SALTER HAVING RECORD SEASON
Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter is having a record-breaking campaign, putting up numbers never before seen by a Liberty quarterback and by only a select few FBS quarterbacks all-time.
The Flames’ signal caller has completed 138 of 230 passes for 2,409 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He’s also rushed the ball 128 times for 823 yards and 11 scores. He joins Caleb Williams (USC) and Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma) as the only FBS QBs ranked inside the top 20 for passing TDs and rushing TDs on the season.
He needs just two more passing touchdowns and two total touchdowns to break the Liberty single season records in both categories. Buckshot Calvert threw for 29 touchdowns in 2017 and Malik Willis had 40 total touchdowns responsible for in 2021.
Salter needs just 122 more rushing yards to set a new Liberty single season mark for most rushing yards by a quarterback. Willis also owns that record with 944 rushing yards in 2020.
Another one of Willis’ records is within reach, as well. Willis rushed for a program record for a quarterback 14 touchdowns in 2020. Salter needs just three more to tie that mark and four to break it.
In addition to all the Liberty records he is closing in on, Salter also has 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards for the season within his cross-hairs. If he is able to reach that mark, he would join an exclusive club at the FBS level who has previously accomplished the feat. He needs 591 passing yards and 177 rushing yards to eclipse both milestones.
The other quarterbacks who have joined the 3,000-1,000 club at the FBS level are Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M), Vince Young (Texas), Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), Chandler Harnish (Northern Illinois), Jordan Lynch (Northern Illinois), Jayden Daniels (LSU), Lamar Jackson (Louisville), Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma), Kyler Murray (Oklahoma), and Deshaun Watson (Clemson).
Sporting a 13-2 record as a starting quarterback for the Flames, Salter has been named the CUSA Offensive Player of the Week four times this season. He’s also earned other accolades such as the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week, Manning Award stars of the week, Dave O’Brien Great 8 selection, CFPA Performers of the Week.
He’s also a Maxwell Award semifinalist, was added to the Manning Award Watch List during their midseason update, and is a Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2023 member.
It’s truly been a remarkable season for #7 in his first year as Liberty’s full-time starter.
SCOREBOARD WATCHING
As we’ve discussed previously and will continue to keep an eye on, the Flames need some help to make a New Year’s Six Bowl as the Group of Five representative by being the highest ranked G5 conference champion in the CFP Top 25.
Currently, Tulane is ranked ahead of Liberty in those rankings at No. 23 compared to Liberty’s No. 25, and would likely need to lose for the Flames to surpass them. There are other teams in the mix that Liberty would also benefit from losses such as SMU and Toledo.
Like the rest of Flames Nation, Coach Chadwell is paying attention to the other games and doing a little bit of scoreboard watching.
“I’m aware of it,” Chadwell said. “I’m not necessarily paying attention all the time. During the week, if you are done with your stuff and there is a MACtion game on, you can see that during the week and who’s playing. We played Bowling Green and Buffalo earlier, so we are familiar with the teams there. I check the scoreboards and I see if a Tulane, or whoever, because I enjoy college football. I am aware of it but I am not studying it to where their schedule is, I don’t know any of those things. What I tell our team is, and we’ve not talked a lot about that as far as what’s out there. I just tell them, we’ve got to handle what’s in front of us. You hope what you do, and if you handle that business, I will find every talking point possible, I can promise you that, if we can handle our business, to defend our team, defend our conference, to the people it needs to be defended to.”
INJURY REPORT
Wide receiver Treon Sibley was injured against Louisiana Tech and did not play against Old Dominion and UMass. He was at practice on Tuesday and has a good chance of returning to the lineup this week.
Tight end Bentley Hanshaw suffered an upper body injury against Old Dominion. Coach Chadwell has mentioned he hopes Hanshaw is ready to go for the conference championship game on Dec. 1. Hanshaw was at practice on Tuesday and could possibly return to action against UTEP this week.
Safety Brylan Green suffered a lower body injury against UMass last week and missed much of the game. Also the Flames’ punt returner, Green was not at practice on Tuesday and is unlikely to play this week against UTEP. It is a soft tissue injury to Green and there’s a possibility he could be back for the conference championship game.
Offensive lineman Brendan Schlittler suffered an injury during preseason training camp and has missed just about the entire season to this point. He is working his way back to recovery and has begun to practice. He played the 2 snaps that Liberty knelt the ball to end the game against UMass for Senior Day.
Running back Vaughn Blue could return to the field this week. After suffering a shoulder injury against Buffalo earlier in the season, Blue was back at practice this week. He could play in the remaining games and still redshirt for the season as the conference championship and bowl games do not count as part of the four game counter.
“Vaughn is getting closer and closer,” said Chadwell. “We are hoping that he maybe has a chance to play this week. We will see how practice goes. He is back healthy. Now, it’s just can he take the hits, can he some of those things, because he had a shoulder injury. We are crossing our fingers, hoping that he will be ready to go for this week, but he is back where he’s practicing.”
