Team Spotlight: Flames of Liberty Will Not Be Extinguished

© James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

In 2023, the Liberty Flames won 13 consecutive games before losing to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. The Flames were a raging inferno on offense, coached by Jamey Chadwell and led by dynamic dual-threat quarterback Kaidon Salter and running back Quinton Cooley.

The Flames of Liberty

The Flames of Liberty led the nation in total rushing with 4,106 yards on the ground. In addition, Liberty ranked highly in other offensive categories:

• Seven games of 40 or more points.

• No. 5 in the FBS in yards per play, averaging 7 yards per play.

• No. 4 in total offense, averaging 499 yards per game.

• No. 9 in scoring offense, averaging 38 points per game.

QB Kaidon Salter

Ranked No. 10 nationally in total offense, Salter passed for 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns. He threw only 6 interceptions. In addition, Salter rushed for 1,089 yards and 12 more scores. He was a one-man wrecking crew on a unit with plenty of talent at the skill positions.

In a win over Buffalo, Salter accounted for 6 touchdowns. Against Old Dominion, he recorded 5 TDs. In the Conference USA Championship Game against New Mexico State, Salter stoked the Flames with 484 total yards and 3 touchdowns en route to the league title. Salter was named the game’s MVP and was selected first-team All-CUSA. In addition, Salter was named the Group of 5 National Player of the Year by HERO Sports.

Salter is one of the top returning quarterbacks not only in the Group of 5 but in the entire country for 2024 and is a legitimate Heisman contender.

RB Quinton Cooley

As the CUSA Newcomer of the Year in 2023, Cooley led the league with 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 6.34 yards per carry. Cooley posted seven games of over 100 yards rushing, including four consecutive, and had three games with 3 rushing TDs on his way to first-team All-CUSA honors. In addition, Cooley was named a third-team All-American by HERO Sports.

In 2024, Liberty returns both Salter and Cooley, the core of their vaunted rushing attack, which promises to yield high productivity again this season.

Head Coach Jamey Chadwell

In his six years as a head coach, Chadwell has produced a 52-23 record. He posted two 11-win seasons at Coastal Carolina in addition to the 13 wins last season with the Flames. With a .693 winning percentage, Chadwell was named the AP National Coach of the Year in 2020 and won the CUSA Coach of the Year last season.

Liberty has the talent in place, and the schedule, to produce a repeat of a season ago and be the Group of 5 representative in the 12-team College Football Playoff.