The Liberty League is celebrating its 25th anniversary during the 2019-2020 academic year. Originally founded as the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association (UCAA) in 1995, the conference was renamed the Liberty League during the summer of 2004. Each Thursday throughout the year, the Liberty League will be celebrating its silver anniversary by recognizing outstanding teams and individuals from its rich 25-year history.
As we take a break and enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday – and enjoy an afternoon of watching football – the Liberty League recognizes one of the most decorated football players in its 25-year history in former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute placekicker Andrew Franks.
After signing with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League as an undrafted free agent following his graduation in 2015, Franks became the first former Liberty League player to appear in an NFL regular-season game when he kicked off to open the Dolphins’ season on Sept. 13, 2015 (former Hobart College standout Ali Marpet ’15 also made his NFL debut for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that same day, minutes after Franks debuted for the Dolphins).
In his rookie season, Franks converted 81.3 percent of his field goal attempts (13-for-16) with a long of 53, finishing the campaign with 72 points. In 2016, he converted 76.2 percent of his attempts (16-for-21) with a career-long 55-yard field goal. He finished the season with 89 points. Franks converted 91.3 percent (21-for-23) of his attempts from less than 40 yards. In two seasons, he was a combined 29-for-37 (78.4 percent) on field goals while scoring 161 points and is the only former Liberty League player to score in the NFL.
In October 2019, Franks was selected by the XFL's Tampa Bay Vipers in the open phase of the 2020 XFL Draft. The league is set to begin play on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020.
Franks, who graduated from RPI with a biomedical engineering degree is one of the most celebrated student-athletes in school history. The Carmel, Calif., native was a multiple National All-America as a senior, earning Little AP, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and D3football honors. Franks, a graduate of Carmel High School, was the Liberty League Special Teams Player of the Year for the second straight season and a unanimous All-League First Team selection as a kicker. He was All-Liberty League Second Team as a punter. He was also named to the D3football.com All-East Region First Team for the third consecutive season and was selected to participate in the National Bowl.
In 11 games as a senior in 2014, Franks made 16 of 25 field goal attempts, including three of at least 50 yards. He set the school record of 54 yards - the longest in NCAA Division III in 2014 - on October 25 and established a facility record at Springfield College’s Stagg Field with a 52 yarder. Among the other field goal distances he made were 51, 43 & 39 yards. Franks also made 30 point after attempts and led the team with 78 points. On 57 kickoffs, he averaged 61.4 yards with 33 touchbacks.
He was also RPI's punter, averaging 38.6 yards per kick (45 att. for 1738 yards) with 12 that landed inside the 20 yard line.
As a junior in 2013, Franks connected on 9 of 11 field goal attempts, including a school record five in a single game, while leading all Liberty League kickers in scoring during the regular season with 53 points. He was 5 for 7 from 40 yards and beyond while also tying his own school record with a 50 yard field goal. He averaged 63.3 yards per kickoff (46 for 2,910 yards), including 20 touchbacks. Franks averaged 36.1 yards on 57 punts (2,058 yards), including a 62 yard long, with 19 inside the 20-yard line. He was chosen to the All-Liberty League First (kicker) and Second (punter) Teams, along with Special Teams Player of the Year.
As a sophomore in 2012, Franks made 8 of 14 field goals, including a school record 50-yarder against Union College in the Dutchman Shoes Trophy Game. He also made a 43-yard attempt and hit 31 of 34 extra-points, including going 8-for-8 in one contest, to finish with 55 points. On kickoffs, he had 53 attempts for 3,225 yards (60.8 avg.) with 23 going for touchbacks. He was an All-Liberty League First Team selection after earning All-League Honorable Mention as a freshman.
For his career, Franks made 37 of 56 field goals and 115 of 123 point-after-touchdowns for 226 points. He averaged 61.2 yards on 202 kickoffs with 85 touchbacks. He established school records for career field goals (37), career touchbacks (85) and touchbacks in a season (33). A three-time Liberty League All-Academic honoree, he compiled 3,796 yards on 102 punt attempts with 31 that landed inside the 20-yard line.
25th Anniversary Spotlight Series:
10/24/2019 - 1999 St. Lawrence University Men's Soccer
10/31/2019 - Sara Artus, Clarkson University, Volleyball (2008-2011)
11/7/2019 - Ali Marpet, Hobart College, Football (2011-2015)
11/14/2019 - 1997 William Smith College Field Hockey
11/21/2019 - Grant O'Connor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Cross Country/Track & Field (2015-2019)