LYNCHBURG, Va. – The two-time defending Class 3 state champion Liberty Christian Academy Bulldogs are back on the grind as the 1st and 10 Camp Tour rolls through the Seminole District. With back-to-back undefeated seasons under their belts, the Bulldogs are hungry for more — even with a key piece missing from their backfield.
Star running back and Gatorade State Player of the Year and reigning 1st and 10 Player of the Year Gideon Davidson is now at Clemson. But head coach Frank Rocco isn’t letting that define the 2025 squad.
“Although Gideon’s a great player and a lot of our success could be attributed to him,” Rocco said, “we’ve won a lot of football games with Jayden Cowart and Austin Tremblay and guys just like them. So our anticipation is that we’re going to continue on just with that same expectation.”
Cowart is embracing the challenge.
“Going into the offseason, I knew where I needed to step up,” he said. “Every single day, I was on the field working, in the weight room gaining weight, doing what I needed to be physically fit and able to take hits.”
Tremblay, who recently committed to Liberty University, is soaking up the high school football experience. “I’ve had a dream of playing high school football my whole life,” he said. “I remind myself it’s still a game. I like to have fun on the field.”
LCA enters the fall with a quarterback competition still playing out, with three contenders battling for the job. Regardless of who’s under center, the Bulldogs will stay true to their identity — physical in the trenches and committed to running the football.
With experience at key positions and a proven track record, LCA opens the 2025 campaign on the road in a national spotlight game against Ironton (Ohio) on August 30.