Liberty suffered defeat on Saturday evening against Kennesaw State, falling 48-42, in double overtime. The Flames conclude the season at 4-8 and 3-5 in conference play. Here’s how we have the team graded out for this game.
Quarterbacks: B+
- Playing in the place of the injured Ethan Vasko, Michael Merdinger made his second start this season and of his career. He completed 12 of 21 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 8 times for 13 yards and a touchdown. The redshirt-freshman also did not commit a turnover.
Running Backs: A+
- Evan Dickens did everything in his power to try and lift Liberty to the win, something he did all month of November. He rushed for 267 yards and 4 touchdowns on a career-high 43 carries while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Vaughn Blue also had 2 rushes for 7 yards, and Jaylon Colemand had 3 carries for 15 yards.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: B-
- Seven different receivers caught a pass, highlighted by Tyson Mobley’s 3 catches for 67 yards.
Offensive Line: B
- The offensive line helped Liberty to 503 total yards. Liberty rushed for 5.1 yards per carry while the offensive line allowed three sacks and 7 tackles for loss.
Run Defense: C
- The Owls rushed for 212 yards rushing on 4.8 yards per carry against the Flames.
Pass Defense: F
- Amari Odom completed 14 of 23 passes for 240 yards and four touchdown. The Flames gave up passes for 25 yards on the first play of both overtime periods, ultimately leading to the loss.
Special Teams: D
- The special teams carried Liberty at times this season, that wasn’t the case Saturday. Max Morgan mishandled the snap and hold on Liberty’s first drive, leading to a turnover. Jay Billingsley then had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation but missed a 32-yard field goal.
