The Flames beat Robert Morris 41-7 to pick up their 2nd win of the year. Here’s our quick-hit notes:

  • It was a slow start for both the offense and the defense. The team showed up for a 7:30 game and not a 7pm game. Liberty’s offense went 3 & out on their first 2 possessions while the defense gave up a touchdown to Robert Morris on its 2nd possession. Considering the Colonials were averaging 8.5 points per game coming in, it wasn’t a great start for either side of the ball. Zac Parker muffed a punt, that the Flames were fortunate to recover, early in the game as well.
  • Buckshot Calvert got his first career start, and he dazzled. Sure, he had a few plays that made you scratch your head, but he is a true freshman, competing in his 5th collegiate game, and making his first start. He’s a gunslinger, and if he stays healthy for a full 4 years, he will rewrite several Liberty passing records. Buckshot finished the game 23-for-37 passing for 340 yards and 4 touchdowns. His 340 passing yards set a school record for most passing yards in a game by a freshman making his first career start. The previous record was held by Josh Woodrum who passed for 322 yards at Montana in 2012.
  • The running game continues to struggle. Liberty had just 23 rushing yards on 11 carries in the first half. This was against a Robert Morris team that was allowing over 150 yards rushing per game during the first 4 games, 2 of which were against Division 2 opponents. The Flames tried to get the running game going in the 2nd half with no success. The team finished the game with 72 rushing yards on 32 carries. It’s the 11th time in the last 15 games that Liberty has failed to reach the 100 rushing yard mark.
  • Dante Shells. Wow. He has a connection with the true freshman quarterback. Calvert and Shells hooked up several times, both on the short curls and slants and on the deep ball. Shells finished the game with 6 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown. He has now scored a touchdown in 4 straight games, the first time a Flame has done that since November 2014 when Darrin Peterson accomplished the feat.
  • The 7 points Robert Morris scored are the most they have scored against a Division I opponent this season. They were shutout against Dayton and scored 6 points against Youngstown State.
  • True freshman Alex Probert was perfect on a 47 yard field goal attempt. He had a good 7+ yards to spare on the boot. Probert did hit the left upright on a 37 yard attempt. He would redeem himself and connect on a career-long 51 yard field goal. Probert is now 5/7 on field goals this season. He had one blocked from 30 yards against SMU and then missed from 37 tonight.
  • Not a bad night, but also not a great night overall for the Flames. It was a win, and now they have the bye week before beginning conference play. In two weeks, Liberty travels to Georgia to take on Kennesaw State. The Owls are 3-1 on the season after knocking off Furman, 52-42.