Purdie, Davis, and Jackson show what liberty’s offense can be

Ethan Vasko scores a TD against his former team as Liberty defeats Coastal Carolina, 34-17. (Liberty Athletics)

CONWAY, S.C. — For all the attention Liberty’s defense has received for the way it has closed out games, Thursday night offered something Flames Nation has been waiting to see.

The offense showed it can do its part, too.

Junior quarterback Deshawn Purdie made timely throws, junior running back Kam Davis ran the ball effectively, and fifth-year wide receiver Makai Jackson continued to use his explosiveness to make plays downfield. Together, the three gave Liberty a glimpse of what this offense can look like when everything starts clicking.

“It’s all about execution,” Davis said. “We’ve been able to overcome adversity, and we’ve had some plays where we don’t have a great outcome, but it’s all about moving to the next one and moving on as an offense. Being able to see how much we can fight and how good we can execute, it’s a bright season ahead of us.”

The result was a 34–17 victory over Coastal Carolina at Brooks Stadium, as the Flames overcame a 17–10 halftime deficit by scoring 24 unanswered points in the second half. Liberty finished with 485 yards of total offense, including a season-best 263 rushing yards, while holding the Chanticleers to just 47 yards after halftime.

The second-half defensive performance has become a familiar story for the 2026 Flames, as first-year defensive coordinator Shawn Quinn and his staff have consistently found ways to make adjustments at halftime. Liberty has allowed just 14 points in the second half through four games and has yet to allow a fourth-quarter point.

Liberty defensive coordinator Shawn Quinn celebrating postgame. (Liberty Football/Athletics)

“(The defense) played pretty well.” Liberty Football Head Coach Jamey Chadwell said. “I think what they do is correct their mistakes. They don’t get down when they make one. They clean it up, they fix it, and they play hungry. They play relentless; that's what we’ve asked of them to do. The way they’re playing, the way they’re finishing, is great. We’ve got to clean up the start. Through four games, we’ve not started the way we need to, but our second half has been unbelievable. To shut them out with zero points in the second half, it was a phenomenal job.”

The concern, as Chadwell acknowledged, is getting that same level of execution earlier in games. Liberty has been dominant after halftime, but Thursday showed what can happen when the offense gives the defense enough support to close out a game.

Purdie continued to show why Liberty has entrusted him with the starting job. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, giving him seven touchdown passes and no interceptions through his first four starts at Liberty.

His connection with Jackson has become an important part of Purdie’s development, giving the quarterback a reliable target he can turn to when he needs a play. The two connected for a 58-yard touchdown in the first quarter before meeting again for a 33-yard score early in the third quarter that tied the game at 17.

Jackson finished with five catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He has now scored in each of Liberty’s first four games, becoming the first player in program history to accomplish that feat.

Then there was Davis, who gave Liberty a consistent presence in the run game with home-run potential. He finished with 166 yards on 18 carries, averaging 9.2 yards per attempt in his first career 100-yard game.

Davis’ performance helped Liberty’s running back room produce a season-best 263 rushing yards on 45 carries. It also forced Coastal to respect the run, creating more opportunities for Purdie and the Flames’ receivers through the air.

Liberty running back Kam Davis celebrating postgame. (Liberty Football/Athletics)

That balance was evident in the final numbers. Liberty averaged 7.7 yards per play, producing 222 yards through the air and 263 yards on the ground, but the Flames still have some issues to clean up.

Liberty was held scoreless in the second quarter, committed nine penalties for 90 yards, and allowed Coastal to take a 17–10 lead into halftime after a touchdown with 24 seconds remaining. The important part, though, was how the Flames responded.

Liberty scored 24 unanswered points after halftime, including 10 in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth. The offense continued to produce while the defense did what it has done all season — close the door.

That made Thursday night feel different from some of Liberty’s earlier games. The defense didn’t have to rescue the offense; the offense finally gave the defense some breathing room.

There was also another storyline surrounding the game that made the night significant. Thursday marked Jamey Chadwell’s first return to Conway to face Coastal Carolina since leaving the Chanticleers following the 2022 season. Chadwell spent multiple seasons as Coastal’s head coach before taking over at Liberty, making his return to Brooks Stadium one of the game’s biggest storylines before kickoff.

But Chadwell wasn’t the only former Chanticleer making an impact against his old team. Liberty fifth-year quarterback Ethan Vasko, who played at Coastal in 2023 and 2024, scored an 8-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter before finding Davis for a 6-yard touchdown pass to put the cherry on top, giving him both a rushing and passing touchdown against his former team.

Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell is soaking it all in after a dominant 34-17 win over the Chanticleers. (Liberty Football/Athletics)

“It means a lot, not necessarily personally,” Chadwell said. “This place meant a lot to me and our family, and I’m thankful to come in here and get a win. But I am more thankful for our team, for our fans, and our alumni. I know this is a huge game for a lot of people from a rivalry standpoint. Wanted to make sure that we put our best foot forward for them and let them know that we know it’s important. All week long, we spent a lot of time talking about the importance of this rival and what it meant to beat Coastal, and our guys took that to heart.”

Chadwell’s return ultimately took a back seat to what Liberty accomplished on the field. The Flames left Conway with a 34–17 victory and their first win at Coastal since 2014.

More importantly, Liberty showed what its offense can look like when it can run the football, hit explosive plays through the air, and consistently move the chains. There was a glimpse Thursday of the type of offensive balance Liberty had during its 2023 season with Kaidon Salter at quarterback, when the Flames could establish the run while creating opportunities for their playmakers in the passing game.

The Flames will travel to take on Delaware on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. The game will air on CBS Sports Network.