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2021 Liberty

8–⁠5, coached by Hugh Freeze.

Schedule and results

Liberty in 2021, game by game: won vs. Campbell 48–7; won at Troy 21–13; won vs. Old Dominion 45–17; lost at Syracuse 21–24; won at UAB 36–12; won vs. Middle Tennessee 41–13; lost at UL Monroe 28–31; won at North Texas 35–26; won vs. Massachusetts 62–17; lost at No. 15 Ole Miss 14–27; lost vs. No. 22 Louisiana 14–42; lost vs. Army 16–31; won vs. Eastern Michigan 56–20+45−28Won 48–7 vs. Campbell+41CampbellWon 21–13 at Troy+8TroyWon 45–17 vs. Old Dominion+28Old DominionLost 21–24 at Syracuse-3SyracuseWon 36–12 at UAB+24UABWon 41–13 vs. Middle Tennessee+28Middle TennesseeLost 28–31 at UL Monroe-3UL MonroeWon 35–26 at North Texas+9North TexasWon 62–17 vs. Massachusetts+45MassachusettsLost 14–27 at No. 15 Ole Miss-13No. 15 Ole MissLost 14–42 vs. No. 22 Louisiana-28No. 22 LouisianaLost 16–31 vs. Army-15ArmyWon 56–20 vs. Eastern Michigan+36Eastern Michigan
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 4vsCampbellW 48–⁠789%
Sep 11atTroyW 21–⁠1351%
Sep 18vsOld DominionW 45–⁠1786%
Sep 24atSyracuseL 21–⁠2467%
Oct 2atUABW 36–⁠1242%
Oct 9vsMiddle TennesseeW 41–⁠1381%
Oct 16atUL MonroeL 28–⁠3182%
Oct 23atNorth TexasW 35–⁠2679%
Oct 30vsMassachusettsW 62–⁠1792%
Nov 6at15Ole MissL 14–⁠2747%
Nov 20vs22LouisianaL 14–⁠4244%
Nov 27vsArmyL 16–⁠3161%
Dec 18Bowls & playoffvsEastern MichiganLendingTree BowlW 56–⁠2063%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Eastern Michigan 56–⁠20 in the LendingTree Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 3rd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 32 on file).

Record
8–⁠5
Conference
—
AP final
Unranked
Points
437–⁠280
Coach
Hugh Freeze
Elo
1571 −8 this season
SP+ rating
8.4 No. 49 of 130; offense No. 47, defense No. 38
SRS
4.5 No. 47 of 130 in FBS
Returning
90% of last season’s EPA, No. 28 of 128
Recruiting class
No. 111 roster talent No. 126 in FBS
Offensive coordinators
Kent Austin and Maurice Harris
Defensive coordinators
Scott Symons, Josh Aldridge and Jack Curtis
Offense
Multiple
Defense
4–⁠2–⁠5

How good, play by play

  • Offense52nd of 130
  • Defense22nd of 130
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted56th of 130
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted32nd of 130
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.1744%1.4252nd of 130
Defense0.0640%1.1822nd of 130
Opponent-adjusted0.16 off
0.10 def		43% off
42% def		—56th off
32nd 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
Offense4.6own 2917% allowed
Defense3.6own 2918% caused

CORE rating 3.4, 61st of 130 (offense 3.2, defense -0.2).

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 yardsMalik Willis QB2,857 yds
Passing touchdownsMalik Willis QB27 TD
Rushing yardsMalik Willis QB878 yds
Rushing touchdownsMalik Willis QB13 TD
Receiving yardsDemario Douglas WR701 yds
Receiving touchdownsC.J. Daniels WR7 TD
TacklesStorey Jackson LB95 tkl
SacksStorey Jackson LB6 sacks
InterceptionsDuron Lowe CB2 INT

Top recruits in the 2021 class

Khristian Zachary DE★★★No. 480
Kaci Seegars LB★★★No. 1005
Kylen Austin WR★★★No. 1439
Nate Hampton QB★★★No. 1654
Marquise Brunson DL★★★No. 1832

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

The 2021 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks13.00.833
Receivers13.00.841
Offensive line33.00.813
Defensive line33.00.840
Linebackers23.00.838
Defensive backs13.00.817
Whole class113.00.830

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 2022

The 2022 draft
Rd 3Malik Willis QBTennessee Titans

Roster 121

The 2021 roster

121 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2021 line; 73 have a stat line. See the roster

Transfers in 6

The 2021 portal
Kaidon Salter QB★★★from Tennessee
Rashaad Harding LB★★★from UL Monroe
Skyler Thomas S★★★from Washington State
T.J. Green RB★★★from Utah
Cedric Stone CB★★from Georgia State
Duron Lowe CB★★from UTEP

Transfers out 9

Emanuel Dabney CB★★★no new school on file
Maisen Knight OT★★★to Utah State
Michael Lewis DE★★★to East Tennessee State
Tim Glass S★★★no new school on file
Louis Taylor III S★★no new school on file
Peytton Pickett RB★★to Jackson State
Chris Ferguson QB★no new school on file
Chris Barrett TEno new school on file
Hunter Goetz Sno new school on file