We conclude our training camp special feature by going through each position group and previewing them for the upcoming season with a look at the special teams. If you have missed any of the previous previews, or simply want a refresher as we are just about a week away from game day, links to each are below:
Previous:
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Offensive Line
Defensive Line
Linebackers
Corners
Safeties
The Flames will have new starters at each of the specialist roles from kicker to punter, long snapper, and even in the return game.
Kicker
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “It would be really nice if one would pull away (at kicker). At the same time, I want these guys to continue to push each other through camp. I don’t want anybody to get complacent with where they are. I also don’t think that’s the kind of group we’ve got. These guys are eager.”
Competition
98 Tyler Black JR 5’9″ 190
Black joined Liberty from Wake Forest a year ago and handled kickoff duties at times for the Demon Deacons. He fought with Billingsley and Brayden Beck last summer to earn the starting job before ultimately ending third in that battle, a contest that special teams coordinator Dylan Lewellyn said was very close. A year ago, Lewellyn said that despite Black not winning the job for 2025, he expects him to take several big kicks for the Flames during his career. Can he beat out Reeves for the job? Black does appear to be the likely candidate to handle kickoff duties though he is competing with Reeves and Nathan Dinwiddie for that role.
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “Transferred from Wake Forest (last year). He’s competing with Chase at placekicker (as well as kickoffs). Tyler is right there with them.”.
42 Chase Reeves 6th Year 6’2″ 190
Could Chase Reeves become one of the FBS’ rate two-way specialists? Reeves began his collegiate career at Southern Illinois before transferring to McKendree University where he was the team’s starting kicker and punter in 2025. He finished the season averaging 42.9 yards per punt on 54 punts with 19 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. He also had 10 punts of 50 or more yards. Reeves also connected on 11 of 15 field goals throughout the season. He is in the competition to become Liberty’s punter and field goal specialist this season. Earlier in camp, special teams coordinator Dylan Lewellyn said Reeves had made 13 of 16 field goals as he’s attempting to beat out Tyler Black, and others, for that job.
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “We got him out of the portal. What’s attractive about Chase is he is a dual kicker. He handled placekicking duties and punt duties at his last school. Talking to his head coach at his previous institution, he felt comfortable trotting him out there at 55, 56, 57 yarders. It instilled a lot of confidence in me when I was recruiting him. Then, you also gain value as a punter, as well. He averaged close to 46 yards a punt and over 20 fair catches, which tells me his hang time was marrying up with his distance. Chase has been a great addition to the room. He’s competing for the starting job at both of these, right now. The great thing about Chase is he is even-keeled. He is the same kid every single day. He’s not too high, not too low.”
86 Nathan Dinwiddie SO 6’2″ 200
Dinwiddie joined the team after a walk-on tryout where he impressed the Liberty coaching staff. He could be utilized as the team’s kickoff specialist.
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “A walk-on. He’s got a huge leg. Coach Chadwell sees it. Everybody sees it. He actually came to a tryout and was bombing them. He’s going to be a kid that has the potential to kick a deep one for it. He will compete there with Tyler Black at kickoff.”
Liberty Head Coach Jamey Chadwell – “If we trotted someone out there today, it would probably be Tyler Black out there at field goal kicker. He’s had the most consistent makes during camp. Last week, we couldn’t hit water if we fell out of a boat. This past Saturday, and carried it on (this week), we’ve done better there. Tyler, today, would be the most consistent one we would trust to trot out there to make the field goals.”
Depth
39 Carson Jones FR 5’10” 170
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “Really consistent. I’m really pleased with Carson so far, especially as a freshman. You expect those guys to get in there a little wide-eyed, but he’s very consistent with his swing. He’s doing a really nice job.”
Punter
Competition
42 Chase Reeves 6th Year 6’2″ 190
49 Sam Crossan JR 6’3″ 260
Crossan has been with the program the past few seasons but has not seen any playing time as he played behind Max Morgan. With Morgan out of the picture, it was expected that Crossan would easily win the punting job for 2026, and it even seemed to be heading that direction in the spring. But Reeves has proven to be tough to knock out of this race.
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “He’s been in the room the longest. He’s not the oldest in the group, but he’s a leading voice in the room because of his experience. He was pushing Max (Morgan) last year at punting. He’s doing a really nice job this fall camp. Just needs to continue to work on his consistency. He’s going to be competing with that punting job with Chase.”
Liberty Head Coach Jamey Chadwell – “At punter, we’re still competing with Sam and Chase. Early on, Chase was doing better and Sam wasn’t doing good at all. Sam has done a 180 and doing well, that’s a tight competition. I don’t know if we could name one right now, it’s a tight one.”
Long Snapper
Frontrunner
41 Greg Rivera 5th Year 6’1″ 225
Rivera looks like he has the leg up in the long snapper competition during camp after transferring in to Liberty from Grambling State.
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “He’s done a nice job. He throws a good ball. He’s done it in big situations. He was a starter at his last school. He’s snapped at Allegiant Stadium. I’m confident he can do it. I have confidence in him.”
Depth
45 Cayden Comer SO 6’2″ 220
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “He’s really come along. The first year or so, he was a little inconsistent, but he’s really showed he can do it this fall camp. I’m proud of how far he has come.”
Punt Returner
Frontrunner
WR Darius Copeland
Brylan Green handled most of Liberty’s punt return duties the past few seasons, and Reese Smith filled in from time to time, as well. With both of them off the roster, it now looks like Darius Copeland is the favorite to win Liberty’s punt return job while DB Prince Cottonham could also be in the mix.
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “Darius Copeland has really come along. I’m very excited about him. Somebody who can not only field the football but also make a play when he does. That’s something that was maybe our weak point last year. We didn’t have a ton of juice on punt return. The main thing is it has to be our football at the end of the play. Somebody who can field the football.”
Kick Returner
Frontrunner
WR Jon Monteiro
Juju Gray was Liberty’s primary kick returner last year while Jon Monteiro filled in while he was injured. Monteiro seems to be the favorite to take over that rule this season.
Liberty Special Teams Coordinator Dylan Lewellyn – “He did a really nice job (last year) finding seems. He’s one of the fastest guys on the team. I think he hit close to 23 mph in the summer. I have confidence that he can get the job done. There’s nothing wrong with that. He’s almost as fast if not faster than (Juju Gray).”
