Kam Davis shines on ESPN as Liberty beats Coastal Carolina

CONWAY, S.C. — Former Dougherty High School star Kam Davis delivered the biggest performance of his college career Thursday night.

Davis rushed for a career-high 166 yards and helped Liberty overcome a halftime deficit to beat Coastal Carolina 34-17 at Brooks Stadium.

The Albany native, who transferred to Liberty after beginning his college career at Florida State, carried 18 times and averaged 9.2 yards per attempt in his first career 100-yard rushing game. He also caught a 6-yard touchdown pass with 1:02 remaining to put the finishing touch on the Flames’ third consecutive victory.

Davis, the son of Roosevelt Davis and Diana Carr Davis of Albany, provided a glimpse of what was coming almost immediately.

On Liberty’s opening possession, he broke free for a season-long 56-yard run that moved the Flames into scoring position and helped set up Chase Reeves’ 29-yard field goal.

Coastal Carolina eventually took a 17-10 lead into halftime, but Davis and the Flames took control after the break.

Liberty scored 24 unanswered points in the second half, piling up 246 yards while holding Coastal Carolina to just 47. The Flames finished with a season-high 263 rushing yards, with Davis accounting for 166 of them.

Quarterback Deshawn Purdie tied the game early in the third quarter with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Makai Jackson, and Reeves’ 24-yard field goal gave Liberty a 20-17 lead.

Ethan Vasko added an 8-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter before Davis closed the scoring.

With Liberty leading 27-17 in the final minutes, Vasko found Davis for a 6-yard touchdown, completing a career night for the former Trojan on national television.

Davis’ performance was the centerpiece of a Liberty offense that generated 485 total yards and averaged 7.7 yards per play. Purdie completed 11 of 16 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, while Jackson caught five passes for 149 yards and two scores.

The victory improved Liberty to 3-1 and gave the Flames their first three-game winning streak since last season.

For Davis, however, Thursday represented another milestone in a football journey that began in Albany. After starring at Dougherty, moving on to Florida State and then transferring to Liberty, he produced his first 100-yard college game — and nearly reached 200.

Liberty opens Conference USA play next Friday at Delaware.