The 2019 Liberty football season will be one that is remembered forever. It was a season of firsts and ended with the Flames winning the program’s first ever bowl game. Here are the top 10 moments from the year.
10. HOSTING FIRST TOP 25 & P5 OPPONENT
The game didn’t end as we hoped for and it would be great to get another crack at the Orange this season, but the buildup and atmosphere is worthy of a spot on this list.
9. FLAMES INK BEST EVER RECRUITING CLASS
Unfortunately, with the December signing day, a lot of the recruiting information got lost in all the bowl week coverage, but the class Freeze and company just signed was the best in Liberty football history. The Flames signed 14 three-star rated prospects and then added several graduate transfers that should make immediate impacts.
8. MALIK WILLIS TRANSFERS TO LIBERTY
While he didn’t get to play this season, Malik Willis transferring from Auburn to Liberty, potentially challenging Buckshot to start, and eventually getting his waiver for immediate eligibility denied by the NCAA was one of the biggest stories around the Liberty football 2019 season. His impact the next two seasons could make him extremely too low on this list.
7. BUCKSHOT’S RECORD BREAKING SEASON
It was a record-breaking season for 4th year starting quarterback Buckshot Calvert. He set program records for single game passing yards, single season passing yards, career passing yards, and career passing touchdowns. His 270 passing yards in the Cure Bowl pushed him over 12,000 career passing yards. That’s just unheard of.
6. AGG’S RECORD BREAKING SEASON
AGG is currently 3rd in the country with 1,396 receiving yards. He set program records for single season receiving yards, career receptions, career receiving yards, and career touchdowns. Oh yeah, and he had a few highlight reel catches this season.
5. HUGH FREEZE BACK INJURY
This story got as much national attention as any surrounding Liberty this season. It began early in training camp as Coach Freeze missed over 20 practices before returning for Syracuse game week when he coached from a hospital bed in the press box. The following week he coached from a medical chair at Louisiana before returning to the sidelines from a pit box for the next few weeks.
4. HUGH FREEZE PICKING UP HIS FIRST WIN AT LU
It took three games, but Hugh Freeze was finally able to break through and pick up his first win at Liberty against Buffalo when the Flames were an underdog.
3. FACING BYU ON ESPNU
This season, Liberty took its biggest leap towards reaching Dr. Falwell’s ultimate goal of being the Evangelical equivalent of Notre Dame and BYU, and it was never more evident than the night the Flames faced BYU on ESPNU.
2. BECOMING BOWL ELIGIBLE/ACCEPTING CURE BOWL INVITE
It took until the regular season finale, but Liberty was able to become bowl eligible by defeating New Mexico State, 49-28. One week later the Flames officially accepted an invitation to the Cure Bowl, marking the first ever bowl appearance for the program.
1. WINNING THE PROGRAM’S FIRST EVER BOWL
Not only did the Flames reach the program’s first ever bowl game, Liberty won the 2019 Cure Bowl, defeating Georgia Southern 23-16 thanks to an inspiring defensive effort.
