CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2019 Liberty

8–⁠5, coached by Hugh Freeze.

Schedule and results

Liberty in 2019, game by game: lost vs. No. 22 Syracuse 0–24; lost at Louisiana 14–35; won vs. Buffalo 35–17; won vs. Hampton 62–27; won vs. New Mexico 17–10; won at New Mexico State 20–13; won vs. Maine 59–44; lost at Rutgers 34–44; won at Massachusetts 63–21; lost at BYU 24–31; lost at Virginia 27–55; won vs. New Mexico State 49–28; won vs. Georgia Southern 23–16+42−28Lost 0–24 vs. No. 22 Syracuse-24No. 22 SyracuseLost 14–35 at Louisiana-21LouisianaWon 35–17 vs. Buffalo+18BuffaloWon 62–27 vs. Hampton+35HamptonWon 17–10 vs. New Mexico+7New MexicoWon 20–13 at New Mexico State+7New Mexico StateWon 59–44 vs. Maine+15MaineLost 34–44 at Rutgers-10RutgersWon 63–21 at Massachusetts+42MassachusettsLost 24–31 at BYU-7BYULost 27–55 at Virginia-28VirginiaWon 49–28 vs. New Mexico State+21New Mexico StateWon 23–16 vs. Georgia Southern+7Georgia Southern
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 31vs22SyracuseL 0–⁠2434%
Sep 7atLouisianaL 14–⁠3535%
Sep 14vsBuffaloW 35–⁠1739%
Sep 21vsHamptonW 62–⁠2774%
Sep 28vsNew MexicoW 17–⁠1062%
Oct 5atNew Mexico StateW 20–⁠1361%
Oct 19vsMaineW 59–⁠4475%
Oct 26atRutgersL 34–⁠4469%
Nov 2atMassachusettsW 63–⁠2173%
Nov 9atBYUL 24–⁠3132%
Nov 23atVirginiaL 27–⁠5524%
Nov 30vsNew Mexico StateW 49–⁠2875%
Dec 21Bowls & playoffvsGeorgia SouthernCure BowlW 23–⁠1639%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Georgia Southern 23–⁠16 in the Cure Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 7th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 32 on file).

Record
8–⁠5
Conference
—
AP final
Unranked
Points
427–⁠365
Coach
Hugh Freeze
Elo
1482 +54 this season
SP+ rating
-2.6 No. 74 of 130; offense No. 62, defense No. 86, special teams No. 61
SRS
−7.1 No. 96 of 130 in FBS
Returning
85% of last season’s EPA, No. 13 of 130
Recruiting class
No. 135 roster talent No. 129 in FBS
Offensive coordinators
Kent Austin and Maurice Harris
Defensive coordinator
Scott Symons
Offense
Multiple
Defense
4–⁠2–⁠5

How good, play by play

  • Offense53rd of 130
  • Defense63rd of 130
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted89th of 130
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted92nd of 130
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.1345%1.1853rd of 130
Defense0.1142%1.2063rd of 130
Opponent-adjusted0.07 off
0.14 def		42% off
44% def		—89th off
92nd def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense4.1own 2718% allowed
Defense3.5own 3020% caused

CORE rating -4.2, 84th of 130 (offense -1.7, defense 2.5).

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. CORE is CollegeFootballData.com’s context- and opponent-adjusted rating (points better than an average team; lower is better on defense). From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsStephen Calvert QB3,663 yds
Passing touchdownsStephen Calvert QB28 TD
Rushing yardsFrankie Hickson RB1,041 yds
Rushing touchdownsFrankie Hickson RB12 TD
Receiving yardsAntonio Gandy-Golden WR1,396 yds
Receiving touchdownsAntonio Gandy-Golden WR10 TD
TacklesSolomon Ajayi LB91 tkl
SacksJessie Lemonier DL10.5 sacks
InterceptionsBejour Wilson CB3 INT

Top recruits in the 2019 class

Tayvion Land CB★★★No. 566
C.J. Yarbrough WR★★★No. 1926
Brayden Monday SDE★★★No. 1968
Malik Caper ILB★★★No. 2404
Johnathan Bennett PRO★★★No. 2482

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2019 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks22.50.790
Receivers13.00.822
Defensive line23.00.810
Linebackers13.00.806
Defensive backs32.30.810
Whole class92.70.806

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Drafted in 2020

The 2020 draft
Rd 4Antonio Gandy-Golden WRWashington Football Team

Roster 115

The 2019 roster

115 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2019 line; 72 have a stat line. See the roster