LIBERTY FLAMES LIBERTY FLAMES Chronology 1971 tant coach, Lee Kaltenbach, was hired as the Nov. 1982 Lynchburg Baptist College was founded by Dr. offensive coordinator. Kim Raynor and Scott Liberty Baptist finished the 1982 season with a Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Goetz were selected to the Churchmen’s All- 7-4 mark and was ranked 19th in the NAIA Church, and Dr. A. Pierre Guillermin. American team, LBC’s first football All- Division I Poll. Mitchell Clark earned first-team Americans. NAIA All-America honors, and John Sanders was 1972 named the first Kodak All-American at LBC in the Lynchburg Baptist gained affiliation with the Dec. 1978 college division. Mike Forslund and Jeff Brown National Christian Collegiate Athletic Dave Hertzler, Ed Landis, Rupert Wright, Rod were the first Flames drafted by the United Association. Gladfelter and Steve Kearns were all named States Football League, signing with the Churchmen’s All-Americans. Washington Federals. Aug. 1973 Lynchburg Baptist College fielded its first foot- Nov. 1979 Aug. 29, 1983 ball team. Lee “Rock” Royer was named the pro- Liberty Baptist completed its best all-time single- LBC was ranked 17th in the NAIA preseason gram’s first-ever head coach. The team practiced season record at 9-1-1. Steve Kearns, a tight poll, marking the first time the Flames earned a on Treasure Island and played its games at end, was drafted by the British Columbia Lions preseason ranking. Brookville High School and Lynchburg City of the Canadian Football League and became Stadium. the first Flame to play at the professional level. Sept. 1, 1983 LBC was accepted as a member of the East Sept. 27, 1973 Coast Athletic Conference. The Flames faced their first opponent, Massanutten Military Academy, losing the game, 1983 42-32. Liberty dropped its NAIA membership and became eligible for NCAA Division II postseason Oct. 25, 1973 action. Tom Dowling finished his coaching career Liberty picked up the first win in program history with a 33-38-2 record. when the Flames downed Ferrum College, 29-7. The victory started a string of three-straight wins May 30, 1984 to close out the program’s first year with a 3-3 Morgan Hout became the fourth head football record. coach in the school’s history. Nov. 20, 1973 1985 Lee “Rock” Royer died tragically in a plane LBC was renamed Liberty University. Fred Banks, crash. John Cartwright, an assistant coach on a wide receiver, became the first Flame to make Coach Royer’s staff, was named Lynchburg a NFL roster, signing with the Cleveland Browns. Baptist’s second head football coach. Eric Green Sept. 21, 1985 Nov. 1974 Liberty defeated James Madison, 9-3, to post its John Cartwright finished his first season with a first win over an NCAA Division I-AA team from 5-4 record. This was LBC’s first winning season 1980 the state of Virginia. with a schedule made up of primarily junior varsi- LBC joined the National Collegiate Athletic ty teams. Association at the Division II level as an associ- Nov. 6, 1985 ate member. An Eagle was chosen as the Treasure Island, the Flames’ practice facility, 1975 school’s official mascot. Glenn Inverso signed a was washed away in a flood, causing the team Lynchburg Baptist College was renamed Liberty free agent contract with the New York Jets to to cancel the remainder of the season. Baptist College. Liberty Baptist changed it become the first Flame in the National Football school colors from green and gold to red, white League. LBC played its first NCAA I-AA opponent, Dec. 25, 1985 and blue. The Flames also joined the National James Madison, falling to the Dukes, 30-14. Kelvin Edwards, wide receiver, played in the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics as an Blue-Gray All-Star Game, becoming the first associate member. Liberty Baptist played its Nov. 8, 1980 Flame to play in a college all-star game. first full varsity schedule and finished with a 4-5 LBC won its first NCAA Division I-AA game record. against Morehead State, 23-20. April 1986 Kelvin Edwards was selected in the fourth round Nov. 1976 1981 of the NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. John Cartwright completed the first winning sea- LBC joined the NCAA Division II ranks and son at the varsity level, 5-4-1. became eligible for NAIA postseason competi- Dec. 1986 tion. The Flames Sports Network began with Wayne Haddix was named Liberty’s first All- 1977 Jerry Edwards handling the play-by-play duties as American by the National Strength Coaches of Tom Dowling was named LBC’s third head foot- the “Voice of the Flames.” America. He also played in the Blue-Gray Game ball coach. John Cartwright concluded his career and the Senior Bowl, becoming the first Flame to Eric Green with a 14-13-1 record. The first full-time assis- ever play in the Senior Bowl. 132 2007 Liberty Flames Football LIBERTY FLAMES Chronology Dec. 7, 1986 play in the Martin Luther King All-American March 1993 Mark Mathis was named to the American Classic. Sam Rutigliano was also selected to George Nimako was drafted in the fourth round Football Coaches Association’s Division II All- coach in the Martin Luther King All-American by Toronto of the Canadian Football League. America team. He became the first Flame to Classic. receive this honor. 1994 April 22, 1990 James McKnight signed a free agent contract Dec. 1987 Eric Green was drafted by the Pittsburgh with the Seattle Seahawks, and Dwayne Mickey Paige was named a first-team All- Steelers in the first round and was the 21st pick Carswell also signed as a free agent with the American at the Division II level by Football overall in the NFL draft. Green was Liberty’s first Denver Broncos. News Gazette. player ever chosen in the first round. Donald Smith was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in Nov. 1995 Sept. 1, 1988 the 10th round. Liberty finished the 1995 season with an 8-3 Liberty became an official member at the NCAA mark. The Flames finished the season ranked I-AA level. Nov. 1990 No. 19 in the nation at the I-AA level by the Liberty finished with a 7-4 record in its third year Football Gazette and No. 27 by The Sports Nov. 1988 of Division I-AA action. The Flames were ranked Network. Liberty finished with an 8-3 record for the first in the NCAA Division I-AA Top 20 for three- year at the NCAA Division I-AA level. The Flames straight weeks, including a ranking as high as 1996 were ranked 20th in the final national poll by the eighth. Leroy Kinard signed a free-agent contract The Flames were ranked as high as No. 9 in the Football News Gazette. with the N.Y. Jets. preseason poll, but finished with a 5-6 record due to injuries. Damon Bomar was named third- Dec. 1988 Dec. 1990 team All-American, and Jesse Riley and Craig Mickey Paige earned third-team All-America hon- Eric Green was selected as AFC Rookie of the Henry were selected to the Football Gazette’s ors, and Paul Johnson was named honorable- Year, and Wayne Haddix was chosen to play in honorable-mention All-America team. mention All-America by the Football News the Pro Bowl. Gazette. Morgan Hout was named VaSID state 1997 Coach of the Year. The Flames finished the season with a 9-2 record, tying the school record for most wins in Dec. 18, 1988 a season. The team was ranked No. 19, 20, and Sam Rutigliano was named Liberty’s fifth head 21 by The ESPN/USA Today Poll, The Sports football coach. Morgan Hout finished his coach- Network and the Football Gazette, respectively. ing career with a 20-29-1 record. School officials The defense led the nation in turnovers, forcing announced plans for a new stadium to be com- 40 turnovers, and was second in turnover mar- pleted by the end of the 1989 season. gin. May 8, 1989 Dec. 1997 Groundbreaking for a new stadium took place on Rodney Degrate was named a third-team All- Liberty’s old practice fields. American by The Sports Network and second- team All-American by the Football Gazette. Jesse Oct. 14, 1989 Riley was named a second-team All-American by Liberty defeated Eastern Michigan, 25-24, in the Football Gazette. Torrey Rush and Jerome Ypsilanti, Mich., to post the program’s first win Wicker were named honorable-mention All- over a NCAA Division I-A opponent. Wayne Haddix Americans by the Football Gazette. Jarrod Everson was named CoSIDA/GTE Academic All- Oct. 21, 1989 America second team, the first football player Liberty University Stadium was opened in front 1991 since 1982 and Liberty’s first at the NCAA of a crowd of 12,750. The Flames defeated Pat Nelson received second-team All-America Division I-AA level. Towson State, 37-18. honors from Associated Press and honorable- mention All-America accolades from The Sports Jan. 1998 Nov. 1989 Network. Dwayne Carswell, captain of the special teams Liberty finished with a 7-3 record for its second for the Denver Broncos, became the first Liberty season in NCAA Division I-AA. The Flames were May 1992 football player to play in and win a NFL Super ranked in the NCAA Division I-AA Top 20 for four- Pat Nelson signed a free agent contract with the Bowl game. straight weeks, including a ranking as high as New York Jets, and Sebastian Barrie also signed ninth.