SENIOR DAY

Liberty will honor 25 seniors prior to Saturday’s game. The seniors include: CJ Bazile, Jr., Brayden Beck, Trey Bedosky, Jay Billingsley, Ryan Burger, Casey Cain, Elijah Canion, Joseph Carter, Bryce Dixon, Braeden Edwards, Julian Gray, Brylan Green, Eldric Griffin, Damond Harmon, Harrison Hayes, Austin Henderson, Jacob Jenkins, A’Khori Jones, Jacob Lecates, Max Morgan, Hunter Porterfield, Jalon Rock, Reese Smith, Jack Tucker, Amarian Williams.

“This is a class, especially the guys that have been year three years plus, they all had choices to leave, but they all decided to stay because they care about Liberty,” said head coach Jamey Chadwell. “They obviously brought a conference championship, brought a Fiesta Bowl berth. They went through some highs and went through some lows. The thing I will remember about them is they all had a choice way back when and they decided to stay. They helped put our football program in a good position to compete for championships and be recognized nationally. Also, they’ve done a good job of setting a standard as far as this is the expectations.”

DICKENS, RUNNING GAME ON TRACK

Chadwell has had five 1,000-yard rushers in his last six seasons as a head coach and seven total. An early storyline in camp was: is there a 1,000- yard rusher in the room, with Quinton Cooley and Kaidon Salter having moved on. That answer has been answered in the positive with Evan Dickens. Dickens has recorded four straight 100- yard rushing games for the first time in his career, including a pair of 200-yard efforts. The first-year Flame has rushed for 678 yards and eight TDs during November, pushing him over the 1,000 mark (1,072 yards) for the season. He now ranks No. 6 nationally for rushing yards per game (107.2).  Evan Dickens has rushed for 200 or more yards in two of his last four games, making him the first Flame with a pair of 200-yard rushing games in a season since Dre Barnes in 2003. No Flame has ever posted a trio of 200-yard games on the ground in a single season.

Evan Dickens has rushed for 1,072 yards and 12 touchdowns in 10 games played this season. He ranks sixth in FBS in rushing yards per game (107.2). He rushed for 228 yards on Saturday at LA Tech, the most rushing yards by a Flame since Zach Terrell’s 241 against Chattanooga in 2005. It was Dickens’ second 200-yard rushing game of the season. Dickens tied a Williams Stadium record with four rushing touchdowns on Nov. 1 against Delaware. In the month of November, Dickens has rushed for 678 yards and eight touchdowns. With a 100-yard game against KSU, Dickens’ five game 100-yard rushing streak would be the longest since Rashad Jennings’ program-record 10 game streak in 2007-08.

After rushing for 200 or more yards in 19 out of its first 24 games under third-year Head Coach Jamey Chadwell, Liberty went the next nine games without topping the 200-yard mark entering November. On Nov. 1 against Delaware, Liberty rushed for 282 yards and six rushing touchdowns, the team’s most rushing scores in a single game against an FBS team. On Saturday at LA Tech, Liberty rushed for a season-high 283 yards, its third 200-yard rushing game in the last four contests. The Flames have averaged 232.8 rushing yards per game in their last four contests.

UNIFORM REVEAL

The Flames will wear all red for the season finale against Kennesaw State. This is the second time Liberty has worn this combo this season, also wearing it in the season opener against Maine, a 28-7 Liberty win. Liberty is 3-0 under Chadwell in this combo and 7-2 at the FBS level. The last loss while wearing all red was in the 2022 Boca Raton Bowl under interim head coach Josh Aldridge.

INJURY REPORT

Here’s an update on Liberty’s current injury situation:

  • QB Ethan Vasko got hurt on the two point conversion attempt last week at Louisiana Tech, re-injuring his shoulder injury that he suffered early in the season. He remained in the game and is listed as questionable this week. He will be “determined throughout the week,” Chadwell said.
  • LB Aidan Vaughn got hurt last week at Louisiana Tech and will miss this week’s game.
  • DB Devin Henderson got hurt last week at Louisiana Tech and will miss this week’s game.
  • CB Jamal Miles has missed the past three games.
  • CB Elijah Hopkins has missed the last five games due to injury.
  • RB Juju Gray is out for the season with a lower body injury
  • LB Joe Carter left the game against New Mexico State with an injury, and he will miss the rest of the season.
  • DL DJ Jackson has played in each of the first seven games, but he exited the game against NMSU with an injury that will force him to miss the rest of the season.
  • Defensive back and special teams’ player Tre Lawing will miss the rest of the season due to an injury suffered against NMSU.
  • Backup QB Ryan Burger is done for the season as he is medically retiring due to repeated concussions.
  • Backup C Cal Grubbs suffered an injury late during training camp and is out for the season.