Dickens Leads Liberty to 59-30 Rout of Delaware

**Liberty Flames Explode for 59 Points in Dominant Victory Over Delaware**

**Lynchburg, VA** – Liberty’s offense delivered an absolutely stunning performance this past Saturday, November 2, 2024, at Williams Stadium, as the Flames torched visiting Delaware in a 59-30 victory. The offensive explosion marked a season-high 59 points for Liberty, who amassed a colossal 595 total yards, including an impressive 352 yards on the ground.

Running back Evan Dickens was the undisputed star of the day, delivering a career-defining performance with 217 rushing yards and an astounding four touchdowns. His relentless ground attack kept the Blue Hens’ defense reeling throughout the contest.

With starting quarterback Kaidon Salter sidelined due to a hand injury, redshirt sophomore Ethan Vasko stepped up magnificently under center. Vasko accounted for three touchdowns himself, showcasing his versatility by tossing two through the air and scrambling for another, demonstrating remarkable poise and playmaking ability in his expanded role.

The Flames, representing Conference USA in the FBS, entered the game with a commanding 8-1 record, while the FCS’s Delaware Blue Hens of the CAA conference stood at 6-3. Despite the perceived gap in classification, Delaware initially showed grit, briefly seizing a 10-7 lead in the first quarter. However, Liberty quickly extinguished that spark, responding with a devastating 21 unanswered points to take firm control and never look back.

Liberty’s head coach, Jamey Chadwell, praised his team’s resilience and depth. “I’m incredibly proud of how our guys responded after falling behind early,” Chadwell said in a post-game press conference. “Evan Dickens was phenomenal, and Ethan Vasko showed incredible leadership and execution stepping in for Kaidon. It speaks volumes about our team’s preparation and belief in each other.”

For Delaware, running back Marcus Yarns put forth a valiant effort, rushing for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Ryan O’Connor completed 17 of 33 passes for 221 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Despite racking up a respectable 430 total yards, the Blue Hens simply couldn’t keep pace with Liberty’s relentless scoring drives.

“Liberty has a very explosive offense, and they proved that today,” commented Delaware head coach Ryan Carty. “I thought our guys fought hard, especially early, but we couldn’t consistently stop their run game, and Vasko made some big plays when they needed him to. We’ll learn from this and refocus for our conference schedule.”

The dominant win improves Liberty’s record to 9-1, keeping them firmly in contention for a Conference USA championship bid and a significant bowl game appearance. Their potent offense, now proven capable even without their starting quarterback, looks to be a formidable force heading into the final stretch of the season.

Delaware’s record falls to 6-4, and they will look to regroup as they continue their push for an FCS playoff berth within the highly competitive CAA conference.

Liberty will hit the road next Saturday, November 9th, to face another Conference USA opponent, while Delaware returns home to host an important conference matchup.

*For full box scores and statistics from Saturday’s game, visit ESPN.com or LibertyFlames.com.*