The Flames move to 2-0 in Big South play, dispatching Monmouth, 52-28. Here’s our quick-hit notes:

  1. With the win, Liberty moves above .500 for the first time this year. It’s also the team’s first 3 game winning streak since 2014.
  2. The Flames led 38-7 late in the 3rd quarter before Monmouth scored 21 straight points, cutting the Flames lead to 10 with over 12 minutes remaining in the game.
  3. Liberty’s offense finished the game with 681 total yards, the first time the team has gone over 600 yards of total offense since 2014 against Brevard. The school record is 692 yards which the Flames did in 2012 against Presbyterian.
  4. Buckshot Calvert has eclipsed the 1,000 yard passing mark on the season becoming the 3rd Liberty freshman to throw for 1,000 yards. Buckshot moves to 3-0 as a starter, and he finished the game 27-34 for 350 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He completed a pass to 8 different receivers, a week after completing a pass to 11 different receivers. He did throw 2 interceptions, his first interceptions as a starter.
  5. For the 1st time this season, the Flames started the same group of offensive linemen for a 2nd game as Julio Lozano, Dontae Duff, Lucas Holder, James Passmore, and Sam Isaacson got the start. This was the same group that started the game against Kennesaw State last week. The line has performed much better the last couple of weeks, paving the way for Liberty’s rushers to gain 200 yards rushing in each of the past 2 ball games.
  6. The game plan called for much more use of redshirt-freshman Frankie Hickson. He finished the first half with 87 rushing yards, and would go on to finish the game with 96 rushing yards. A formation we saw for the first time this season had Hickson line up as a wide receiver with Carrington Mosley at running back. Hickson was used in motion each time on this drive, receiving the handoff several times on the end around.
  7. Todd Macon had a career night, finishing the game with a career-high 193 rushing yards. He also had a 76-yard touchdown reception in the 1st half. Macon finished the night with 271 all-purpose yards, tied for 5th most in school history.
  8. Dante Shells had a big game, but it could have been much bigger. He finished the game with 8 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. Dante had 1 touchdown called back due to a penalty on Antonio Gandy-Golden for offensive pass interference, and Shells nearly had another touchdown catch that was called incomplete as the ball hit the turf.
  9. The Flames’ defense played very good, particularly in the first half. Monmouth didn’t get a first down until halfway through the second quarter. The 2nd half was a different story, as the Hawks piled up the yards and points.
  10. With the score 7-0, and the ball on their own 1, Monmouth completed a pass to Darren Ambush who looked like he was going to take it to the house for a 99 yard touchdown reception. Chris Turner came from the other side of the field, chased Ambush down, and stripped him of the football. Tyrin Holloway, who had gotten beat bad on the play, was able to recover the fumble. A few plays later, Liberty was up 14-0, and the route was on.
  11. Liberty returns to action next Saturday, back in Williams Stadium, to take on Gardner-Webb.