For Jamey Chadwell, Wednesday night was more than a box score, it was a breath of relief. After four straight losses, Liberty’s head coach finally walked off the field with a win, and the weight showed in his voice.
“Somebody told me, a coach going through something similar, that it makes you appreciate the wins even more,” Chadwell said. “Sometimes you think, is this ever going to come again?”
Behind quarterback Ethan Vasko, the Flames controlled the game from start to finish in a 19–8 win over UTEP. Vasko went 19 of 33 for 243 yards, adding a short rushing touchdown and managing the offense with confidence.
Running back Vaughn Blue powered the ground game with 75 yards on 17 carries, while Caden Williams and Vasko combined for 67 more. In total, Liberty ran it 47 times for 165 yards, keeping UTEP’s defense on the field and dictating tempo.
“Having Ethan back gives complete confidence to our whole team,” Chadwell said. “We played a clean game, didn’t turn the ball over, and started fast.”
Offensive coordinator Willy Korn found a rhythm early, mixing formations and tempo as Liberty scored on three of its first four possessions. “I thought Willy called an excellent game,” Chadwell said. “We had good balance and some great answers to what they were doing.”
Liberty’s defense delivered its best performance in nearly a decade, holding UTEP under 175 total yards and preventing any big plays. “They’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Chadwell said. “We tackled well, caused turnovers, and didn’t give up big plays.”
Special teams capped the night. Kicker Jay Billingsley hit four field goals, providing steady separation in a game that finally went Liberty’s way.
“Our team didn’t lack confidence,” Chadwell said. “But to finally have something positive happen, that can make it go through the roof.”
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