Liberty fell behind by two scores in the first half and their star quarterback Malik Willis was in the locker room suffering from a foot injury. Things looked dire for the Liberty Flames. The team was able to come from behind as backup quarterback Johnathan Bennett steadied the ship, and Willis returned in the second half to help lead the Flames to a 35-26 win over the North Texas Mean Green.
With the win, the Flames improve to 6-2 on the season and become bowl eligible for the third consecutive season to begin the program’s time at the FBS level. Liberty has also secured at least 6 wins on the year for the 16th consecutive year dating back to its time as an FCS member.
It was all North Texas through the first quarter and a half, and it looked like Liberty was not going to be able to bounce back from its devastating loss at Louisiana-Monroe a week ago. The Flames were behind 17-7 and Willis was in the locker room after suffering an injury to his left foot. Backup quarterback Johnathan Bennett entered the game, and he actually steadied the ship for the Flames.
The Mean Green were able to extend its lead to 20-7 with 1:51 left in the first half. Bennett was able to engineer a 5 play, 90 yard drive that took just 36 seconds and ended in a 39 yard touchdown strike to CJ Daniels. It brought the Flames back to just one score and gave the team some momentum heading into the locker room break. Bennett and Liberty even had a chance to take the lead before the half ended, but the drive would stall at the North Texas 27 yard line.
“We trust JB too,” Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said of Bennett. “JB came in, we had some touchdowns right there before the half he just missed them a little bit. He threw one big one for us. We struggled to protect both of them today. We are struggling to protect very well. Who knows what would have happened with JB, but I certainly believe in him.”
Bennett would remain Liberty’s quarterback to begin the second half, as reports were beginning to surface that Willis had left the stadium and was heading to an off-site facility to have further tests done on his foot. The Mean Green were able to push their lead back to two scores once again with a touchdown midway through the third period. The two point conversion was no good as UNT took a 26-14 lead.
On Liberty’s ensuing possession, the potential first round NFL Draft pick in the 2022 draft Malik Willis returned to the field for the Flames, and he was back to working magic once again. He connected with CJ Daniels for a 40 yard gain, and just a few plays later found Daniels once again for 20 yards and a touchdown to cut UNT’s lead to 26-21.
Liberty’s defense would get a three and out and forced a North Texas punt from their own 21 yard line. Demario Douglas would take the low, line drive punt and made his way to the Liberty sideline and ran past all the North Texas defenders on his way to a 72 yard punt return for the touchdown. It gave the Flames its first lead of the game, and Liberty would not look back.
“We’ve struggled some on special teams, particularly kickoff return unit, but that punt return unit he has been close a couple times,” Freeze said of Douglas and his touchdown. “When the ball was kicked it was a low one, that always excites you a little bit. If you can get the right hop right to him because it was low and didn’t have good hang time. I thought our kids did a good job screening and not getting any blocks in the backs. It was well excited. Proud for (Special Teams Coordinator) Tanner (Burns) and all the kids out there. Pop (Demario Douglas), he’s just another gamer.”
After another defensive stop, Willis and the Liberty offense drove down the field and put more points on the board to give the Flames some separation over the Mean Green. Willis would find Shedro Louis on a screen pass on 3rd and 7 that the speedy back to the house from 37 yards out.
Willis would finish the game completing 12 of 18 passes for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was sacked six times and held to -8 rushing yards on the evening, the first time he has rushed for fewer than 44 yards in a game as Liberty’s quarterback.
“What a kid, what a warrior,” Freeze said of Willis. “He’s just a ball player. He just fought for this team. The whole team fought. The team, the staff, we just fought.”
North Texas out-gained Liberty on the night with 454 yards of offense compared to 351 for the Flames. Liberty was held to just 41 rushing yards while North Texas had 242 rushing yards.
“I’m good,” Willis said of his injury after the game. “Ain’t no foot injury no more. I’m good. It just scared me a little bit, I think, but it’s fine. I was scared. I didn’t want to put no pressure on it. Then, I started putting pressure on it and it felt good. So I was good and I came back and played.”
After two straight road games, the Flames are back at home next Saturday to take on UMass. The Minutemen are 1-6 on the season following their 59-3 loss at Florida State on Saturday. Kickoff from Williams Stadium is scheduled for noon.
*photo courtesy Liberty Athletics
