue. They will be Flames forever.
“I don’t know how to put it into words other than God’s grace,” Dupree said of his career. “Trusting in Him, that’s all you can do, especially in that long process of three coaches. I’ve had a new position coach like every year. Just learning to trust in God and know that there is a plan for all the madness. It’s truly a testimony to it right here.”
In their first year at Liberty, the Flames went 6-6 under Turner Gill and were ineligible for a bowl game as it was the program’s first year at the FBS level.
Then a coaching change occurred. Hugh Freeze took over. He helped lead the program to an 8-5 season and its first ever bowl game, a 23-19 win over Georgia Southern in the Cure Bowl.
In 2020, with Malik Willis at quarterback, the Flames had a monumental season, finishing 10-1 and ranked in the Top 25 with wins over Syracuse, Virginia Tech, and Coastal Carolina.
2021 saw another 8-5 campaign and a third straight bowl trip. In 2022, the Flames started 8-1 on the season with wins over BYU and Arkansas and were once again ranked in the Top 25.
Following the 2022 season, Freeze left for Auburn and Jamey Chadwell took over. This group decided to stay and finish out their career with the Flames, and boy have they been rewarded.
Liberty is 13-0 on the season, ranked as high as No. 18 depending on what poll you look at, won the program’s first ever FBS conference championship and now get to play in the Fiesta Bowl.
“In 2018, I used to wear my Liberty gear to the airport and people would ask me who was that and I’d have to explain myself,” Noah Frith explained. “Two years later, I used to have to do the same stuff. Now, they’re telling me, ‘Do you know Malik Willis? You guys are this or that,’ or ‘You guys win this and that,’ or ‘You guys won me this much money.’ I never really cared what people had to say in the first place. We’re blessed. I am happy we’re getting some nod, but, at the end of the day, we always knew we were this good.”
Dupree has grown into a team leader and one of the best players not just on the Liberty defense but in all of Conference USA. He was acknowledged as the CUSA Defensive Player of the Year for his performance this season where he finished with 115 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, a fumble recovery and 2 interceptions. He ranks 27th nationally in total tackles.
Frith has battled through injuries throughout his career. He has frequently shown his ability to be a game changing receiver. This season, he has stayed relatively healthy and has 17 receptions for 323 yards and 3 scores. He was very productive in the Flames’ win over New Mexico State in the CUSA Championship Game, finishing with 5 catches for 60 yards and a score.
Graham has become a mainstay at left guard for the Flames this season. He’s part of the best unit on the field for Liberty, helping pave the way for the best rushing offense in the country.
When Schlittler went down to injury during fall camp, it was a big blow to the team. It would have been easy for him to check out mentally, but he stay engaged and became an extra coach from the sidelines.
“God is good all the time,” said Frith. “Our last game ended in 2018 with Norfolk State and that was it. We went home. It’s just been a journey. I’m not going to say I didn’t think we could do it, but we are so blessed. It’s just been a journey. I’m so grateful that I’m a part of it. It’s all I could ever ask for.”
More than all of their production on the field, this group has been key in their leadership within the locker room. They bought into this new coaching staff early on and pointed their teammates in the right direction. All of their hard work has paid off as they finish their careers as an undefeated Top 25 conference champion heading to a New Year’s Six bowl.
“They all had a choice to stay or they could have left,” said Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell. “They chose to stay and buy in to what we’re building here in our program. Asked them to stay with us and have an opportunity to make history being the first team in a conference and having an opportunity to play for a conference championship. They made a choice to do that. They made a choice to be leaders and they are being rewarded for that, which is awesome. No matter what happens going forward, they will always be remembered as the team that laid the foundation of what we will hopefully accomplish during our time here in Conference USA.
