Liberty Football: Flames burst onto FBS scene in 2018
Offense
Liberty’s Gill is an offensive-minded head coach who played quarterback for the Cornhuskers from 1980-1983 and in the Canadian Football League until concussions forced his retirement before the 1986 season. Gill’s college offense was the option attack that Tom Osborne made famous by running rough shot over the college football world for years. Yet Gill’s approach on the coaching side is now a pass-happy offense led by quarterback Stephen Calvert.
Calvert threw for 3,363 yards and 29 touchdowns with only six interceptions in 2017. The six-foot-two Calvert came to Liberty from Carol City High School in the Miami area. A former three-star recruit, Calvert started for Liberty as a true freshman and has over 5,000 career passing yards and 44 touchdowns in two seasons of play. The transition to the FBS independent level won’t devastate Calvert or his top receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden.
Supporting Cast
Wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden caught 69 balls for 1,066 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2017. Gandy-Golden averaged 15.5 yards per reception showing some deep threat ability. The six-foot-four, 220 pound receiver has caught 13 career touchdowns for the Flames.
Gandy-Golden isn’t the only returning receiver for Calvert. The Flames also return the other three leading pass catchers from last year’s 6-5 team. Former three-star recruit Damian King had 669 receiving yards and four touchdowns while Cephas Reddick and B.J. Farrow averaged 15.9 and 17.8 yards per catch, respectively as Calvert’s other deep threats.
Liberty loses their leading rusher in Carrington Mosley who ran for 896 yards and nine touchdowns in 2017. The Flames will rely on Frankie Hickson and Kentory Matthews who combined ran for 601 yards and only four touchdowns last season. The Flames do return three of the top five offensive linemen from a year ago which will help with the transition to the FBS level.