Five hundred passing yards in a game is hard to do under the best of circumstances.
Factor in a windy day, your coach offering free tickets if you fail, playing in the inaugural game for a team and not suiting up for 3½ years, and it seems impossible.
That is what Fargo-Moorhead Liberty quarterback Tony Stauss was up against Saturday at Alex Nemzek Stadium.
"When (Liberty head coach Dale Heffron) threw the 500 out there, I was like, 'Man, that's a lot of yards,' " Stauss said.
But he was up to the challenge, completing 30 of 55 passes for 501 yards and seven touchdowns in the Liberty's 66-6 win over the Nebraska Lightning.
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"I'm amazed right now. You say 500 in a game? I'm shocked," he said.
Stauss hadn't played competitively since 2004, when he was with North Dakota State.
"It's really cool," he said. "It's been a long time coming. I've been waiting a long time to suit up again and find my roll," he said.
"That's not a bad start for his career," Heffron said.
The Liberty quarterback spread the ball around, completing passes to seven different players.
"I've got good people around me, good receivers. They can go out there and run and catch it," he said.
Stauss and his band of receivers hope to provide the F-M area with a different brand of football, relying heavily on an aerial attack.
"From a fan's perspective, it's cool for the fans," Stauss said. "They want to come out and see the ball winged around a little bit. They don't always want to see dive left, dive right. I think we'll give them that kind of product, coming out winging it around the park."
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At least one person in the announced attendance of 310 fans appreciated the air-it-out approach of Heffron.
"It's much better with the passing game," said Jack Allen, father of Liberty player Mike Allen. "It's not as boring as watching run after run."
That is exactly what Heffron wants.
"I think the fans in this area, when they come out and watch us in the Fargodome and the rest of the year, are going to see a game that maybe has never been around this town," he said.
The Liberty also give football fans in the F-M area something to watch before the fall.
"I think it's good for this city when it's not fall," Stauss said, "(to) give these fans something to come out and see."
Danielle Simpson, a 21-year-old student from NDSU, appreciated the spring-time football.
"(It) gives me something to do until the fall," she said.
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Nebraska 0 6 0 0-6
F-M 18 20 14 14-66
F-M- Mathis 2yd reception (kick failed)
F-M- Mathis 32yd reception (kick failed)
F-M- Gibson 0yd fumble return (kick failed)
F-M- Siverson 18yd reception (kick failed)
F-M- Mathis 16yed reception (Kick good)
Neb- Thomas 3yd run (kick failed)
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F-M- Duvall 48yd fumble return (kick good)
F-M- Jackson 50yd reception (kick good)
F-M- Grafsgaard 3yd reception (kick good)
F-M- Stauss 10yd run (kick good)
F-M- Jeanbaptiste 31yd reception (kick good)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: F-M Chapman 3-8, Stauss 1-10. Neb Sherer 11-1, Davis 12-17, Thomas 6-8, Finkral 1- -12, Heine 2-1, Sandoz 1-2.
PASSING: F-M Stauss 30-55-1 501. Neb Thomas 5-13-2 98yds, Sherer 3-9-0 19yds.
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RECEIVING: F-M Smith 7-140, Siverson 2-38, Jeanbaptiste 5-85, Mathis 5-107, Chapman 3-30, Jackson 7-95, Grafsgaard 2-4. Neb Davis 4-69, Sandoz 1-14, Toupal 2-26, Harney 1-5, Heine 1-17.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Brian Kimmes at (701) 241-5544
