Latest news with #KaidonSalter
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Liberty Flames Football Preview 2025: Prediction, Win Total, Top 10 Players, Keys to the Season
Liberty Flames Key to the Season Complete more Flame offense lives on the running game, and the quarterbacks will once again be mobile, but hitting the midrange passes is a must. When Kaidon Salter hit better than 55% of his passes, Liberty went 8-0. When he didn't, Liberty went 0-4. He's gone, but that means the offense needs lots and lots of completions from …- 2025 Liberty Preview Liberty Flames Key Player Ethan Vasko, QB Carolina transfer Michael Merdinger will be in the mix in fall camp, but Vasko is the likely starting quarterback when Maine comes to town. He stepped in last year at Coastal Carolina with 2,110 yards and 14 scores, and he ran for 821 yards in two seasons with the program, but it's asking a whole lot to be Kaidon Salter. Liberty Flames Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss Top Transfer In: Casey Cain, WR the 6-3, 200-pound UNLV transfer crack the loaded receiving corps. He only caught 16 passes in his time with the Rebels and first at Texas, but he has the size and can Transfer Out: Kaidon Salter, QB wasn't always great, and he took a big step back last season passing, but Salter is leaving for Colorado with close to 6,000 yards with 56 touchdown passes, and over 2,000 rushing yards and 21 scores. Liberty Flames Key Game at Old Dominion, Sept. 27Liberty should rip through its league slate without breaking a sweat, but there's a huge problem - there isn't anyone great on the slate. To get 19 steps ahead, to have any dream of being the Group of Five champion in the College Football Playoff, it has to rip up James Madison, and there can't be any buckling at ODU.- 2025 Liberty Schedule Breakdown Liberty Flames Top 10 Players 1. Joseph Carter, LB Sr.2. Aaron Fenimore, C Soph.3. Brylan Green, S Sr.4. CJ Bazile, EDGE Sr.5. A'Khori Jones, S Sr.6. Ethan Vasko, QB Jr.7. Amarian Williams, CB Sr.8. Dexter Ricks, CB Jr.9. Julian Gray, RB Sr.10. Elijan Canion, WR Sr. Liberty Flames 2024 Fun Stats - 1st Quarter Scoring: Opponents 70, Liberty 43- 4th Quarter Scoring: Liberty 124, Opponents. 69- Fumbles: Liberty 23 (lost 11), Opponents 13 (lost 7) Liberty Flames 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen This is a flawed Liberty team with a whole slew of things that need to come together, but Conference USA is so light and breezy that this could be a ten-win season just by showing Flames avoid a regular season game against a Power Four program for a third straight season, and missing Sam Houston and WKU will help. Even better, they get the two newbies, Delaware and Missouri long as there isn't a gack like last year's loss at Kennesaw State, there's no excuse not to be in the Conference USA Championship. However, even if the Flames roll everyone and beat James Madison, Bowling Green, and Old Dominion, the schedule is too light to get into the CFP, even at The Liberty Flames Win Total At … 9.5Likely Wins: Delaware, at Jacksonville State, Maine, Missouri State, New Mexico State50/50 Games: at Bowling Green, at FIU, James Madison, Kennesaw State, at Louisiana Tech, at Old Dominion, at UTEPLikely Losses: No projected sure-thing losses- 2025 Liberty Preview © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Liberty Football Preview 2025: The Flames Will Keep Winning
The bar is set a whole lot higher for Liberty than it is for most school has only been doing the FBS thing for seven seasons. In that time, it hasn't had a losing season, has gone to six bowl games, a Fiesta Bowl, and has a conference title - it was an independent for the first five in Conference USA, it's not a given to win lots of games every year. Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, and Western Kentucky have known success, but no one has been able to establish a solid run like Liberty has. And right now, in CUSA, no one has the ho-hum-just-win-at-least-eight-games expectations. It helps that the Flames play schedules that you and ten friends could win six games against, but that's partly because the 2022 team screwed everything up. When you lose at Wake Forest and Virginia Tech by a total of two points, blow out BYU, and leave Arkansas with a big paycheck and a win, programs aren't going to want to play you. And that's not the worst thing in the world. The Liberty schedule might be full of scrimmages, but that's the deal. The 2025 team, unlike the 2024 version, has to be able to take advantage of the lost a ton of key parts - especially on the D line - to the transfer portal, but the program does a decent job of quickly filling gaps. This is the most talented team in CUSA, Jamey Chadwell is a right-coach-right-program fit, and it should be another don't-take-routine-success-for-granted great year. Liberty Flames Preview 2025: Offense X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- Liberty Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season- It was a strange year for the Flame offense. It was fourth in the nation in rushing, but it had a hard time completing passes. It moved the ball and led Conference USA in third down conversions, but stalled way too often. Star quarterback Kaidon Salter is gone to Colorado, but …- Ethan Vasko (Coastal Carolina) is good, but he doesn't solve the accuracy issues. He can run, and he'll get hot, but he gave away nine picks for the Chanticleers. Ryan Burger was the No. 2 man last year - he knows the system. - Star receiver Treon Sibley are gone, but this is CUSA's best receiving corps. Elijah Canion is a dangerous veteran on the outside, Reese Smith is a big play target inside, and Tyson Mobley should do even more. Starting tight end Jacob Jenkins is back after catching ten passes with two scores. - The line isn't a rock, but it's good enough. The team's best blockers are gone - Xavior Gray to Northwestern and Jordan White to Vanderbilt - but Aaron Fenimore is the league's best center, Jack Tucker is back at left tackle, and there's decent depth to push for the other three spots.- Leading rushers Quinton Cooley and Billy Lucas combined for close to 2,200 yards and 18 touchdowns, and Kaidon Salter's 579 yards are gone, too. Julian Gray has been more of a return man than a runner, but he'll be dangerous along with Caden Williams to pound away. Liberty Flames Preview 2025: Defense - There wasn't enough of a pass rush, and there were issues taking the ball away, but the defense was solid. The transfer portal dropped a hammer on certain parts, though, especially on the line.- Jay Hardy would've been a main man at tackle, but he took off for Auburn. TJ Bush was the leading playmaker behind the line, but he's gone to Cal. Landing Aaron Hester (Florida State) will help on the outside, but CJ Bazile will be the star of the pass rushing inside is the concern, though, with Hardy done along with Chris Boti (Arkansas State). No pressure, Bryce Dixon, but hold up as the anchor of the line. - Joseph Carter led the team with 88 tackles and will once again be among the best linebackers in CUSA. The options are limited around him, but Deuce Spurlock (Florida) has the pressure on his shoulders to be a statistical star.- It'll be disappointing if the corners aren't one of the team's biggest strengths. The starting combination of Dexter Ricks and Amarian Williams is back after coming up with five picks. There are plenty of options and good depth, but they're the safeties are just as strong - A'Khori Jones and Quinton Reese are All-CUSA veterans who can hit. Eldric Griffin is about to bust out as the full-time free safety.- Liberty Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
USA Today
23-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Colorado football projected 2025 offensive depth chart a week into spring ball
Colorado football projected 2025 offensive depth chart a week into spring ball It doesn't feel that long ago that Colorado was walking off the field at the Alamodome after a disappointing 36-14 loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl. It was a brutal end to an otherwise successful season for Deion Sadners' squad, but believe it or not, a new season is right around the corner. The spring game is a month away, and we are already a week into spring practices. Starting spots are to be had all over the roster, most notably at starting quarterback, where five-star recruit Julian 'Ju-Ju' Lewis is battling Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter for the top spot. The team will begin to take shape over the next month, and with several key players off to the NFL, the depth chart will look a lot different this season. Now is a good time to give our first pass at a projected depth chart for the Buffaloes and make some educated guesses about how things might look when they suit up on August 29 against Georgia Tech. These "exercises" are never straightforward, especially with many new pieces. But hey, we will take our correct and wrong predictions in stride, so let's start with the offensive side of the ball. The defensive side and special teams will follow on the heels of our projected two-deep Colorado football offensive depth chart for the 2025 season. Quarterback Starter: Kaidon Salter Backup: Julian Lewis Coach Prime has indicated that the starting quarterback spot is an open competition. Still, it would be mildly surprising if Julian Lewis beats out senior Kaidon Salter for the top job. Colorado's roster is set up to win now, and to start the year, Salter appears to be the guy that best sets up the Buffs to do that, despite Lewis wowing at spring camp so far. Running Back Starter: Micah Welch Backup: Isaiah Augustave Colorado's rushing attack was abysmal last season, mainly due to the lack of opportunities. Isaiah Augustave was clearly the top back, but true freshman Micah Welch flashed when given carries. It will likely be a hot hand approach, at least to open the year, but I expect Welch to grab hold of the starting spot sooner rather than later. New running backs coach Marshall Faulk should help this group immensely. Wide Receiver (x) Starter: Omarion Miller Backup: Quanell Farrakhan Jr. Omarion Miller has shown that he can be the top receiver on a team when he is healthy, with two games and over 145 receiving yards in his two seasons in Boulder. The only question is, can Miller stay healthy? If he does, he will undoubtedly be Colorado's top receiver and one of their best players. Behind Miller, I am going with 4-star freshman Quanell Farrakhan Jr., but it could also be Terrell Timmons Jr., who spent last year behind four NFL-caliber wideouts. Wide Receiver (z) Starter: Joseph Williams Backup: Adrian Wilson The Tulsa transfer, Joseph Williams, should have the starting spot opposite Miller locked down. In one season at Tulsa, he racked up 30 receptions for 588 yards and five touchdowns as a true freshman. He should get the playing time to have a full breakout year in Boulder. His backup will likely be 4-star freshman Adrian Wilson, who has a chance to be the next great receiver at Colorado. Wide Receiver (slot) Starter: Drelon Miller Backup: Isaiah Hardge This is arguably the most exciting position to project on Colorado's offense. The playmaking potential from this group is sky-high, and Drelon Miller should be locked into the slot to open the year. Miller is a candidate to break out after 32 receptions for 277 yards and three touchdowns last season. I'm going with cornerback-turned-receiver Isiah Hadge as Miller's primary backup, as Sanders has raved about Hardge's skillset this spring. Both profiles are similar to players who can line up in the backfield. Tight End Starter: Zach Atkins Backup: Sav'ell Smalls Zach Atkins joins the Buffaloes from Northwest Missouri State, where he caught 30 passes for 360 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons. Smalls, a former defensive, will be Atkins' backup and a more prototypical blocking tight end. Atkins should give Colorado a much-needed receiving presence from a position that was largely absent last season. Left Tackle Starter: Jordan Seaton Backup: Mana Taimani Seaton should only continue to grow as he enters his sophomore season. The former 5-star recruit will be a leader along the Buffaloes' offensive line and should provide stability for a line adding a couple of new faces. His backup is up in the air, but Ole Miss transfer Mana Taimani seems like a good fit. He was listed as an interior lineman, but his versatility is ideal for a backup tackle. Right Tackle Starter: Phillip Houston Backup: Carde Smith If Houston is fully recovered from his leg injury that forced him to miss the final two games of 2024, then he should, without question, open the year as the starting right tackle. He started his final nine games and played the third most snaps on the offensive line. He and Seaton would give Colorado two experienced bookend tackles protecting whoever is behind center. True freshman Carde Smith, one of the top offensive tackle commits in the 2025 class, has the talent to start on Day 1, but there is no need to rush him into a starting role. Left Guard Starter: Zylon Crisler Backup: Zach Owens Crisler was Illinois' starting right guard for most of the last three seasons, starting 28 games. He should step into the same role at Colorado and provide another veteran presence. He was the No. 14 ranked interior offensive lineman in the transfer portal. Behind Crisler, redshirt sophomore Zach Owens gets the nod after playing in 10 games last year. Right Guard Starter: Aki Ogunbiyi Backup: Tyler Brown When you bring a starting-caliber offensive guard from a top-tier SEC school, they are expected to start. Aki Ogunbiyi is no different. After five seasons at Texas A&M, Ogunbiyi will use his final year of eligibility at Colorado. He likely steps into the starting right guard role. Tyler Brown is also back for his final year, but I give Ogunbiyi the starting nod as Brown continues to train as a two-way player. Center Starter: Zarian McGill Backup: Cash Cleveland The center position was a bit of a mess for Colorado last year, with Cash Cleveland eventually supplanting Hank Zilinskas as the starter. Zilinskas is now with Rutgers, while Cleveland remains. McGill is a tried and tested starting caliber center, starting three games at center last year with Louisiana Tech after he started 24 games at Lousiana Monroe from 2022-23. Cleveland will now slide to the backseat but remain a capable backup should McGill miss any time. Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads, and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
