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Rise With Us: Marshall Roberts
4/12/2018 12:00:00 AM | Football
With the spring football season now behind the Flames, the Liberty Football program has turned its full attention to the 2018 season, the program's first at the FBS level.
During the next several weeks, LibertyFlames.com will run a series of interviews with coaches, players and school administrators talking about Liberty's FBS transition process.
Marshall Roberts is the senior veteran on Liberty's coaching staff, having joined Liberty's coaching staff in 2004. He currently serves the staff as assistant defensive backs coach.
A 15-year veteran at the school, Robert brings a vast array of knowledge to the staff, having previously worked with football programs from the NFL, NFL Europe, Canadian Football League, Arena Football League, collegiate and high school ranks.
During his decade-plus of coaching at Liberty, Roberts has helped the Flames win eight Big South titles (2007-10, 2012-14, 2016) and secure the Flames' first-ever NCAA FCS Playoffs win in 2014. Individually, Roberts has had an impact on several of his players, with 17 defensive backs taking home Big South all-conference honors under his tutelage.
Roberts helped Liberty kicked off its two-year FBS transition process in grand style when the Flames posted a 48-45 win at Baylor on Sept. 2, 2017. The stunning victory was ranked as the seventh biggest upset in college football over the last 25 years in an article on ESPN.com (Sept. 6, 2017).
In total, Roberts also been on the sidelines for four of Liberty's five wins over FBS programs: Ball State (2010), Appalachian State (2014), Georgia State (2015) and Baylor (2017).
Rise With Us: The Process
On Feb. 16, 2017, the NCAA approved Liberty's waiver request to begin the two-year FBS reclassification process. Liberty completed its final season as a FCS program in 2017, playing as a member of the Big South Conference.
During the 2018 season, Liberty will compete as a FBS independent program and will not be eligible for postseason competition. At the conclusion of the two-year transition process, Liberty will be a full-fledged FBS program in 2019, which will include the opportunity to compete for bowl game appearances.
The Flames will host their first FBS home game against Old Dominion on Sept. 1, 2018, the first of four FBS teams to visit Williams Stadium in 2018 to meet the FBS reclassification criteria. The 2018 home schedule also features FBS matchups against North Texas (Sept. 22), Troy (Oct. 13) and New Mexico State (Nov. 24).
Fans who purchased season tickets by the priority deadline of May 15 will have priority for seat assignments. For more information about becoming a season ticket holder, please contact the Flames Ticket Office at (434) 582-SEAT (7328) or tickets@liberty.edu.
Fans can support Liberty Football and enjoy special game-day privileges by joining the Flames Club. The Flames Club exists to underwrite Liberty Athletics' three-fold mission to train Champions for Christ, provide a world-class student-athlete experience and achieve victory with integrity.
Flames Club membership starts at just $60 and members can enjoy preferred parking, seating and pregame hospitality benefits, based upon membership level.
For more information about west (red) reserved benchback seats, west (blue) premium chairback seats, west club seats or future loge box seats, call 434-582-CLUB (2582), email FlamesClub@liberty.edu, or visit www.LibertyFlames.com/FlamesClub.
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2018 Football Season Tickets