Chancellor Falwell announces football study, welcomes new head coach
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December 15, 2011 : By Liberty University News Service
As Liberty University welcomed its new head football coach Turner Gill Thursday, Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. also announced Liberty will be conducting a feasibility study to determine if the university should reclassify its football program to the NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Liberty currently competes at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the Big South Conference, where it has won four championship titles (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).
“Given the unexpected turn of events, we believe the time is right for Liberty to conduct the FBS feasibility study, which is so important for our program to move to the level it was originally envisioned it would go,” Falwell said during a news conference in the Williams Stadium tower.
He said the study should be completed in February or March.
Falwell then introduced Gill as Liberty’s new head football coach.
“I really believe Turner Gill is a perfect fit for Liberty. His Christian faith is exactly what new recruits would expect to see at Liberty, and his background, his experience is at the level where we want to go,” Falwell said.
After a loud, long applause from the audience, which included members of the Flames football team, Flames Club members, Liberty Athletics staff, and students, faculty and other university staff, Gill addressed the crowd, then answered questions.
“First and foremost, I am both honored and grateful to be able to coach and mentor young men at a university which supports Jesus Christ as a personal Lord and Savior,” Gill said. “I am thrilled to help fulfill Dr.Jerry Falwell’s vision of advancing a Christ-centered university to excellence in its football program as well as all its athletics programs.”
He said as he toured the campus and the facilities, “it was hard not to be awestruck with all the construction I saw. Liberty is committed to bringing excellence to whatever they do. The facilities they have built and are in the process of building are world-class. I can’t wait to show all the recruits.”
Gill becomes Liberty’s eighth head football coach.
Read more at www.libertyflames.com.