Not only is Liberty having to replace its best ever wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden and its best ever quarterback Buckshot Calvert in 2020, the Flames also have to overcome the loss of the program’s career leader in all-purpose yardage Frankie Hickson.
Hickson rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons, Liberty’s first as an FBS member while he finished his career 4th on the school’s career rushing list.
Yet, despite his loss, Liberty’s coaching staff feels the running back room is arguably the deepest on the roster at the beginning of training camp.
“You got J-Mack and Peytton (Pickett) back that are older kids that are experienced, and then you add to that Troy Henderson and Shedro Louis, you’ve got two speed guys there and Frank Boyd,” Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said when asked which position he is most confident in right now. “I think you’ve got 5 guys that can handle it there. They take care of the ball, they catch the ball well, I think we’re pretty solid there.”
The cupboard certainly isn’t bare. The Flames return two seniors in Joshua Mack and Peytton Pickett. Mack rushed for 792 yards and 7 touchdowns last season and was the FCS leading rusher in 2017 at Maine. Pickett rushed for 457 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2018 before being pushed to third string last year.
Additionally, Liberty has a couple promising youngsters in its stable of running backs. Redshirt-sophomore Troy Henderson saw playing time in 8 games last season finishing with 10 rushes for 87 yards and a touchdown as well as 3 receptions for 33 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Kick returner Shedro Louis made his mark in the return game as a true freshman in 2019, and this offseason he moved from wide receiver to running back. Both Louis and Henderson provide game-breaking explosiveness not common to a Liberty backfield.
“How do you replace a guy like Frankie Hickson,” running backs coach Bruce Johnson asked. “Well, you have Shedro who is in the room now. We got him in the spring. That’s one way. Making sure that J-Mack is doing the things he’s supposed to on the field, that’s another way. Troy Henderson is another way, and Peytton Pickett, those 4 guys, and then there’s one more like Frank Boyd, but those 4 guys I just named, all those guys will give us something different in that room.”
Mack will be the unquestioned starter this season, and Johnson says he will give Pickett the second series of the game to begin with. The Flames will then ride the hot hand with Henderson and Louis looking to find their opportunities as the season progresses.
“Had Mack not fumbled in that first game, I think he would have had more (carries),” said Johnson. “He finished with like 800 yards rushing where Hickson had 1,000. I think we can do the same thing with (Mack and Pickett), and then Shedro and Troy can add something to it.”
*photo courtesy Liberty Athletics
