Former Auburn quarterback Malik Willis has been named the starter for Liberty for the 2020 season.
Flames coach Hugh Freeze announced Monday that Willis will start at quarterback in their home opener against Western Kentucky this weekend. Willis, a redshirt junior, was a 3-star prospect coming out of high school and redshirted last year after transferring to Liberty during the 2019 offseason.
A member of Auburn’s 2017 recruiting class, Willis served as the backup to Jarrett Stidham in 2017 and 2018. He appeared in 15 games and completed 11-0f-14 passes for 69 yards while rushing for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
Willis competed with Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood for the starting job in 2019 but transferred when he fell behind them on the depth chart and was forced to sit out the season after the NCAA denied his request for immediate eligibility.