Liberty gets in the win column for the first time this season as they open the 2016 Williams Stadium season with a 55-7 win over Jacksonville. Here are some quick takeaways from the game:

  • The Flames stretch their home win streak to 6 straight wins dating back to last season. Liberty has won 13 of 14 home openers. Williams Stadium had an attendance of 16,625 tonight.
  • Granted it was against Jacksonville, a non-scholarship team with over 50 freshmen on the roster, but Liberty’s offense was much more fluid than last week’s season opener against Virginia Tech. Stephon Masha was much better as well. Of course, when you only complete 9 of 25 passes for 70 yards, you can’t do much worse. Masha started the game 8-for-8 and had more passing yards in the 1st quarter than he did all of last week. Masha finished the game 13-for-19 for 181 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.
  • Prior to the game, we found out both Lucas Irons and Corbin Jackson were suspended for one game due to a violation of team rules. Cam Jackson and Kyle Carrington, who have been suspended for both of the first 2 games, have had the length of their suspensions labeled “indefinite” by Coach Gill.
  • Several Flames missed the game due to injury including Jeremy Peters, Marquis Fitzgerald, and Will Brown. Peters was on the sideline without the need of any crutch or brace. Fitzgerald had his left arm in a sling, and Will Brown was on the sidelines on crutches. Michael Henderman did get some playing time at left guard after missing the Virginia Tech game due to injury.
  • Damian King is an electric player and will have some big plays this year, it’s just a matter of time. He was on the verge of breaking one of his punt returns as well. Don’t get up and go to the bathroom or get a refill when he’s returning punts.
  • Buckshot Calvert got in for one series in the 3rd quarter and the entire 4th quarter. He led the Flames on a 12 play, 68 yard drive, resulting in a field goal. He was 3-for-5 passing for 32 yards on the drive. Calvert finished the game 7-for-10 passing for 69 yards.
  • Solomon McGinty had himself a game. It started on the 2nd defensive play as the JUCO transfer blew up a Jacksonville option pitch for a loss of 7 yards. He also recorded his first career interception, and would go on to finish the game with a team-leading 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception.
  • Alex Probert had a solid performance in his home opener for the Flames. The true freshman kicker connected on all 7 of his extra point attempts and drilled a 44 yard field goal, his first career field goal attempt, on the final play of the 1st half. Probert also connected on a 37-yarder near the end of the 3rd quarter. Several of his kickoffs were out the back of the end zone as well.
  • The score could have been even worse as Damian King had a sure touchdown catch bounce off his hands and into a JU defender for an interception in the end zone.
  • All 3 of Liberty’s running backs had themselves a game. They very nearly all went over 100 yards rushing individually. That would have been the first time in school history 3 running backs had gone over 100 yards. Alas, the Flames ran out of time. Todd Macon finished the game with 128 yards rushing and 1 touchdown on 16 carries. Carrington Mosley finished with 87 yards and 1 touchdown on 17 carries. Frankie Hickson had 116 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 carries. That’s a combined 47 rushes for 331 yards and 4 touchdowns for the 3 running backs, and it’s the first time since 2012 that two running backs went over 100 yards rushing.
  • The opposition’s level of play increases big time for the next two weeks, beginning next week at SMU. The Mustangs are 1-1 on the season after falling to Baylor, 40-13, this afternoon. SMU beat North Texas, 34-21, to open the season a week ago.

Stay tuned as we’ll have much more coverage from the game.