AAC football: 5 programs that should replace UConn as newest member
By John Scimeca
4. Liberty Flames
Liberty just joined the FBS ranks last year and will compete as an official FBS member this year. The Flames are competing as an Independent and would love to join a conference, especially the American Athletic Conference.
Liberty, once called Liberty Baptist College, is a private, evangelical Christian college located in Lynchburg, Virginia. The university has made its commitment to football plain: they hired former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze as its new head coach last year and they have an impressive array of athletic facilities. Football’s home, Williams Stadium, has recently undergone an estimated $40 million in upgrades and currently seats 25,000, with plans for more additions.
From its location in central Virginia, Liberty would provide a next-door neighbor to AAC members East Carolina and Navy, as well as not being terribly far from Temple or Cincinnati.
University president Jerry Falwell, Jr. said in a 2013 Washington Post story that he wants Liberty to be for evangelical Protestants what Notre Dame is for Catholics. The funds, the university’s commitment, and the fanbase appear to be there. Taking a step into a “Power Six” conference at the FBS level would be a huge accomplishment for the Flames.
On the AAC’s side, adding Liberty might bring unwanted controversy (a la Hugh Freeze) or new requirements, such as not being able to schedule sporting events on Sundays or selling alcohol at conference tournaments. At this moment, Liberty is not a high-caliber football program, though that could change in upcoming years.