Following a third-straight Big South Conference championship season, Director of Athletics Jeff Barber has announced Liberty University has extended head football coach Danny Rocco's contract through the 2014 season.

For Rocco, who has recently drawn national attention for some high-profile coaching positions around the country, this two-year extension is the second offered by the University during his four-year run on Liberty Mountain. Just like his extension following the 2007 season, this contract expansion gives Rocco a current five-year deal with the University.

"Danny has done a tremendous job of building Liberty Football to where it is today," stated Barber. "He has proven himself over and over again to be the right person to lead our football program. The entire Liberty family is excited to have him lead our program as we continue to climb the ladder of national prominence."

Since arriving on Liberty Mountain in December 2005, Rocco has dramatically changed the culture surrounding the Liberty football program. He has put together the most successful four-year run in program history, posting a combined 32-13 record.

Liberty has finished with a winning record each of the four years under Rocco, marking the first-such stretch in program history. The Flames have also eclipsed the eight-win mark the last three seasons, also marking a first in the 37-year history of the program.

During his first season at Liberty, Rocco posted the nation's best turnaround among NCAA FCS programs, as Liberty went from a 1-10 record in 2005 to a 6-5 winning season. During his first campaign, Liberty's stingy defense held opponents to a program best 172 total points, aided by three shutout victories.

In 2007, Rocco spearheaded the start of a three-year offensive explosion, as Liberty set a new program standard by scoring 469 points, which ranked No. 3 nationally in scoring offense. Liberty also set a new program record by winning six home football games, en route to its first of three-straight Big South titles.

Liberty's winning ways reached an unprecedented mark during the 2008 season, as the Flames posted their first-ever, 10-win season with a 10-2 record. During their second Big South championship run, Liberty knocked off a pair of Top 25 programs, including an emphatic 26-3 win over No. 12 Elon to capture its 10th win of the season.

This past season, Rocco preformed one of his finest jobs since taking the head coaching reigns, as he led his youngest squad to its third-straight Big South title.

After losing over 70 percent of Liberty's offense and 15 starters from the 2008 season, including current Jacksonville Jaguars running back Rashad Jennings, Rocco maintained Liberty's offensive prowess during an 8-3 campaign. Liberty led the nation in turnover margin and ranked No. 2 in scoring offense.

In just four seasons with the program, Rocco has quickly become the third winningest coach in program history. Rocco will enter the 2010 season needing just one more victory to tie Tom Dowling for second place on Liberty's career coaching charts (33-38-1/seven years).

Under Rocco, Liberty has finished the past two seasons ranked inside the final Top 25 FSC polls. Following their 10-2 campaign in 2008, Liberty ranked No. 14 in the final Sports Network poll, while the Flames recently finished this past season ranked No. 22 in both the Sports Network and FCS Coaches listings.

Rocco has individually caught the attention of the national FCS scene. He was a candidate for the Eddie Robinson Award the past two seasons, the nation's top FCS coaching honor handed out by the Sports Network, while also being a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award in both 2008 and 2009.