Nearly two months have passed since Liberty’s 2025 campaign came to a disappointing end with a double overtime loss to Kennesaw State at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia.
As soon as the season was over, Flames coach Jamey Chadwell, his front office and group of assistant coaches immediately went to work on navigating the transfer portal and working to assemble a roster capable of getting back to competing for a CUSA championship and beyond.
The 4 wins in 2025 were the fewest for the program since 2005, a far cry from where the Flames were just a couple years ago when the team went 13-1 and advanced to the Fiesta Bowl.
As the frenzied, hurried off-season commenced, it didn’t take long for Liberty to begin assembling pieces to its roster. With 28 transfer signees on board as of Monday, here are the most critical takeaways from the off-season to this point as well as a few acquisition superlatives.
Takeaways
Stock up on O-Line and running back: The Flames clearly are making their running game a priority this off-season heading into the 2026 season. In 2023, the Flames ran for over 4,100 yards on the season, averaging a nation leading 293.3 yards per game with 4 rushers having more than 500 yards on the season. Those numbers were down to 2,328 rushing yards this past season, averaging 194.0 yards per game with only one rusher with more than 500 yards on the ground. Liberty brought in four offensive line transfers that will go with the four returning starters up front. The Flames also brought in five running backs, all have had some level of playing experience at the FBS level.
The QB plan: In 2025, Liberty had 11 passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing just 55.1% of passes. That’s clearly not a stat line that will provide much success. The Flames brought in two quarterbacks through the portal in Deshawn Purdie and Jaylen Henderson. At the minimum, they will compete for the starting job this spring while Ethan Vasko recovers from shoulder surgery. Purdie and/or Henderson will clearly be given every chance to earn the starting job going into 2026. The ceiling for this year’s team rests in their hands.
Several multi-year transfers in the fold: Liberty acquired a lot of talented transfers with multiple seasons of eligibility remaining. Of the 28 signees, 19 of them have multiple years of eligibility. Notable transfers with at least two seasons of eligibility left include Purdie, Davis, Jones, Birchmeier, Rashawn Cunningham (Charleston Southern), Kyle Ferm (SMU), Ashton McShane (Boston College), and D’Icey Hopkins (Georgia State).
Acquisition superlatives
Most likely to be an instant star: Kanye Udoh. Udoh is a 6’1″, 220 pound running back who began his collegiate career at Army. As a freshman in 2023, he was second-team Phil Steele Postseason All-Independent Team, finishing with 5 starts in 10 games played for 524 yards on 99 carries with 1 touchdown. In 2024, he racked up 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and leading Army to a 12-2 record, going 8-0 in the AAC. Udoh then transferred to Arizona State for the 2025 season where he rushed 56 times for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns. He looks to be the favorite in Liberty’s re-tooled running back room to be RB1 to begin the season.
Most underrated: Makai Jackson. Jackson transferred to Indiana for the 2025 season. Jackson played in four games for the Hoosiers this season where he caught 3 passes for 15 yards while playing 51 total snaps. Prior to his time at Indiana, Jackson spent two years at Appalachian State where he had 73 catches for 1,163 yards, and 7 seven touchdowns, while also rushing 5 times for 90 yards and a score. The Flames lose a lot at receiver this off-season and Jackson has shown his ability to impact the game at the G5 level.
Most likely for a breakout 2026: D’Icey Hopkins. A 5’11”, 195 pound defensive back who had 51 tackles and 3 TFLs this past season at Georgia State. He held opposing receivers to a 43.3% completion rate in coverage while playing in all 12 games. He also had a team-high 5 pass breakups. Hopkins, originally from Macon, Georgia, has played in all 24 games for the Panthers over the past two seasons. He has 2 years of eligibility remaining. He was one of the highest rated safeties in the Sun Belt this past season, and Liberty has plenty of openings in the defensive secondary for play-makers to emerge.
Best re-acquisition: Brenton Williams. The edge rusher had pushed CJ Bazile for playing time this past season, and he should slide into that starting spot this fall. The Flames have struggled being able to consistently pressure the opposing quarterback the past few years, but Williams is one player that has the potential to make an impact there this season.
