Malik Willis has been named the FBS Independent Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by College Football News and four others have been named to the CFN FBS Independent Preseason All-Conference team.
In addition to Willis, RB Joshua Mack, WR DJ Stubbs, DE Durrell Johnson, and PR Demario Douglas are named to the Preseason All-Conference team by CFN. The publication also ranked the top 30 FBS Independent players with Willis, Mack, Stubbs, Johnson, and Douglas making the list in addition to DE TreShaun Clark and S Javon Scruggs.
Clark checked in at No. 22 on the ranking of the top 30 FBS Independent players. Scruggs was No. 21, while Stubbs ranked No. 10, Johnson No. 8, Mack No. 7, and Willis No. 2. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, Jr was pegged as the top FBS Independent player.
“The former Auburn Tiger has turned into a superstar and interesting pro prospect for Liberty,” CFN wrote about Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. “He’s not huge, but the 6-1, 215-pounder is one of the nation’s top dual-threat playmakers, throwing for well over 2,000 yards with 20 touchdowns along with 944 rushing yards and 14 scores last season. He’s got everyone around him to do even more.”
Liberty is coming off a record campaign in 2020 when the Flames finished 10-1 following the team’s dramatic bowl win over Coastal Carolina in the Cure Bowl. The Flames also picked up the program’s first ever wins over an ACC opponent when Liberty defeated Syracuse and Virginia Tech. Those two wins made Liberty the first non-Power Five team to post a pair of wins over ACC schools in the same season since Houston did so in 2015. Liberty finished the 2020 season ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and No. 18 in the Amway Coaches Poll, the highest ever ranking for the Flames as an FBS program.
Liberty will open the 2021 season at home on Sept. 4 against Campbell. The Flames will host five more home games throughout the season: Old Dominion (Sept. 18), Middle Tennessee (Oct. 9), UMass (Oct. 30), Louisiana (Nov. 20), and Army (Nov. 27).
