Today, we turn our attention to the wide receivers in our position previews. Be sure to go back and check out all of our previous previews if you have missed any.
Defensive Line
Linebackers
Safeties
Corners
Special Teams
Tight Ends
The wide receiver position is a bit of question mark heading into the season. The Flames have plenty of talented weapons but injuries have been a concern for several of them in the past and those concerns linger into the start of the 2022 season. If the likes of Demario Douglas, CJ Yarbrough, Caleb Snead, and Noah Frith can stay healthy, this unit can be much deeper and better than last year’s group of receivers. Several of those names have been dinged up at times during the offseason.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “We have some guys that have been banged up but have been fighting through some injuries. I’ve been very proud of that. We have some guys like Noah, Brody Brumm, Khaleb Coleman, that have been very, very healthy, and they’re very productive throughout fall camp. Demario, we kind of limit some of his live action, just trying to keep him healthy. Steady for the most part with that group. We have an opportunity to be pretty effective with the receiver group with the experience that we have coming back, we just have to make sure we are doing our part on a consistent basis.”
Frontrunners
X WR 5 Noah Frith R-JR 6’4″ 200
Injuries have been a constant for Frith throughout his Liberty career and has impeded him from being able to take that next step at receiver for the Flames. To this point of the preseason, he has been able to remain healthy, and, if that remains the case, he will get plenty of reps and opportunities on the outside. Last season, he ended up playing in 12 games, starting four, while hauling in 16 passes for 189 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “This is the first time that I’ve been here that Noah is going to be ready for the first game. In 19, 20, and 21, he wasn’t ready for the first game. This will be the first year that he’s ready. The biggest hurdle Noah has jumped has been just his ability to play the next play. Noah is so hard on himself. When Noah screws up, before I get to him to explain what happened, he’s already telling me what’s going on. Sometimes that affects him in the next play and the next play and the next play. He’s gotten past it to the point where he can make a mistake, understand how to fix it, and play the next play. That has been the thing I’ve seen from Noah that stands out the most.”
H WR 3 Demario Douglas R-SO 5’8″ 170
Make no mistake about it, Demario is one of the best players on the team, and the Flames will do whatever they can to make sure he has the ball in his hands as much as possible. Despite being just a redshirt-sophomore, this is his fourth year in the program, and he has shown what he can do on the field. The past couple of seasons, he split time with DJ Stubbs in the slot, and still led the team in receptions and yards last year with 52 for 701 to go with 6 touchdowns. Now, he will step into a role that will feature him as the primary playmaker at receiver on the team.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “It’s time for us to really highlight what he can do for us. He’s a special talent. When he has the ball in his hands, the first guy rarely makes the tackle. We’ve got some guys to back him up a little bit as well when he needs a little blow, but Demario needs to be on the field, he needs to be on the field, that’s what we’re going to do with him this year.”
Z WR 4 CJ Daniels R-SO 6’2″ 205
Unfortunately, Daniels succumbed to an ACL injury on the first day of spring practice back in early March. He has yet to return to practice and there is no timetable for his return yet, though, shortly after the injury, Coach Freeze stated he is hopeful to have him ready as early as week one. Last season, Daniels led the team with 7 receiving touchdowns to go along with 37 receptions for 629 yards. Once he returns to the lineup, he will be on the field and has the versatility to play multiple spots at receiver, including in the slot to help alleviate the pressure on Douglas.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris- “I don’t want to rush him. He is super talented for us. He’s a leader on that field. Those guys respect him immensely. I don’t want to set that timetable for him so, now, if he doesn’t meet it, he’s feeling some kind of a way about himself. Whenever he gets back, he’s going to play for us, there’s no question about that. I don’t know the timetable. He has a really good understanding of our offense. He’s a big picture guy. He knows the quarterback reads, he understands O-Line, the way they are supposed to block. He’s a big picture guy, he understands all things well.”
Competition
X WR 17 Khaleb Coleman R-SR 6’2″ 230
A sixth-year senior, Coleman has fought through injuries much of his career at Liberty, and, because of that, has become somewhat of an afterthought in the receiver room. He has worked hard during the off-season to make sure that is not the case on the field this fall, and that hard work has begun to pay off during camp as he could end up as a starter for the Flames. Last year Coleman played in the final five games of the season after returning from injury, finishing with one reception for 63 yards and a touchdown. He showed promise as a redshirt-freshman in 2018 with 11 receptions for 126 yards, but he has yet to remain healthy and productive enough to stay on the field since that time to match that production. Coleman is hopeful that changes for his final season of eligibility.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “First of all, I’m impressed with his maturity from just being a man. He’s come a long way from just his social decisions, academics, and now it’s starting to pay off for him on the football field. Khaleb has always been a young man that has a skill-set that makes him an effective receiver. Knowing what we’re dong inc ertain situations was a thing that kind of hampered him at times. We track MA’s (Missed Assignments) every single day. Khaleb has yet to have an MA throughout this whole fall camp. I’m so excited for him from that perspective. The main thing about Khaleb, the talent has always been there, but can you trust him in certain situations. I believe, just because he’s gotten every other thing in order, now the football is in order. Not only is he buying into the culture, but he’s also leading guys, as well. I’m excited for him. I think the sky is the limit for him this season and more importantly for his life.”
H WR 6 Jaivian Lofton R-JR 6’1″ 200
Lofton was a highly rated JUCO prospect when he came to Liberty two years ago, but he has been bit by the injury bug during his time in Lynchburg. Last year, he played in just two games, finishing the year with three receptions for 51 yards and a score. Entering this season, Lofton has been moved to the slot to help provide some depth behind Demario Douglas.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “He was doing really well until he banged his knee up, but he was doing really well for us. He’s a taller guy in the slot that can stretch the field vertically. For a taller guy, he can get in and out of his breaks. That’s the main thing, can he stay healthy throughout the season, but we expect big things from Jaivian. When he’s healthy and moving right, he’s tough to handle, he really is.”
X WR 13 CJ Yarbrough R-JR 6’3″ 195
Yarbrough was thought by many to be the next star wide receiver for the Flames early in his career before injuries dampened his production in 2020. Following that season, he decided to step away from football, but he had a change of heart and decided to return to the team in the spring. He is still working back to full speed and knocking the rust off from a year away, especially after being slowed in the spring due to a hamstring injury, but Yarbrough has the potential to make a huge impact on the field.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “Leadership, focus, drive. He’s one of the better leaders, not only in the receiver room, but on our team. Guys want to listen to him because not only does he talk the talk but he walks the walk. He’s going to give great effort every single day. He’s started coming into his own. You can tell a little rust from being off a season, not really going through spring ball because of a hamstring injury. He’s coming into his own. Leadership, I depend on him for leadership, not just with the receiver room but our team. He’s one of the few guys that will speak his mind in a respectful manner and not really care what other people think.”
WR 19 Brody Brumm R-SR 6’0″ 200
Make no mistake, Brody Brumm will make an impact at wide receiver for Liberty this fall. He played in 13 games last year, with 8 grabs for 135 yards and a touchdown. Don’t be surprised if those numbers see a sharp uptick this year. Brumm is a safety blanket for Coach Harris and can fill in on the outside or in the slot.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “I really trust Brody to do everything in our offense – slot, outside. Brody is an amazing young man that has poured into the culture of this program to do whatever it takes to make sure that we’re being successful. He’s a sneaky athlete too. He’s been doing well for us.”
Z WR 8 Caleb Snead R-SR 6’3″ 205
Snead was an FCS All-American last year at Campbell, and big things are expected out of him now back in his hometown of Lynchburg for his final season of college eligibility. He is a big body target for the Liberty quarterbacks and is a threat in the red zone. Snead also has the ability to move to slot if needed.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “We coach every single play and every single motion that you make on that play. Sometimes that may be difficult for a young man to accept when they first get here. I think he’s getting over the hump from that perspective to know that we’re coaching the action but we love the player. Sometimes some guys can get that confused, for guys that are just coming into our program. We love every single guy that we coach, but we’re going to coach the action. Sometimes when we’re upset with the action, we’re going to let you know. I think he’s getting over that barrier right now, but he’s going to be a phenomenal football player. He has a skill-set that’s awesome and a mindset that is awesome when he’s locked in and focused.”
WR 21 Treon Sibley R-SO 6’0″ 210
Sibley has been able to carve out a nice role for himself at receiver for the Flames. He played in 12 games last year while making five starts and recording 6 catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. He could also help out at running back if the Flames have injuries there as he came into the program as a running back.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “He has steadily improved every single practice. He’s one of the guys we use because he’s bought into the technique of playing receiver. When he’s using great technique, when he’s getting open, he’s fast enough to pass guys. He doesn’t want to sit out (when he’s banged up), he wants to get in and compete. I love that about him. Treon has really come on from a standpoint of his play-making ability. A guy that we can trust outside. He’s a guy that I expect to make some big time plays for us this year.”
Depth
WR 31 Cole Peterlin SR 6’1″ 195
Peterlin seemingly came out of nowhere and was the most productive receiver on the field for the Flames in the open scrimmage this past Saturday. Of course, a lot of that work was against the second and third team defense. It will be interesting to watch his progress this season and see if he can get a crack at live reps on Saturdays.
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “Cole Peterlin is a walk-on who has been very impressive.”
WR 81 Markel Fortenberry FR 6’4″ 185
Wide receivers coach Maurice Harris – “When he knows what to do, he’s special. He’s going to be special. He can catch the football, strong hands, runs really good routes, just learning our system and focused in on every single play. Sometimes with those young guys, when they don’t know or aren’t sure, they kind of move a little slow at times, but when he’s locked in and focused and knows exactly what he’s doing, he’s good. That’s a good get for us.”
