When it comes to top plays for football, most of what is featured comes from the offensive side of the ball, with some great defensive plays thrown in here and there. Of course this is a given considering they make up most of the game. But when it comes to Flames football, special teams has a greater highlight package than most are able to boast. Much of this is thanks to the kicking game.
Last year, the five longest field goals in all of Division 1 football were:
60 yards, 58 yards, 57 yards, 57 yards, and 56 yards.
Three of the five longest field goals belonged to one guy:
John Lunsford, place kicker for the Liberty Flames.
Aside from these three, Lunsford attempted three more from behind the 50 yardline and had two of them make it through the uprights. He was 5/6 from beyond the 50 last year.
The first of the three kicks we will feature comes during Liberty’s first every FCS playoff appearance. After having a 10-21 deficit develop on them, the Flames tacked on a touchdown and held the JMU offense in check to begin this drive in the middle of the 3rd quarter. The drive stalled on them at the JMU 39, in response Coach Gill sent out Lunsford to attempt a 56 yarder and inevitably bring the game within one.
The Flames went on to win 26-21.
The second kick took place earlier in the season against ranked Bryant. It was the opening drive of the game for the Flames and it was cut short. While most teams would have just punted this early in the game, Liberty possessed confidence in the power of their kicker and set up for a 57 yard field goal. Though the kick was as far to the left as it could go, the ball hit the upright and gave the Flames an early lead.
The Flames would go on to win 21-38.
The kick takes place at the 43 second mark.
I’ll never forget the night of the Richmond game. The Flames were down early and fought there way back to tie things up the middle of the 3rd quarter and again with two minutes left in the game. Richmond would go down to the other side of the field and nail a 21 yarder, going up 3 three and giving LU a whopping 12 seconds left on the clock to at least tie the game. When the offense finally got on the field, they had just eight seconds to score. Quarterback Josh Woodrum managed to connect with Gabe Henderson who touched the Richmond 43 for a 22 yard gain. They called a timeout with two seconds on the clock. In all honesty, a field goal didn’t even appear to be an option in my mind, but the unit came out and set up for what would be a historic 60 yard kick. The crowd fell silent, spirit-fingers made their way to the air, and the snap was on its way. I found myself standing in line with the very field goal post the ball was headed toward. The next thing I knew, the ball hit the crossbar and the stadium lost its mind.
The Flames would go on to lose 46-39 in double overtime.
With that kick John Lunsford not only broke his own record, he broke a Big South record and matched the sixth-longest field goal in FCS history.
I’m glad this guy is on our side!
