[BJWilliams]

As the 2017 Liberty FLames report to the mountain to begin preparation for their final season as an FCS program we take a look at the last skill positions for the offensive side of the ball:

Players Lost
Isaac Brown
Zac Parker
Dante Shells

Players Returning
Michael CHorowicz
BJ Farrow
Marquis Fitzgerald
Antonio Gandy-Golden
Spencer Jones
Damian King
Lionel McConnell
Cephas Reddick
Josh Tully

the LCA product leads the Flames "Air Patrol" on the offensive side, coming off a very solid 2016 as the second option behind graduated Dante Shells (who would earn Big South first team honors). Farrow and sophomore Gandy-Golden will be the top two targets for sophomore starting QB Buckshot Calvert and JUCO transfer Mason Cunningham, King and McConnell will likely be fighting for the spot at the slot with Fitzgerald as another possible long range option.

Players Incoming
Khaleb Coleman
DJ Stubbs

Coleman was one of the jewels of the Flames 2017 recruiting class, picking LU over rival Coastal Carolina (now in the FBS Sun Belt Conference) as well as FCS Youngstown State and Florida A&M. Stubbs gives the Flames a third player at the slot position but will probably see more time in special teams IMO.


Tight End

Players Lost
Kendall Couamin
Will Johnson
Canon Smith
Ralfs Rusins (moved to DL)

Players Returning
Zac Foutz
Daniel Zapata (moved from OL)
Josh Reichenbach

Foutz is the leading TE coming back for a Flames squad that graduated three others and had a fourth moved to the other side of the trenches, so he will likely be the starter and extra pass catcher on the field in certain formations. Zapata was moved out of the trenches to give some experience with two true freshmen and a D2 transfer coming in for 2017

Players Incoming
Jerome Jackson
Fidel Ogbeifun
Anthony Duran

Jackson gives the Flames some additional height and another nice big option in the red zone. Duran adds depth as a 6th blocker at the TE position. Ogbeifun gives the Flames another good flex option as both a WR or a TE.
Josh

[Chippy]

Shells with his speed was the only deep threat. Not sure we have enough speed at the wideouts.

[Class of 20Something]

Shells with his speed was the only deep threat. Not sure we have enough speed at the wideouts.

Is Buckshot accurate enough to thread the needle consistently?

[BJWilliams]

Our likely top 5 of Farrow, Fitzgerald, AGG, Coleman and King...we dont have rocket boosters in tbat bunch, but i do think we have guys who can make chunk plays for us...snd having a fairly tall top 4 should get us alot more 50-50 balls as well

[Cider Jim]

Is Buckshot accurate enough to thread the needle consistently?

Have you seen Buckshot play? Last year, as a true FRESHMAN, he completed 57% of his passes (compared to Masha's 48%). The sky is the limit for this young man, and he will only get better.

http://www.liberty.edu/wwwadmin/globals ... fb2016.htm

[Chippy]

Two things stand out in last years stats. 1) 30 sacks with Buckshot taking most of those. 2) BJ Farrow average per catch at 9 yards and longest was 24 yards. I'm afraid without outside speed to go over the top of the defense we will have to be a possession type offense which requires the wideouts and TEs get separation otherwise BS will be taking more sacks if there is no separation or throwing into tight coverage and hoping, as BJ points out, getting the 50-50 balls. My guess is there will be more involvement with the TEs on quick hitters and drop off passes to the RBs to keep BS from incurring multiple hits in a game and get him to the end of the season in one piece.

[BJWilliams]

I'm not writing off Coleman as the guy who could take the top off a defense for us...Farrow or Fitzgerald either. Remember, you don't have to be Usain Bolt Andre De Grasse or Justin Gatlin to be a speed receiver, and you don't need 5-6 yards of open space to put yourself in a good position to make a well-thrown ball. We have a unit that can make things happen individually and could set up their teammates for more than a few big gains as well.

[Footballfan]

Not sure if you plan on doing a separate thread for fullbacks or not, but since you didn't mention them under the RB thread, I thought we may want to mention this group of players on this thread since TE/FB practice together. Thanks for taking the time to do the Outlooks!

FB/Hback
1. Thomas Kennedy - RSenior is the returning starter.
2. MItchell Lewis - RFreshmen was listed as backup FB on post Spring Depth Chart. (Not sure if a final decision has been made on whether Mitchell will be moved back to TB position BUT he is listed as a RB on the updated roster ).
3. Will Tawney - Freshmen - FB

Another TE
4. MIchael Bollinger - Freshmen

I feel the FB/TE will become more of an HBack roll with them lining up in mutilpe positions - Hand on the ground, in the slot, at the wing, and in a typical fullback spot. So the TE/FB may become more of a merged roll in the "normal" offensive set.

On th Goaline and in short yardage, I would expect the offense to still use two TE's and a Fullback like they have in the past.

Post Spring Depth Chart.
https://www.liberty.edu/media/1912/foot ... 20-17).pdf

[BJWilliams]

Thanks footballfan.

I think youll see less of the "rifle" formation that we had with the runner types like Woodrum (who was signed by Baltimore today) and Mike Brown that had FB to the hip, but I agree youll see them factoring in the passing game and even on the wing as an extra blocker or creating an interesting wrinkle in tbe run