Liberty superfan puts the ‘exclamation’ mark on Flames’ bowl win

Students and alumni of Liberty University came out of the woodwork to help fan the Flames to their third consecutive bowl victory in the LendingTree Bowl on Saturday in Mobile, Ala. Liberty beat Eastern Michigan University 56-20.

Among the crowd was Jacob Bleymaier (’19), also known since his freshman year at Liberty football games as Mr. Exclamation Point. Bleymaier cheered from the front row in an end zone section at Hancock Whitney Stadium. He was hard to miss, with his chest painted in red with a blue exclamation point.

“I just want to motivate the fans to get louder for the team,” said Bleymaier, who graduated with a B.A. in International Relations — Politics and Policy and a minor in military history. “I’ve had so much fun bringing energy, being Mr. Exclamation Point hype man. I’m like a visual reminder to get loud, get pumped. We’re the 12th man here, and Liberty, being a new school coming into (the FBS), we need to build the right fan mentality that we get out there, and we get loud.”

Bleymaier, who is now pursuing his M.A. in Military History through Liberty’s online programs while living in Destin, Fla., wasn’t able to see the Flames play in person last season due to COVID-19, but has traveled to see them three other times this fall, including Sept. 11 at Troy (Ala.), Nov. 6 at Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., and Nov. 27 against Army at Williams Stadium.

He is a die-hard fan of the Flames not just at games, but also on social media platforms. Last year, he launched the Facebook group Liberty Flames Nation that now has more than 5,000 members.

“I figured I’d make a platform where fans can get together, and it is exploding,” Bleymaier said.

Originally from Ohio, Bleymaier wanted to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy to play football, but tore his ACL during his senior year of high school.

“I figured, ‘If I can’t play, I’ll be a No. 1 fan,’” Bleymaier said. “I went to Liberty, and I had an awesome time. I had a blast, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I miss it every day.”

He said with the rise of Liberty’s football program and its early success in the FBS, he is looking forward to the fan base rising as well.

“I think it’s just going to take time,” Bleymaier said. “Honestly, you look at Ole Miss, they’ve been around since the 1890s, and Liberty’s only had a program since 1973. We’ve been here since 1971, so we’re in our 50th year. Liberty is exploding right now, so that’s the goal. To build a fan base, you’ve got to have a community first, and I hope my Facebook group will be a part of that. The new graduates of Liberty are also passionate — Jerry’s Jokers and those type of guys are building that base.”

At games, Bleymaier is a ringleader of sorts for the fans, aiming to stir up contagious excitement and energy that grows with every Flames first down and touchdown.

“A lot of fans … are used to watching a game online and on TV, so they’re just kind of sitting down like they’re watching a game,” he said. “But when you are at a game, you’re not watching it on TV. You are part of the team. Don’t be a spectator, be a participant. Be a part of the team. What you do and how loud you get impacts the performance on the field.”

Bleymaier is also a contributing writer for ASeaOfRed.com, an independent website focused on Liberty Athletics and managed by alumnus Jon Manson (’06, ’09). Bleymaier has written “Three Keys to the Game” features as well as game previews and reviews.

“I love sports, I love being a passionate fan, and I like writing,” Bleymaier said. “I asked Jon Manson and I’ve been writing for him for two years now. He’s a passionate fan himself, and he wanted to start something in real time where fans could find out pertinent information about Liberty’s teams.”

On his Liberty Flames Nation group page, Bleymaier mostly reposts links to stories found online.

“When I see anything Liberty University related, I put it out there and try to build up the fan base by giving them something they can connect with and maybe get their perspectives on it,” Bleymaier said.

He said the threads on his group page have rarely taken negative turns, with most posts encouraging others in the Flames’ family of followers.

“Liberty fans are the best fans in the world,” Bleymeier said. “They’re super respectful. I’ve only had to remove like three posts in the entire two years. It’s always super clean, and everyone’s just there to have a great time and to pick each other up, so it’s a great community.”