Under Jamey Chadwell, Liberty has had one of the best rushing attacks in the country. In 2023, the Flames led the nation in rushing. This past season, Liberty ranked 4th in the country with 250.7 rushing yards per game. But it’s the passing game that saw the biggest droop in 2024 and what the team hopes to improve the most moving into 2025.
In Chadwell’s first season at Liberty, the Flames went 13-1 to win the CUSA Championship and advance to the Fiesta Bowl. Liberty had all that success behind an explosive offense. It wasn’t just the rushing attack but also the passing game that was prolific. In 2023, the Flames scored 38.3 points per game while passing for 205.9 yards each game and threw 32 touchdowns on the season. Those numbers all dropped pretty significantly in 2024 when Liberty scored 28.8 points per game, passed for 167.8 yards per game and had 16 passing touchdowns.
“The biggest thing when you look back on last season is we didn’t hit on as many explosive plays in the pass game as we did previously,” said Liberty Co-Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Willy Korn. “You are at your best when you are obviously effective at running the football. We are stressing being elite perimeter blockers because when those plays that are 5-6 yard gains become 10-12 yard gains, now the safeties are coming downhill, now your down the field passing plays become available to you. We are at our best when the play action is really good. Your tight ends have to be involved in that, we have to get them back going as part of that.”
Liberty will have a new quarterback in 2025, having brought in three newcomers in Ethan Vasko, Michael Merdinger, and Ethan Houck. Those three are competing this spring while returners Ryan Burger and Jayden Bradford are missing the spring due to injury. While one of those names will emerge as the team’s starter later in the off-season, the coaching staff has also been focusing on the pass catchers to help whoever the eventual starter will be.
Unlike last year, Liberty returns the majority of its pass catchers from 2024. Treon Sibley led the team with 28 receptions and 510 yards. He is gone, but all the other primary receivers are back – Elijah Canion, Reese Smith, Tyson Mobley, Donte Lee. That group combined for 82 receptions for 1,055 yards and 9 touchdowns, over 52% of the team’s production from last season. The Flames have also added two transfers to the room in Casey Cain and Jamari Person.
Cain is a 6’3″, 200 pound receiver originally from New Orleans. He began his collegiate career at Texas where he played in 22 games with 3 starts over 3 seasons for the Longhorns. After redshirting in 2021, Cain had 8 receptions for 201 yards as a redshirt-freshman in 2022. He posted four catches for a career-high 108 yards that season in the Alamo Bowl against Washington. In 2023, Cain had one reception for 13 yards at Texas before entering the portal and landing at UNLV. Last season for the Rebels, Cain had 7 receptions for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns while playing in 12 games and starting 5.
Person is a 6’1″, 200 pound receiver originally from Nashville, Tennessee. He played in 5 games during his freshman season in 2023 at Colorado State, including one start. He had 1 catch for 8 yards. This past season, Person played in 12 games and finished the season with 36 receptions for 386 yards and a touchdown. Person was second on the team for Colorado State last season in both catches and yards. Person’s high water mark this past year was 10 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown on Nov. 23 at Fresno State. He also caught 7 passes for 51 yards against Colorado on Sept. 14.
“We brought in two wide receivers, continuing to try to improve that room,” said Chadwell of Cain and Person. “Guys that can help us to make plays down field is big. I think the two guys, as far as attitude and work ethic, have been great. They both have good size. I think they both are good additions to what we already have in that room.”
Cain has missed the first half of spring practice as he continues to recover from an ankle injury suffered late in the year. He could return for the second half of spring practice. Person has been practicing and is already turning some heads with his production as an outside receiver.
“Jamari is the one the at is standing out,” said Liberty Co-Offensive Coordinator and RB Coach Newland Isaac. “More than anything, he’s making a ton of plays.”
Liberty has also moved Elijah Canion to the slot where he can be a matchup nightmare with his size. Canion, Mobley, and Lee should all be improved in 2025 as they move into their second year in the program. If he can stay healthy, Reese Smith could also grow into a go-to receiver.
The Flames have several pieces at wide receiver, some proven and some not. The 15 practices this spring will go a long way in determining how that room will look in the fall.
