On the day quarterback Malcolm Perry set a single-season rushing record for quarterbacks for No. 23 Navy, it was a slotback throwing a deep pass to set up a game-winning field goal in the Liberty Bowl that made the most significant impact.
With 29 seconds remaining in a 17-17 tie against Kansas State, Perry pitched to slotback C.J. Williams as has been done thousands upon thousands of times in the history of the flexbone offense, but this time Williams pulled up to pass and found Chance Warren wide open for a 41-yard connection to the Kansas State 5-yard line.
The pass set up an easy 22-yard field goal attempt for Navy in the final seconds to clinch the win and finish the season 11-2. It was one of two trick plays Navy used to set up scores, as Chance Warren scored on a reverse from 20 yards out to give Navy a 17-10 lead in the third quarter.
NAVY PULLS OUT THE TRICK PLAY TO SET UP THE GO AHEAD FG! 😱 pic.twitter.com/tl8M1VhgWp
— ESPN (@espn) December 31, 2019
While he didn't throw the pass on the trick play, Malcolm Perry still finished a terrific career in style by winning the 2019 Liberty Bowl MVP award. He rushed for 213 yards on 28 attempts to reach 2,017 yards on the season, which is an NCAA single-season rushing record for a quarterback. The record had previously been held by Northern Illinois' Jordan Lynch, who rushed for 1,920 yards during the 2013 season.
Perry finishes his career with 4,359 yards rushing, which ranks 79th all-time amongst rushers at any position. Ironically enough, it's also Lynch whom Perry passes on the all-time list. It leaves him second all time at Navy behind Keenan Reynolds' 4,559 rushing yards. Reynolds, however, played in 50 games during his Navy career, averaging 91.2 rushing yards per game. Perry played in 41 games and averaged 106.3 yards per game.
