100 Yards with Antonio Gandy-Golden

      The Peach State native Antonio Gandy-Golden (6-4, 220) has been a driving force for the Flames. Last year, he reached a huge milestone when he became the seventh 1,000 yard receiver in Liberty Football program history. He would have been ranked ninth nationally if Liberty was qualified to have player’s records in national statistics.

                       Now in his junior season, Gandy-Golden continues to dominate on the field. Just recently, he recorded a career-high 245 receiving yards versus New Mexico. Now with the next home game versus Troy around the corner, Flames Illustrated took the opportunity to talk with the wide receiver about his impact since coming to Lynchburg.

   1.      What has been your favorite moment so far this season?

Favorite moment so far, definitely last game just seeing everybody just come together. You know, just play their hearts out and just do whatever they could to win. We knew we had to win and just seeing everybody ecstatic on the sideline just happy. And just wanting to win was definitely a great experience.

2.      How did you get your start in football?

How did I get my start in football, well my friend Malok started playing football when we were younger. And I always wanted to play but I never could, so I got to high school I really just jumped into it. Coaches took a liking to me and they convinced me to stay and I just kind of fell in love with it.

3.      You recently had your career-best game against New Mexico. Are there any other goals you want to accomplish this season?

As far as myself wise just really help out the team I mean there is gonna be games where not everything is not going to be possible that happened last game. So just to help us win anyway I really can. I just want us to win games honestly.

4.      What do you think has been the toughest thing that you have dealt with in your football career?

Toughest thing. Just injuries that I’ve had before. Just trying to battle back from those and just keep in my head about football. Because injuries in football is almost impossible because they just happen on top of each other. So just, injuries is getting healthy.

5.      What are your plans after you finish your time at Liberty? Do you have any desire to play in the NFL?

The NFL is definitely a dream, it would definitely be nice. But definitely if not in the end, I’ll be all I’m studying graphic design right now so hopefully I can do something with that because I’ve really been enjoying it so far.

6.      What are your thoughts on Liberty’s transition into the FBS?

Transition has been great so far. It’s been fun, you know we got a great experience both winning and losing. We enjoy it a lot. We just want to keep working hard and just approve to people that we can make it to the next level.

7.      Is there anybody on the team you like being around on and off the field and why?

One of my best buddies on the team is Mitchell Lewis. We’re just both are really goofy we just seem to get each other really well. We just have a lot of fun, we’re both simple people we don’t really too much. We just like to hang around each other and just tell funny jokes or things like that. I also like Buckshot (Calvert) too. We don’t hangout too much off the field but on the field we definitely are goofballs, we got each other.

8.      When not playing football, what do you like doing during your spare time?

I know this might sound lazy! But I like to sleep, I like to watch movies, I like TV shows. I like puzzles too.

9.      What drives you to work hard every day and why?

I just want to be great, I just want to do great things for the school. I like being here a lot. People here talk to me a lot. My mom is also a big driving factor for me. I have two little brothers as well. I’m pretty sure I’ll be one of the first people in my family to actually graduate college.

Photo credit: Liberty Athletics

10.  What do you like about the position you play?

For receiver. It’s just fun, we get to run all over, we get to go hit people and sneak up on them. We get

to catch the ball and score touchdowns and we just get to help people out. It’s just fun.

11.  Now that you are majoring in graphic design, have you had any thoughts about what other things you want to pursue academic wise?

Not really!

Any plans with graphic design if you decide to graduate with that major?

I want to move to Chicago. My uncle is a graphic designer up there. So I would love to go work with him.

12.  What made you decide to come to Liberty?

Definitely the coaches and the people here, the atmosphere. I loved that it was a Christian university. My high school coaches back at home just were great Christian men. These coaches just reminded me of them so much. And it is just I knew this was going to be a place where I could grow. Become a better man, eventually a better father, husband, and just a better person.