Flames defeat Camels: Liberty Football secures first win of 2024 season

Fire on Liberty Mountain, run boys run, Flames football is back and hot as ever as Liberty University defeated the Campbell Fighting Camels 41-24 in its home and season opener.

Following an undefeated 13-0 regular season — the best in program history — the Flames proved in game one that their fire is still ablaze. This victory marks the 300th win in program history for the Flames.

Despite losing the coin toss, the Flames defense did not let up on the Camels as junior Brylan Green returned a 45-yard punt, which allowed for senior running back Quinton Cooley to score from 6 yards out, leading the Flames to their first touchdown of the season.

Cooley is living up to his name this year, leading the Flames with a cool 110 rushing yards on 16 carries. He has rushed 17 touchdowns as a Flame and 21 in his career, ranking seventh in the nation with 1,401 yards last season.

Despite the strong start for the Flames, the Camels quickly began to show that they are not the same team the Flames faced in 2021, when they were smoked by the Flames 48-7. Following the lone turnover of the night for the Flames, junior quarterback Kaidon Salter missed a handoff, allowing for the Camels to score and take the lead.

 

“I thought we could have taken control of the game earlier and be able to lean on (Campbell) some,” Head Coach Jamey Chadwell said postgame.

Going into the game, there was uncertainty over who would be the starting kicker for this season. North Greenville transfer senior Colin Karhu answered that question as he made his first appearance on the gridiron, where he would quickly get very comfortable as a Flame. Karhu went 5-for-5 in scoring extra points for the Flames and made two of his three field goal attempts.

The sunshine disappeared in the second quarter as dark clouds swept over Williams Stadium, and due to the weather conditions, fans were urged to seek shelter. Players exited the field, and the bleachers cleared out, leaving the stadium empty. Yet the numbers on the scoreboard remained, 10-7 in favor of the Camels.

Following the 36-minute delay, conditions improved, and fans rushed back in to watch the Flames continue their fight. Distant lightning flashed over Liberty Mountain, but the rain held off — the Flames were not going to be extinguished so easily.

“We went back to the locker room, and we just were motivating each other and picking each other up,” senior wide receiver Treon Sibley said. “We’ve got to pick it up and come out and start fast.”

The Flames returned from the delay intent on changing the scoreboard, instantly making a field goal to tie the game. A short while later, the Flames found their momentum with Salter making a 70-yard touchdown pass to Sibley.

All eyes were on Salter, the CUSA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He completed 16 out of 23 passes for two passing touchdowns and added 48 rushing yards on nine carries this game.

Salter and Sibley worked well together, as Sibley earned a career high of five receptions and 109 yards.

“Obviously, Treon knows what to do and has done it for a lot of years at a high level. There’s obviously a trust factor there with him and Kaidon. They’ve been here the longest,” Chadwell said.

Cooley, being the workhorse he is, brought the Flames down into the red zone after the Flames opened the second half with possession. With the end zone now in sight, senior tight end Bentley Hanshaw caught a 2-yard pass from Salter, making another touchdown for the Flames. This was followed by another good extra point by Karhu, bringing the score to 24-10.

Karhu proved to be an asset for the Flames after making a 34-yard field goal, securing an extra three points for the Flames.

The quarter ended following another touchdown by the Camels, bringing the score to 27-17. The Flames would again have to work harder to prove they are the same team as they were last season.

“Any time we got in some type of rhythm, something would happen, something foolish,” Chadwell said. “It would give them an opportunity. Give them credit. They played hard, and they’ve got a solid program they’re building there. It was a good test for us. We talk all the time about who we are playing against; we are playing against ourselves. Tonight, we beat ourselves a lot.”

Williams Stadium was electric as the Flames Quarter began; the Flames were finding their groove, and the fans could feel it. The Flames scored twice on the ground with less than five minutes left on the clock as senior running back Billy Lucas scored from 5 yards out, following a 6-yard score from sophomore quarterback and Appalachian State transfer Ryan Burger, who took the place of Salter to protect the Flames superstar in the closing minutes of the competition.

The Flames allowed the Camels to squeak past them once more, bringing them to 24 points on the board as the final quarter ended.

“I was pleased overall with at least the mindset the guys approached the game with, as far as it didn’t seem like the game was too big of a moment for them,” Chadwell said. “We made tons of mistakes, but I was pleased with at least their focus on being prepared.”

This game took the Flames’ home-game winning streak to nine games, and it’s their fifth straight victory in the program’s home openers. Up next, the Flames are set to play their first CUSA opponent of the season, New Mexico State. The game will be held Saturday, Sept. 7 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

White is the asst. sports editor for the Liberty Champion.