For the third straight game, Liberty began the game with the ball and for the third straight game the Flames’ opening drive resulted in a touchdown. Frankie Hickson’s 2-yard run for the score gave the Flames’ the 6-0 lead and the team never looked back, torching Hampton 62-27.
“I told (our kids) the day we stop celebrating victories is a sad, sad, sad day,” Freeze said immediately following the game. “I’ve been in locker rooms before that didn’t know how to enjoy a victory. That one counts as much as last week’s. We’re going to celebrate that tonight, thankful for another victory, glad to see them excited about it.”
The first quarter lasted just over an hour, and we had numerous story lines from the opening 15 minutes of play alone. A punt return for touchdown called back due to penalty, Brandon Robinson making his collegiate debut on 2nd and goal and scoring a touchdown, Johnathan Bennett getting injured despite not even getting into the game, a muffed punt that ended in a touchdown for Hampton, a kick return for touchdown called back due to penalty, a botched extra point, an onside kick attempt almost returned for a touchdown, oh and there were 39 points scored.
“I wouldn’t call it dominate early,” said Freeze despite the 27-12 lead after the first quarter. “I think we did okay early. We got out to an okay start. I thought defensively we played good the first half except one possession. We knew (Deondre Francois) could throw it. We knew they had two receivers that were very good and talented. He can throw it, he can spin it.”
The Florida State transfer Francois finished the game 19-of-25 passing for 288 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. When Liberty’s corners succumbed to injury, the Pirates took advantage with two of his touchdown passes coming in the 2nd half.
Ceneca Espinoza with a 45-yard interception return for touchdown
Antonio Gandy-Golden continued to do AGG things as he finished with 181 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns on just receptions. He stepped out of bounds at the one yard line on his final reception of the night, coming just one yard shy of the end zone and what would have been the program record 28th career touchdown reception.
“Yeah, I knew it,” AGG said of trying to break the record on that play. “I thought I had it, I ain’t going to lie to you. I didn’t know I went out of bounds, but it’s cool. Next game.”
His career-long 73-yard touchdown was Liberty’s longest pass since a 76-yard touchdown pass from Buckshot Calvert to B.J. Farrow against Morehead State on September 9, 2017.
Brandon Robinson, making his first career appearance, led Liberty with 105 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on seven carries. His 75-yard touchdown in the 4th quarter was Liberty’s longest rush since Danny Broggin’s 82-yard touchdown run against Coastal Carolina on October 17, 2009.
Liberty has averaged just 71.3 yards rushing in the first three games of the season. The Flames struggled in the first half, rushing for just 31 yards on 16 carries. Liberty would finish the game with 256 rushing yards on 38 carries, thanks in large part to Robinson’s 75 yard run and Troy Henderson’s 59 yard touchdown run with just over 2 minutes left in the game. The Flames finished the game averaging 6.7 yards per rush
“I get frustrated with the run game just like you do,” Freeze said. “But our coaches remind me, ‘Hey coach, that’s your offense.’ They got a safety down, sitting in the box, and they are giving you the throw. That’s what our quarterbacks are taught to do. The stat that is important to me in the rush game, is yards per attempt. That’s the one I look at. We want it in the high 4s to 5, that’s the important thing to me.”
Liberty had three special teams’ returns for touchdowns called back due to penalty, something that has to break a record somewhere. Two of them happened in the first quarter, one on a 64-yard punt return by D.J. Stubbs and the other a 94-yard kick return by Shedro Louis. Louis also had a 66-yard punt return in the 4th quarter called back.
“I wanted to get Shedro in the end zone,” said Freeze. “He’s dynamic. I’m telling you, he’s going to be a really good football player and dangerous in the return game. He showed that tonight.”
After playing on only one possession in the 2nd half, Buckshot finished the game 10-of-16 passing for 319 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also finished the 2nd straight game without an interception.
“He should have been 13-of-16,” Freeze said. “I’ve got to get him on the same page with me. One was so easy. I know he knows it. I’ve just got to get him to see that and work his correct fundamentals.”
Several Flames’ were injured in the game, including Bennett who will miss the season as he announced on twitter following the game. Cornerback Emanuel Dabney injured his hamstring while fellow cornerback Jimmy Faulks also got injured in the 2nd half. Freeze said he expects Faulks to be okay. Regular starting CB Bejour Wilson was held out with a foot sprain, but he is expected to return next week.
Wide receiver Noah Frith has missed the first three games with a fractured foot. He was cleared prior to the game to play, but the coaching staff elected to hold him out.
Liberty, now 2-2 and riding a 2 game winning streak, will return to action next Saturday when the New Mexico Lobos come to Lynchburg for the Flames’ 3rd straight home game. New Mexico defeated New Mexico State, 55-52, in a shootout Saturday night to move to 2-1 on the season.
“Next week, it’s a huge game for us,” said Freeze. “Back at home before we hit the road for a while. It’s a big, big game.”
