Flames look to build off successful fall season

While the calendars may say otherwise, spring has sprung for Liberty University football. The Flames are moving toward their upcoming spring game at full speed, with the defense being a major focus. 

Since Feb. 9, the Flames have been on the practice field with high hopes for the upcoming year. After last season came to an end in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Liberty fans are anticipating another incredible year under Head Coach Jamey Chadwell. He and his staff have taken a winning program and turned it into a nationally respected one. However, the team looks a little different now from how it did a few months ago. 

With longevity comes familiarity. Entering into his second season at Liberty, defensive coordinator Skylor Magee is thrilled to work with his group “Red Smoke” and build onto what they already know. 

“It helped having a month of practice leading up to the Fiesta Bowl,” Magee said. “It expanded the knowledge base of our younger guys. We are able to jump back into it quickly and throw a lot on the new guys. We kind of have to force them to learn fast and see what they can retain.” 

Sports programs rarely see the success under a first-year coaching staff that Liberty saw last season. While injuries took a few key players away from the Flames last year, they also allowed for younger guys to get more reps, which are now proving to be very valuable. 

One specific name that excites Magee is freshman defensive end TJ Bush. Bush is just one of the freshmen who got a large amount of playing time last season, which leads him to be seen in a new light by the coaching staff. 

“We are looking for guys like TJ Bush to step up,” Magee said. “With Quinton Reese not being as active in practice, we are really trying to get some other guys involved.”

Bush played a crucial role in the Flames’ defense last year, racking up 32 tackles over the course of the season. One of the positions where Liberty was thin all season long, however, was position. Thankfully for the Flames, National Signing Day was highly successful, with the program bringing in five new linebackers to add some much-needed depth to the room. 

“They have a lot of juice in them,” junior safety Brylan Green said. “They fly around a lot, and you don’t see that a lot from people who are just coming in. A lot of these kids have confidence in what they do, and I really love that about them. They play freely.”   

Another position group that will need help is the defensive backs. Liberty lost key pieces Kobe Singleton and Preston Hodge to the transfer portal, opening up two starting spots on defense. On National Signing Day, the Flames added four defensive backs, all of whom will be looked upon to step up for the nation’s leading defense when it comes to interceptions. 

While Liberty’s defense was stout all year long, facing Oregon’s offense will shake up almost any group. 

“It’s definitely a chip on our shoulder,” Green said. “We aren’t going to forget about what happened in Arizona. We are just going to use that to drive and motivate us going forward.” 

Spring ball wraps up soon for the Flames, with the annual Spring Game being held at Williams Stadium March 2 at 1:30 p.m. Admission is free to the public.   

Weissinger is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on X.