PLAYER PROFILES
53 ANDREW ADAIR OFFENSIVE LINE 6-4, 310, SO. KETTLE RUN HS WARRENTON, VA.
2021 (FR.): • Mid-year enrollee who took part in Liberty’s spring practice workouts PREP: • Graduated from Kettle Run High School in Nokesville, Va. • Two-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com • Also received offers from Baylor, Buffalo, Coastal Carolina, James Madison, Kent State, Lehigh, Monmouth, Richmond, Tennessee and Tulane PERSONAL: • Son of Cherie and Brian Adair • Exercise Science major • Birthday is on Dec. 6
17 BENJAMIN ALEXANDER SAFETY 6-1, 185, R-SR. PENNS VALLEY HS SPRING MILLS, PA.
2020 (R-SR.): • Saw playing in time in all 11 games, starting the first two games of the season • Finished the season with 19 tackles (11 solo, nine assisted) • Opened the year with a season-best seven tackles at Western Kentucky, including four solo stops • Two solo stops in a home win over FIU • Helped the Flames secure their first-ever win over a ACC program by recording a solo tackle in a road win at Syracuse • Solo stop and a fumble recovery during Liberty’s road victory at Virginia Tech • Helped Liberty capture its second Cure Bowl victory, recording an assisted tackle during Liberty’s upset win over No. 9/11 Coastal Carolina 2019 (R-JR.): • Saw playing time in 12 of 13 games this season, starting the last two games of the season • Finished the season with 19 tackles (nine solo, 10 assisted) • Saw a significant amount of playing time as part of Liberty’s special teams units • Finished with a pair of tackles at UMass • Also added single tackles against Louisiana, Hampton and Maine • Got his first career start during the regular season finale against New Mexico State, finishing the contest with six tackles (three solo, three assisted) • Had a career game during Liberty’s win over Georgia Southern in the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl • Finished the Cure Bowl with a career-best eight tackles, including five solo, and two pass breakups 2018 (R-SO.): • Named Liberty’s Special Teams Player of the Week after the Norfolk State game • Played in all 12 games
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• Finished the season with nine tackles (five solo, four assisted) • Recorded a single tackle against Old Dominion, North Texas, Troy, Virginia and Auburn • Two tackles (one solo, one assisted) during Liberty’s home victory over New Mexico State • Finished the season with two tackles against Norfolk State (one solo, one assisted) 2017 (R-FR.): • Named to the Big South Presidential Honor Roll • Saw playing time in 10 of 11 games • Finished the season with six tackles (four solo, two assisted) • Recorded a pair of tackles against St. Francis (Pa.) and Duquesne • Recovered a fumble during Liberty’s win against Indiana State • Member of the Flames’ special teams units 2016 (FR.): • Redshirted during the season PREP: • Graduated from Penns Valley High School • Competed for four seasons at Penns Valley High School • Named WHVL MVP as a senior, amassing 492 receiving yards, five receiving touchdowns, two interception returns for touchdowns and two kickoff return touchdowns • Set school and county records as a junior with 384 rushing yards and six total touchdowns in one game • Totaled 775 passing yards, 799 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns and 137 receiving yards during junior season PERSONAL: • Son of Raymond and Joleen Alexander • Cousin, Emma Weakland, played volleyball at Winthrop • Cousin, Mark Weakland, played football at The Citadel • Cousin, Josh Weakland, played football at Slippery Rock • Cousin, Alex Weakland, played women’s basketball at Shepherd • Graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration • Currently working on his MBA • Birthday is May 8
46 AIDAN ALVES
PUNTER 6-1, 220, R-JR. NORTHERN YORK HS DILLSBURG, PA. 2020 (R-JR.): • Liberty’s starting punter for all 11 games • Finished the year averaging a career-best 41.8 yards per punt (26 punts for 1,088 yards) • Recorded six punts of 50 or more yards and eight inside the opponent’s 20-yard line • Averaged 40 or more yards per punt in six of Liberty’s 11 games • Averaged a season-best 48.0 yards per punt against North Alabama, including a season-long punt of 56 yards • Two out of three punts landed inside the 20-yard line against ULM where he averaged 42.0 yards per punt • Averaged 43.2 yards per punt during Liberty’s road win over Syracuse • Averaged 44.0 yards per punt to help the Flames upend in-state foe Virginia Tech, including a 51 yard punt • Finished the NC State game averaging 45.8 yards per punt, including a pair of 50-plus yard punts 2019 (R-SO.): • 2019 Ray Guy Award watch list member • Liberty’s starting punter for all 13 games • Averaged more than 4.0 yards per punt longer than his freshman season (37.0 average in 2018; 41.6 average in 2019)
