Power Five conference transfers play role in Liberty Football’s finest season in school history

Contributions from multiple Power Five conference transfers in 2020 have assisted Liberty University’s football program in reaching an unprecedented level of success.

The college sports conferences that comprise the Power Five are: The Big Ten, the Big 12, the Pac-12, The Southeastern Conference (SEC), and The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

This year the Flames have been led by Auburn (SEC) quarterback transfer and Maxwell Award watch list candidate Malik Willis. The talented dual-threat quarterback spent two seasons with the Tigers as the backup for Jarrett Stidham — now a quarterback for the New England Patriots — then departed after losing the starting quarterback competition to Bo Nix in 2019 spring practice. Willis sat out last season at Liberty due to NCAA transfer rules but was named the starter shortly before the start of the Flames’ 2020 season. In 10 games, the redshirt junior has led Liberty to a school record of 9-1 on the season while totaling close to 3,000 yards of offense.

One of Willis’ offensive targets this season is redshirt senior and Colorado (Pac-12) transfer Johnny Huntley. The 6-foot, 3-inch, 240-pound tight end was ranked as the 69th best receiver in the nation by Rivals.com coming out of high school. After playing for the Buffaloes for two seasons, Huntley transferred to Liberty in 2018. He sat out the 2018 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules, but returned to action in 2019, scoring one of the Flames’ touchdowns in a 23-16 Cure Bowl victory over Georgia Southern on Dec. 21 in Orlando, Fla. This season, the sure-handed receiver has hauled in 13 catches including three touchdown passes.

Capping off the Flames’ offensive Power Five transfers is senior and former Ole Miss (SEC) offensive lineman Bryce Mathews. The Tennessee native played in 20 games during his time with the Rebels after emerging from high school as the13th-ranked offensive tackle in the nation by Scout.com. Mathews arrived in Lynchburg in time to take part in the Flames 2020 spring workouts and has provided veteran experience and insight for the Flames offensive line.

Penn State (Big Ten) placekicker Alex Barbir’s story of resilience and determination spread across the nation after his 51-yard game-winning field goal in Blacksburg on Nov. 7 against Virginia Tech lifted the Flames to one of their biggest victories in program history. The 5-9, 220-pound senior was ranked in ESPN’s top 15 high school senior kickers and has given the Flames an exciting long-range kicking option throughout this season. After playing one season with the Nittany Lions, Barbir ventured south to attend Liberty as a student. Battling an injury and recovering from a major surgery, Barbir had become content with leaving his college football dreams behind him. But after two years away from the gridiron, a door that he never thought would open again did and he was given a shot to replace Alex Probert who transferred to Iowa State (Big 12).

North Carolina State (ACC) safety Tim Kidd-Glass played three seasons with the Wolfpack before transferring to Liberty last year. The hard-hitting defenseman saw time in 33 games with his former team, accumulating 68 tackles and forcing two fumbles. After sitting out 2019, Kidd-Glass has been a solid sub for the Flames secondary. He has missed significant time this season due to injury, but performed well when called upon.

The Flames will look to all five Power Five transfers to assist in their second consecutive Cure Bowl appearance this Saturday against undefeated Coastal Carolina.