WILLIS NAMED TO DAVEY O’BRIEN QB LIST

Earlier this week, Liberty quarterback Malik Willis was named to the Davey O’Brien Quarterback class of 2021 award list. He is one of 40 FBS quarterbacks who will be eligible for the award which is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback. It is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award.

16 semifinalists selected from the QB Class of 2021 list will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 9. The three finalists will be announced two weeks later on Nov. 23. So far this season, Willis has completed 121 of his 183 passing attempts for 1,679 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is also the team’s leading rusher with 118 carries for 647 yards and nine touchdowns.

In 33 career games, Willis has thrown for over 4,000 yards and 38 touchdowns to go along with 1,900 rushing yards and 25 additional touchdowns. He currently ranks No. 6 in the country in points responsible for, No. 11 in passing efficiency, and No. 18 in rushing touchdowns and total offense.

CLARK ADDED AS CAPTAIN AS PIERRE IS AWAY

Liberty defensive end TreShaun Clark has been named a team captain alongside offensive lineman Thomas Sargeant and defensive back Javon Scruggs. Clark is added to the group of captains as Liberty linebacker Aaron Pierre is away from the team as he is dealing with some family issues, Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said earlier this week. Pierre was not available for the North Texas game and was not at practice on Tuesday. No timetable has been given for his return to the team.

“TreShaun is very deserving of being a captain, probably should have had him out there the whole time with the others,” said Freeze. “The other three have done a good job too. AP (Aaron Pierre), from the time he came here until now really, really couldn’t be more pleased in his development. He’s having some family issues that he is helping tend with and we want to help him along with that also.”

BOWL ELIGIBLE FOR A THIRD STRAIGHT SEASON

Liberty became bowl eligible for a third straight season following the team’s win over North Texas last Saturday. Freeze has always mentioned that bowl eligibility will always be a goal of his for as long as he is head coach at Liberty. He was asked earlier this week about what becoming bowl eligible for a third straight year means for the program.

“I think it’s huge,” he said. “I’ve been clear about that. I have very few spoken goals. I’m not a big goal setter. I think it’s more about the process than it is some goal. I’m big on dreams, going after your dreams. As far as specific goals, there are so many different circumstances that can affect the journey. To me, it’s all about the approach of the process. One goal that I have said clearly that we have here is every year to compete to be bowl eligible and take our program to postseason play. I think that is really something that our fans should be excited about.”

“The day that programs start being not excited to be bowl eligible is a sad day. I think some of that is happening in college football at places. I hate that. That’s disappointing. It used to be that’s what kids got really excited for. I think the kids still do a lot of the time. Hopefully we never lose that excitement here to be one of the teams that is eligible to play in postseason.”

POSSIBLE TRAP GAME

The term “trap game” has become synonymous with anytime a heavily favored team plays a team that has not had much recent success the week prior to that same favored team playing a much more highly regarded team. It’s no secret that’s what Liberty is facing this week. As the Flames prepare to take on UMass this week, many have already begun looking ahead to next week’s game at No. 10 Ole Miss. Coach Freeze is hoping to guard against that potential let down this week.

“We talked this morning in our class that I present on Mondays,” Freeze explained. “I planned this back in the summer. Our whole deal this week is how do we want to finish? We’re in the last quarter of the season. How do we want to finish? It starts this week. If we want to finish well, then how do you do that? I went through a plan this week, whether you are talking about your spiritual life or your football life, how do you finish well? Hopefully they hear that loud and clear and it comes across this week in the way we prepare and play.”

INJURY UPDATE

Previously this week, we provided multiple updates on Liberty’s quarterback situation in regards to injuries to both Malik Willis and Johnathan Bennett.

The Flames continue to face injuries on the defensive line. Khristian Zachary, Micaiah Overton, and Durrell Johnson have missed the past few weeks and none of them were available at practice on Tuesday. Wide receivers Ahmad Jackson and Jaivian Lofton also continue to be out as they have had a difficult time returning to health. WR Khaleb Coleman continues to see his reps during practice increase as he works his way back from a knee injury.

Backup center John Kourtis continues to be out as does safety Quinton Reese. Cedric Stone and Jaylon Jimmerson, who both play the same position as Reese, were also injured against North Texas. Coach Freeze said that Stone was dealing with body cramps and should be good to go moving forward. Jimmerson suffered a shoulder injury and his status this week is uncertain, though he was a full participant at practice on Tuesday.