Quarterback competition takes center stage as football looks for buckshot replacement

One of the bigger questions looming over the 2020 Liberty football season is who will replace four-year starter and program-record-holder Stephen Calvert as the new quarterback.

Calvert graduated in 2020 after leading the Flames to their first bowl game victory and finishing his Liberty career with a program-best 12,025 yards passing and 93 touchdowns. Liberty has big shoes to fill as it looks to continue the team’s success in FBS competition.

Redshirt junior Malik Willis and Maine graduate transfer Chris Ferguson emerged as the two leading candidates. Redshirt freshman Johnathan Bennett, who is returning from a season-ending knee injury that occurred in 2019, is also receiving some attention, according to Co-Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach Kent Austin.

“We really have one guy that has played a lot of college football and that is Chris (Ferguson),” Austin said, during an August 14 virtual press conference. “Nobody else has played, unlike (Calvert), who had a lot of games under his belt.”

Ferguson transferred to Liberty as a mid-year enrollee in 2020, taking part in the spring football workouts. The senior joins Liberty after playing three seasons at Maine, where he finished with over 5,000 career passing yards and 34 touchdowns.

The former standout won the starting position for the Black Bears during his sophomore year, and led the team to a 10-4 record and an appearance in the FCS national semifinals. He suffered a season-ending injury during the sixth game of the 2019 season and did not play against Liberty last year in the Flames 59-44 home victory over Maine.

In comparison to Willis, Ferguson’s mobility in the pocket remains a weakness, Austin noted.

“Chris has enough athleticism to move the sticks if he needs to,” Austin said. “He probably doesn’t have the level of athleticism to actually make a couple defensive players miss in the pocket and break contain. But if there are alleys and escape routes for Chris, he is smart enough to pull the ball down and move the sticks.” 

Willis transferred from Auburn in 2019 but was required to sit out last season due to the NCAA transfer rules. During his two seasons at Auburn in 2017 and 2018, Willis saw game action 15 times.

The Georgia high school standout exhibited great speed and athleticism at Auburn, rushing 28 times for 309 yards and two touchdowns, including a 16-yard score during the Tigers 53-0 blowout against Liberty in 2018.

“Right now, Malik is so physically talented, he is going to be able to make plays – that is not going to be the issue,” Austin said. “The issue is going to be, can he make great decisions and not force the ball into coverages that confuse him.”

Austin said that he was impressed with Willis’s drive to use his time during quarantine to work on his craft and prepare for the 2020 season.

“He spent a great deal of time really studying – on his own – and watching film, and going through the decision-making process,” Austin said. 

Johnathan Bennett remains the dark horse of the Flames quarterback competition. After showing promise and challenging Calvert for the starting job early in 2019, the then-true freshman ruptured his patella tendon while celebrating a touchdown against Hampton Sep. 21 and missed the rest of the season.

Bennett has received praise from both Austin and Head Coach Hugh Freeze over the last several weeks.

“Johnathan has done really well so far,” Austin said. “Coming off his injury and all the things that he had to deal with, he is having a really good camp right now.”

According to Freeze and Austin, the competition will most likely come down to either Ferguson or Willis, although no timetable for a decision has been presented yet.

“(The competition) is definitely there,” Freeze said. “It’s back and forth. (We) still need more consistency from both (Ferguson and Willis), particularly in the passing game.”

Christian Weaner is the Assistant Sports Editor. Follow him on Twitter at @christianweaner.