With some starters out, FIU football facing major challenge at Liberty
FIU’s depth is being tested.
The Panthers (2-3, 0-1) are set to face reigning Conference USA champion Liberty Flames (4-0, 2-0) on Tuesday night in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (CBS Sports Network).
It’s a great opportunity for FIU to avenge last year’s 38-6 loss to visiting Liberty.
Coach Mike MacIntyre’s Panthers are being stressed at wide receiver, tight end, interior offensive line and kicker.
Here’s a closer look:
▪ At wide receiver, JuJu Lewis suffered a knee injury last week and is out for the season.
Lewis didn’t play in two years at Georgia Tech. After transferring, he didn’t have a reception in FIU’s 2024 opener against Indiana.
However, in FIU’s next three games, he totaled five catches for 93 yards, two touchdowns and an 18.6 average.
In last week’s 17-10 win over Louisiana Tech, just four wide receivers were targeted: Eric Rivers (13 targets, seven catches, 97 yards); Dean Patterson (eight targets, five catches, 74 yards); Nazeviah Burris (three targets, one catch, 12 yards); and Ross Fournet (one target, one catch, nine yards).
▪ At tight end, FIU is thin with Rocky Beers out longer term and Josiah Miamen missing the Louisiana Tech game.
In the absence of Beers and Miamen – FIU’s top two tight ends to start the year – Antonio Ferguson stepped up with two catches on two targets for 19 yards against Louisiana Tech. He had just one career catch entering Saturday.
Ferguson, who is from the Orlando area (Apopka High), played for East Carolina last year but did not have a catch.
The backup tight end is now Braiden Staten, a redshirt freshman who is getting his first college playing time this year and has yet to make a reception.
FIU has also moved offensive lineman Chad Staley to tight end for use, mostly, as an in-line blocker.
That’s needed since Ferguson weighs just 225 pounds, and Staten checks in at 230. Miamen (247 pounds) may be missed … or not.
“Antonio is an all-around tight end,” MacIntyre said. “He can block, catch, run. He’s an every-down tight end.”
▪ At kicker, FIU has played three games without Chase Gabriel, who might miss the rest of the season due to a non-football medical situation.
His replacement, Alejandro Prado, is 1-for-2 on field goals, making a 25-yarder last Saturday for his first 3-pointer at this level. (He kicked for an NAIA team, St. Thomas University, last year.)
On extra points, Prado is 10-for-10.
Prado said he’s had to make a “huge” adjustment on field goals because of how quick the operation is between snapper Jackson Lee and holder Daton Montiel.
“I’ve had to slow down,” Prado said.
▪ On the offensive line, center John Bock II is still out due to an NCAA suspension.
FIU has used Jaheim Buchanon at center, Naeer Jackson at right guard, and Ben Shellenback and Wyatt Lawson at left guard. Lawson is also playing center, and Jaleel Davis is backing up at guard.
Shellenback played five years at Tusculum, an NCAA Division II school in Tennessee. He played well last week against Louisiana Tech in what was just his second start at the Division I level.
“It’s a big step up in competition,” Shellenback noted. “Everyone is pushing me to play to my potential.”
That said, FIU is 2-0 in Shellenback’s starts, including the Central Michigan game.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter, a one-time Tennessee transfer, was C-USA’s MVP last year as he passed for 2,876 yards and 32 TDs with six interceptions. He also ran for 1,089 yards and 12 TDs. This year, Salter has been picked off just once in four games.
▪ Flames running back Quinton Cooley leads the C-USA in yards per game (92.8) and average per carry (7.0). At 5-7 and 210 pounds, Cooley, 23, is tough to tackle. Cooley was named C-USA’s Newcomer of the Year in 2023, and he was a first-team All-C-USA player, ranking seventh in the nation in rushing yards (1,401 yards). He started his career at Wake Forest, where he played 25 games.
▪ Liberty wide receiver Treon Sibley ranks second in C-USA with 89.3 reception yards per game. Sibley, who is in his sixth year at Liberty, is averaging 22.3 yards per reception this year and 19.6 over his career.
▪ The Flames player to watch on defense is end TJ Bush, who leads C-USA with 4½ sacks. Beyond that, he plays with a high motor, and his technique is improving.
▪ After last season, Liberty lost wide receiver CJ Daniels to LSU. The Flames also lost left tackle Chase Mitchell to Vanderbilt; and cornerbacks Preston Hodge (Colorado) and Kobe Singleton (Oregon State). But those losses haven’t slowed the Flames.