We continue our position previews today with a look at Liberty’s offensive line.
Previous:
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Defensive Line
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Liberty has had one of the top rushing attacks in the country in each of the past two years under head coach Jamey Chadwell, including leading the nation in rushing in 2023. That level of success doesn’t happen without a strong offensive line. The Flames have certainly had good offensive lines the past couple of years, but have lost some of their top contributors to the transfer portal. The team reloaded during the off-season, and, behind one of the top offensive line coaches in the Group of Five Bill Durkin, should have another strong group once again.
Frontrunners
LT 79 Trey Bedosky R-SR 6’8″ 300
Bedosky is one of the newcomers to the offensive line this year, transferring in at the mid-year from UAB where he spent the prior four seasons. He played in 20 games and started eight, even earned CUSA All-Freshman honors in 2021 when the Blazers were still in the league. Now, Bedosky is finishing his career at Liberty, where he has been working with the first team, primarily at left tackle, throughout training camp.
Liberty Offensive Line coach Bill Durkin – “Trey Bedosky has had a really good camp. I’m excited about him.”
LG 51 DJ Geth R-SO 6’3″ 295
DJ Geth was a highly recruited player out of high school, landing at North Carolina where he spent his true freshman season. He then decided to enter the transfer portal and came to Liberty prior to the 2024 season. As a redshirt-freshman last year, Geth was a key part of Liberty’s offensive line. His potential is incredibly high, and he looks to be one of the future anchors of this group moving forward and has been working with the first team at left guard throughout camp.
Liberty Offensive Line coach Bill Durkin – “DJ still doesn’t know how good he can be. He doesn’t look like he’s a big, strong kid, but he plays with really good strength. He is strong. He’s really athletic. He has a basketball background, moving around a whole bunch. Everything starts rooted in the ground, gotta have your feet in the ground while not being stiff and stuck in the ground, there’s that balance there. DJ, we had him at tackle yesterday getting some things done there. He’s just really athletic and natural, getting him to play within himself, but I’m confident in him.”
C 61 Aaron Fenimore R-SO 6’1″ 295
It’s hard to believe Aaron Fenimore is only a redshirt-sophomore. The coaching staff has raved about him since he arrived on campus. After redshirting in 2023, Fenimore proved too good to be kept off the field last year and worked his way into the starting spot at center. He earned Freshman All-American honors for his performance last year and should only see his production on the field increase. He’s also grown into a team leader and a vital piece to the continuity of the offensive line.
Liberty Offensive Line coach Bill Durkin – “He’s pretty good now, and he’s an awesome kid. The best players need to be the hardest worker. He is arguably the hardest worker on the team, no disrespect to anybody else, but the kid just works. He’s coach-able. He listens.”
RG 55 Harrison Hayes R-SR 6’4″ 305
Hayes is a veteran offensive lineman, having spent his entire career at Liberty. He’s been a part of the two-deep for much of the past few seasons, even earning numerous starts. Hayes has been penciled in as starter at right guard and it doesn’t appear that anyone has been able to supplant him in that spot.
Liberty Offensive Line coach Bill Durkin – “Harry has made a big jump. He even talked about it in front of the team – how you earn a spot and then making sure that you are still earning it every day. Of course that is our word of the year, that we want to earn and we want to keep producing every day, but Harry has made a nice jump.”
RT 75 Jack Tucker R-SR 6’7″ 310
A former Texas Tech transfer, Tucker has been at Liberty since this coaching staff came to Liberty. He had a reserve role in 2023 and saw that role increase significantly last season. Now, as a returning starter, Tucker is looking to make that next step as a leader as it appears he has moved to right tackle from the left tackle spot that he manned most of last year.
Competition
60 Joep Engbers R-SO 6’4″ 305
Engbers is pushing hard to be included not just in the rotation that plays each and every week but also to earn a starting spot. The Illinois transfer has been working primarily with the second unit at left guard during training camp, but he has also gotten some work at center. Expect him to see some level of playing time on the field this fall.
Liberty Offensive Line coach Bill Durkin – “Joep, the kid we brought in from Illinois, he’s playing some center, he’s playing some guard. He’s had a really nice, consistent camp. Still some things to work on, but I’ve been pleased with him.”
66 Erwil Anthony, Jr. SR 6’4″ 285
Erwil Anthony, who transferred to Liberty from Division II Wingate in the spring, has been working at second team tackle much of training camp.
68 Hunter Porterfield SR 6’4″ 285
Hunter Porterfield is a walk-on who keeps hanging around the two-deep at Liberty. It’s a spot he’s been at much the last year or two, and he continues to see work with the second team at tackle throughout camp.
56 Christian Williams JR 6’4″ 310
Christian Williams was recruited to Louisiana before following Billy Napier to Florida. He spent the first part of his career now before transferring to Liberty. It was expected that Williams would push for a starting spot, but he has had a hard time cracking the two-deep during camp. However, Coach Durkin spoke highly of him as he continues to develop. Could he be someone that emerges as a potential rotation piece this season?
Liberty Offensive Line coach Bill Durkin – “The guy who has probably improved the most is Christian Williams. I’m happy about him. He’s really come along in a good way.”
54 Cal Grubbs R-SO 6’3″ 290
Cal Grubbs is someone the coaching staff is high on, and it should be expected that he eventually grows into being someone who is part of the weekly rotation on the offensive line. He has been working at center behind Aaron Fenimore throughout much of camp.
Liberty Offensive Line coach Bill Durkin – “Cal Grubbs is a very reliable guy.”
77 Andrew Johnson R-SR 6’3″ 295
Johnson began his career at Oregon State before going the JUCO route and then ending up at Liberty prior to the 2024 season. He was buried a bit on the depth chart some last year, but he has been working with the second unit some during camp.
65 Braeden Edwards R-SR 6’6″ 315
Edwards is a transfer from Northwestern who certainly could push his way up the depth chart and into a role on the team this season.
63 Da’Jy’Quwan Jackson R-JR 6’5″ 295
Jackson joined the Flames this summer from the JUCO ranks. Could he develop into someone that gets some playing time this season?
Depth
59 Brandon Edozie FR 6’6″ 275
76 Gabe Smith FR 6’5″ 300
Liberty Offensive Line coach Bill Durkin – “I’m really excited about our two freshmen I don’t know how much they will play this year. Brandon Edozie and Gabe Smith have had good camps. Not getting as much time in actual team settings while getting these other guys ready, but I’m excited about those two guys being guys that can play here and be good players here.”
78 Blake Heckmann R-FR 6’5″ 300
74 Jacob Lecates JR 6’6″ 335
50 Esom Nnajiofor R-FR 6’4″ 300
