Wes Cheek

Class:
Senior
Position:
OLB
Height:
6-0
Weight:
205
Prev School:
Dacula HS
Hometown:
Dacula, Ga.

An Inside Look from the Coaching Staff: Successfully made the switch from running back to linebacker a season ago … quickly picked up the new position … tough and athletic … finished the 2008 season as one of the premier players on defense … respected leader who was selected as a captain … will be a big benefit for the linebacker core and an all-conference caliber player.
2008 (Jr.): Saw playing time in all 12 games, starting against No. 12 Elon in the Flames season finale … finished the year tied for eighth on the squad in total tackles during his first year as a defensive player, after making the switch to linebacker following his junior season … ranked fourth on the team in total tackles among linebackers … tied for sixth on the squad in tackles for a loss … tied for second on the team in pass breakups … one of eight players on the squad with an interception on the year … has the fourth-most interception return yards on the squad … opened the year with four stops, two solo and two assisted, against North Greenville … posted his second highest tackle total during Liberty 42-0 shutout over Charleston Southern, finishing the contest with nine stops, including seven assisted … had a career day with 13 tackles against VMI, five solo and eight assisted … had five stops during Liberty's 26-3 victory over No. 12 Elon, including 1.5 tackles for a loss and a six-yard sack … helped the Flames rank No. 13 in scoring defense (18.67 point per game), posting two shutouts and holding three opponents without a touchdown.
2007 (So.): Saw playing time during 10 games … finished the year ranked third on the team with 31 carries for 136 rushing yards and two touchdowns … recorded at least one carry during nine of the 10 games he stepped onto the gridiron … added 11 total tackles as part of Liberty's special team unit … a versatile athlete who even recorded a 40-yard punt during Liberty's season opener against Tusculum … scored twice during the season's first game, rushing five times for 21 yards and included a 10 and one-yard rushing touchdowns … four carries for 22 yards against Shippensburg … three carries for 16 yards against St. Francis, Pa. … five rushes for 16 yards against VMI … carried the ball a career-best six times for 29 yards during Liberty's victory over Gardner-Webb, sealing the program's first-ever Big South championship.
2006 (Fr.): Saw playing time in 10 contests … missed the Towson game … finished his first year with the Flames with 11 rushing attempts for 44 yards … also added five tackles as part of the Flames' special teams unit … four of the five tackles were assisted stops … used mostly in blocking schemes for Liberty's rushing attack … helped the Flames rush for 2,035 yards and 23 touchdowns, ranking Liberty 18th nationally in rushing yards per game (185.0).
Prep: Graduated from Dacula High School … four-year letterwinner … finished his career with 293 tackles (129 solo and 164 assisted), including 31 tackles for a loss, five interceptions and 21 pass break ups … named two-way Player of the Year as a sophomore, as he finished the year with 98 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, two interceptions and seven pass breakups … Dacula Defensive Player of the Year during his junior season with 84 tackles and nine pass breakups … ranked 13th in the country in pass break ups as a junior … moved to fullback his senior year, finishing the season with 860 yards and 12 touchdowns … also played some at outside linebacker as a senior, finishing the year with 43 tackles, six tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a punt block … first-team all-county and all-region honoree as a senior.
Personal: Son of Barry and Cindy Cheek … birthday is Feb. 9 … majoring in business and finance.