Jamey Chadwell had unprecedented success in his first season in charge of the Liberty Flames, guiding the program to a 13-1 record and a No. 25 finish in the final AP Poll. It was almost a perfect season, but the Flames lost in the Fiesta Bowl to No. 8 Oregon, 45-6.
Despite that success, the Flames are like any other program, experiencing attrition through the transfer portal. WR CJ Daniels (LSU) and CB Kobe Singleton (Oregon State) are two of a handful of key players making their way out of Lynchburg, but the Flames are getting some good value back as well.
Liberty Flames’ 2024 Transfer Portal Moves
Chadwell had one early win in the portal, and it was a big one. QB Kaidon Salter, the 2023 CUSA MVP, entered the transfer portal in January after the loss in the Fiesta Bowl. He quickly withdrew three days later and opted to return for his junior season, posting “Unfinished Business!”
Last year, Salter combined for 44 touchdowns — 32 passing and 12 rushing — while passing for 2,876 yards and rushing for another 1,089. Keeping that production out of the portal and in Lynchburg is massive for the Flames.
Even so, that didn’t stop Chadwell from bringing in another Grouo of Five QB, Ryan Burger from Appalachian State.
Burger spent two seasons in Boone, starting the season opener for the Mountaineers last year against Gardner-Webb, but suffering a season-ending broken finger. A native of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Burger potentially has a preexisting relationship with Chadwell from his Coastal Carolina days.
Chadwell also returned to his old stomping grounds and grabbed two Chanticleers, safety Jahmar Brown and WR Tyson Mobley. Brown has one year left after spending the last two at Coastal and the three prior at South Carolina (2019-2021). Mobley also has one year left after four seasons with Coastal (2020-2023), catching 54 passes for 642 yards and seven touchdowns.
While the additions are nice, Chadwell is losing six more players in the portal than he is getting back.
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Wide receiver Daniels is off the LSU after catching 55 passes for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Cornerback Singleton leaves for Oregon State after earning First-Team All-CUSA honors in 2023 after recording 40 tackles and four picks with the Flames.
Nine of the 15 Liberty players that entered the portal have already committed elsewhere, a testament to the Flames’ success last season. Aside from nine transfers, Liberty has signed 18 other players for its 2024 intake — 14 high school recruits and four junior college players.
Liberty’s 2024 Transfer Portal Additions (9)
- Ryan Burger, QB, Appalachian State
- Aidan Vaughan, LB, Wisconsin
- Dominick Hill, CB, Temple
- Tyson Mobley, WR, Coastal Carolina
- Jahmar Brown, S, Coastal Carolina
- Teylor Jackson, LB, ECU
- Eli Hall, DL, Wake Forrest
- Alex Oliver, DB, VMI
- Donte Lee, WR, Shaw
Liberty’s 2024 Transfer Portal Departures (15)
- CJ Daniels, WR, LSU
- Reese Mooney, QB, UNT
- Kobe Singleton, CB, Oregon State
- Preston Hodge, CB, Colorado
- Kendy Charles, DL, Duke
- Jaylen Jimerson, S, Sam Houston State
- Bryan Whitehead, DL, Arkansas State
- Jonathan Bennett, QB, The Citadel
- Robert Rahimi, S, San Jose State
- Errol Rogers, WR, undecided
- Olan Robinson, LB, undecided
- Tysheik Galloway, DL, undecided
- Amari Williams, EDGE, undecided
- Jordan Norwood, LB, undecided
- Akail Washington, LB, undecided
Miss any action from the top college QB Rankings during the 2023 football season? Want to track all the movement with the college football transfer portal? College Football Network has you covered with that and more!