Liberty had 6 players named to the 2025 Athlon Sports Preseason Conference USA All-Conference teams, which was recently released by Athlon Sports.
The Flames had the most selections on the magazine’s preseason all-conference team listing just ahead of Western Kentucky’s five selections. UTEP followed with four selections while FIU had three, Sam Houston, Kennesaw State, Louisiana Tech, and Delaware each had two. Middle Tennessee, Jacksonville State, and New Mexico State each had one while Missouri State did not have an all-conference selection.
RB Vaughn, Blue, C Aaron Fenimore, and LT Jack Tucker earned a first-team all-conference selection on offense while DE CJ Bazile, LB Joe Carter, and S Brylan Green received the nod on defense.
Entering his third year in the program, Blue was a big contributor as a true freshman before suffering an injury late in the first month of the season, forcing him to miss most of the rest of the year. Last fall, Blue played in all 12 games and rushed 35 times for 207 yards and a touchdown. He is also capable out of the backfield catching passes.
Fenimore has emerged as not only a leader for the offensive line but the entire team. He was committed to Jamey Chadwell while he was at Coastal Carolina and then flipped to Liberty when Chadwell came to Lynchburg. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2023, Fenimore became the team’s starting center last year as White moved from center to left guard to make way for Fenimore. It all starts with him up front.
Jack Tucker also returns up front after spending much of the season in 2024 as the team’s starting left tackle.
Bazile was named the CUSA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year prior to the 2024 season, and he would go on to finish the year with 54 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. He has three years of playing experience already under his belt, two of those as a starter, and he is a team leader that others look up to in the locker room.
Entering his fifth year in the program, Carter has developed into a team leader. He’s played in each of the 26 games over the past two seasons, starting most of them. He also led the team in tackles last year with 88 to go along with his five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Green enters his fourth season at Liberty, having been a key part of the defensive secondary each campaign. After beginning his career playing both baseball and football, Green focused on football full-time following his freshman campaign. He grew into one of the team’s best players, leading CUSA in interceptions with five during his sophomore campaign, earning All-American honors for his play. Last year, Green was hampered by injuries, finishing the year by playing in 10 games with 32 tackles and two pass breakups.
Liberty is coming off a 2024 season where the Flames went 8-4 overall and 5-3 in conference play, finishing in fourth place. Liberty lost to Buffalo, 26-7, in the Bahamas Bowl on January 4.
The Flames will open the 2025 season at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg against Maine on Saturday, August 30. The very next week, Liberty will hit the road to open conference play against the defending league champs, Jacksonville State, in Jacksonville, Alabama on Saturday, September 6.
