Liberty football records shattered by a golden duo

Two high school athletes. One plan. 

When Stephen Buckshot Calvert and Antonio Gandy-Golden committed to Liberty football in 2016, they already had one daring goal in mind: breaking records.

The conversations of breaking Liberty’s passing and receiving records started in 2016, when Calvert and Gandy-Golden – then high school recruits – announced via Twitter their intents to shatter Liberty football history.

On Saturday night in Lynchburg, Virginia, a Homecoming crowd of nearly 19,000 witnessed the duo’s four-year ambition finally reach its pinnacle in Liberty’s high-scoring victory over Maine (59-44).

They shattered both records in the same match.

Calvert needed 336 passing yards entering Saturday’s matchup to break Flames football legend Josh Woodrum’s all-time passing yards record (10,266). Calvert succeeded, finishing the night with 351 passing yards and five passing touchdowns. The senior’s standout performance also pushed Calvert over the 10,000 career passing yard mark.

Gandy-Golden continued to showcase his skills to the college football world, hauling in nine receptions for 149 yards. With some choosing him as an early NFL draft pick, Gandy-Golden  surpassed Flames alumni Darrin Peterson for career receiving yards (3,170) on the second play of the game. 

The dynamic duo of Calvert and Gandy-Golden has been a force to be reckoned with this season. Calvert currently sits at No. 15 in the FBS in passing yards while Gandy-Golden sits at third in the nation for receiving yards. 

The Flames will rely heavily on the athleticism of Gandy-Golden throughout their upcoming four-game road trip, which begins this week when they play at Rutgers. The lanky receiver has dominated the sidelines throughout the first half of the season, using his long frame to box out defenders and create separation. The Georgia native has already accumulated 877 yards and five touchdowns in only seven games.

Calvert will be called upon to showcase his arm as the team’s month-long travel trip begins this week. The fourth-year starter has been victorious in hostile environments before and will need come out on top again for the Flames to reach Bowl Game eligibility. Calvert has passed for nearly 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns throughout the first seven games of this season.