From the Media Room: UTEP

Before taking to the field for their final regular season game, the Flames visited the Media Room in the Liberty Football Center on Tuesday to preview the upcoming matchup against UTEP.

Along with Flames' head coach Jamey Chadwell, the media spoke with running back Billy Lucas and defensive back Brandon Bishop.

The Flames, who have already set a program record for wins in a season, need one more victory for the longest winning streak in program history (12).

Liberty is looking to become the third CUSA team ever to begin a season 12-0 and the ninth CUSA squad ever to go undefeated in conference play.

Jamey Chadwell is the first Liberty head football coach ever to begin his tenure with the Flames at 11-0. He now owns a 42-6 coaching record dating back to the start of the 2020 season.

Liberty QB Kaidon Salter has passed for 28 TDs and rushed for 11 more this season. He joins Caleb Williams (USC) and Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma) as the only FBS QBs ranked inside the top 20 for passing TDs and rushing TDs. Salter needs two passing TDs and two total TDs to break Liberty single-season records in both categories.

The Flames rank No. 1 nationally in rushing offense (282.2 ypg) and have gone over the 3,000-yard mark (3,104) for the first time. RB Quinton Cooley posted his seventh 100-yard game last week vs. UMass, giving him 1,168 yards for the season (most by a Flame since 2014).

Liberty picked off two passes during its 49-25 home win over UMass, pushing its nation-leading total to 19. Preston Hodge became the second Flame to record a pick six this season.

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Brandon Bishop

Quinton Cooley

Preston Hodge

Billy Lucas

Kaidon Salter

Caleb Williams