Kaidon Salter – Syndication Server

Fiesta Bowl Preview: Liberty offense will present some unique looks for Oregon

Liberty’s offense will present some unique challenges for the Oregon defense in the Fiesta Bowl.

If this were eight or nine years ago, the Liberty offense wouldn’t be so unique. But the Flames like to run a pass-option offense with a very mobile quarterback that could present some challenges for the Ducks in the Fiesta Bowl on Monday.

It all starts with Kaidon Salter, who is as dangerous with his legs as his arm. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, he might remind some Duck fans of a slightly taller Jeremiah Masoli.

Liberty averages 40 points a game and are a perfect 13-0. Salter is responsible for 43 touchdowns; 31 passing and 12 rushing. He’s one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country and they like to run the option out of multiple sets.

Tailback Quinton Cooley, a transfer from Wake Forest, leads the Flames with 1,322 yards rushing (102 ypg) and 16 touchdowns. Fellow running back, Billy Lucas averages over 50 yards a game and has found the end zone six times this season.

When the Flames throw the ball, Salter usually goes to receiver CJ Daniels, a 6-2, 200-pounder who averages 21 yards per catch. He leads the team with 47 receptions for 988 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Fellow receiver Treon Sibley also averages over 20 yards a catch. He has scored four touchdowns.

Liberty’s offensive line is led by 6-4, 320-pound X’Zauvea Gadlin. He is a First-Team All-Conference player. He’s joined by All-C-USA Second Teamers Jonathan Graham (6-5, 330) and Jordan White (6-2, 295).

Lineman Xavier Grey (6-8, 335) was named as an Honorable Mention.

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5 Liberty players that Oregon needs to pay attention to in the Fiesta Bowl

Liberty shouldn’t be taken lightly and here are five Flames the Ducks need to put out in the Fiesta Bowl.

Mobile quarterbacks have given Oregon some trouble this season and the Ducks might be facing one of the top dual-threat signal callers in the nation. While he might be as a prolific passer as Michael Penix, Jr. or as elusive as Cameron Ward, Liberty’s Kaidon Salter combines the talent of those previous two quarterbacks that could be tough on opposing defenses.

Something else that makes Salter dangerous is that if you focus solely on him, he can give the ball to a pretty decent tailback in Quincey Cooley, a 1,000-yard rusher and a former Wake Forest performer.

Liberty has a good receiver in CJ Daniels as well as an underrated defense led by linebacker Tyren Dupree and defensive end CJ Bazile, Jr.

In short, although the opponents were Pac-12 caliber, the Flames are still 13-0 and can’t be taken lightly when the Ducks play them in the Fiesta.

We dig a little deeper into those five Flames previously mentioned.

Dillon Gabriel finishes ahead of Caleb Williams in Bleacher Report QB Rankings

After a tremendous season, Dillon Gabriel finished top 5 in the nation and ahead of Caleb Williams in Bleacher Report’s quarterback rankings after the regular season.

The Oklahoma Sooners offense had an incredible year. At the forefront of the Sooners offensive explosion was [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], who had a career year.

Gabriel set career highs in completion percentage (69.3%), passing yards (3,660), yards per attempt (9.5), rushing touchdowns (12), passer rating (172) while throwing for 30 touchdowns, the second-highest total in his career.

This season, Gabriel had seven games with more than 300 yards passing and three with more than 400 yards through the air. He set an Oklahoma record for touchdowns in a game (8) in the Sooners’ 59-point outburst vs. West Virginia.

More: Big 12 Bowl Projections from USA TODAY Sports

Under Gabriel, the Sooners scored 50 or more five times and more than 60 twice. Oklahoma is No. 3 in the nation in scoring and No. 4 in total yards.

A year after Oklahoma won just six games, Gabriel and the offense exploded to lead OU to their first 10-win season under Brent Venables.

In his incredible campaign, Gabriel earned a lot of respect from around the country and, at one point, thrust his name into the Heisman conversation. He led an incredible game-winning touchdown drive in the final minutes against Texas and earned unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 first team.

And with that, Gabriel’s shot up the ranks of Bleacher Report’s top 25 quarterbacks, including ahead of a former Sooners quarterback and Heisman winner.

Former Vols’ quarterbacks by the numbers in Week 1

Former Tennessee Vols’ quarterbacks by the numbers in Week 1.

The 2022 college football season kicked off Aug. 27 with Week 0.

Week 1 is taking place Sept. 1-5.

Tennessee defeated Ball State, 59-10, in Week 1 at Neyland Stadium. 14 Vols set or tied career highs in Week 1 against Ball State.

Tennessee’s 2022 regular-season schedule features home games against Ball State, Akron, Florida, Alabama, UT Martin, Kentucky and Missouri.

The Vols’ 2022 schedule features road contests at Pittsburgh in the second edition of the Johnny Majors Classic, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

2022 Tennessee Vols’ football schedule: Vols Wire’s downloadable schedule wallpaper

Vols Wire looks at statistics from former Tennessee quarterbacks in Week 1. Former Vols’ quarterbacks stats from Week 1 are listed below.

Former Tennessee quarterback Kaidon Salter transfers to Liberty

Former Tennessee quarterback Kaidon Salter transfers to Liberty.

Freshman quarterback Kaidon Salter was dismissed from the University of Tennessee’s football program last month.

Following his departure from Tennessee, Salter has enrolled at Liberty. He will play for head coach Hugh Freeze.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Salter is from Cedar Hill High School in Cedar Hill, Texas.

Freeze enters his third season as head coach at Liberty.

He is 18-6 in two seasons at Liberty and has won two bowl games. Liberty finished 10-1 in 2020.

Freeze has 10-win seasons as a head coach at Lambuth, Arkansas State, Ole Miss and Liberty.

The third-year Liberty head coach joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” in June and discussed the Flames’ program.

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Kaidon Salter dismissed from Tennessee’s program

Freshman quarterback Kaidon Salter has been dismissed from the University of Tennessee’s football program.

Salter’s dismissal was confirmed to Vols Wire in a statement from Tennessee Athletics.

Kaidon Salter has been dismissed from our football program. We wish Kaidon and his family all the best in his future endeavors. –Tennessee Athletics

Salter and teammate Amari McNeill were involved in an incident and face simple possession charges after marijuana was found in a vehicle around 3 a.m. EDT Saturday on Cumberland Avenue in Knoxville.

Charges stem from a traffic stop Saturday morning, according to University of Tennessee Police Department reports.

Salter was driving the vehicle and was stopped for having no taillights and a tinted cover over the vehicle’s license plate, UTPD reports show.

McNeill was a passenger in the vehicle.

Salter, an early enrollee freshman quarterback, did not participate in spring practices.

In March, Salter was involved in an incident at Stokely Hall and charged with simple possession and unlawful drug paraphernalia.

A program official told Vols Wire on June 1 that Salter was back participating in team activities.

McNeill signed with the Vols during the early signing period on Dec. 16.

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound lineman is from Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee, Georgia.

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Kaidon Salter, Amari McNeill facing misdemeanor drug charges

Two University of Tennessee student-athletes are facing misdemeanor drug charges.

Charges stem from a traffic stop Saturday morning, according to University of Tennessee Police Department reports.

Kaidon Salter and Amari McNeill were involved in the incident and are facing simple possession charges after marijuana was found in a vehicle around 3 a.m. EDT Saturday on Cumberland Avenue in Knoxville.

Salter was driving the vehicle and was stopped for having no taillights and a tinted cover over the vehicle’s license plate, UTPD reports show.

McNeill was a passenger in the vehicle.

Salter, an early enrollee freshman quarterback, did not participate in spring practices.

In March, Salter was involved in an incident at Stokely Hall and charged with simple possession and unlawful drug paraphernalia.

A program official told Vols Wire on June 1 that Salter was back participating in team activities.

McNeill signed with the Vols during the early signing period on Dec. 16.

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound lineman is from Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee, Georgia.

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Two Tennessee student-athletes are back participating in team activities

Two Tennessee student-athletes are back participating in team activities.

Quarterback Kaidon Salter and linebacker Aaron Willis, both early enrollee freshmen, did not practice with Tennessee during the spring.

In March, Salter and Willis were involved in an incident at Stokely Hall.

They were charged with simple possession and unlawful drug paraphernalia.

A program official told Vols Wire on Tuesday that Willis and Salter are back participating in team activities.

Tennessee will kick off the 2021 football season under first-year head coach Josh Heupel on Sept. 2 against Bowling Green at Neyland Stadium.

Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. EDT. SEC Network will televise the matchup.

The 2021 season-opening game against Bowling Green commences the centennial celebration of Neyland Stadium, which opened in 1921.

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Cedar Hill quarterback Kaidon Salter (7) is chased down by Katy defensive lineman Cayde Robertson and Carson Marshall (21) during the first half of the Class 6A Division II state football championship game at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News)

Josh Heupel provides update on Vols’ suspended players

Josh Heupel provides update on Kaidon Salter, Martavius French, Isaac Washington and Aaron Willis.

Freshman quarterback Kaidon Salter, an early enrollee, has not practiced with Tennessee this spring.

He is suspended indefinitely.

“Kaidon is part of the group of individuals that are suspended from team activities at this point,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said following the Vols’ first spring practice.

Salter, Martavius French, Isaac Washington and Aaron Willis were involved in an incident at Stokely Hall last month.

They were charged with simple possession and unlawful drug paraphernalia. French, Washington and Willis were named at the time. Salter was not since he was a minor.

Following the Vols’ first spring practice, Heupel mentioned there was not a timetable for the suspended players’ return.

“That’s being handled on campus, and as we receive information, we’ll act accordingly,” Heupel said. “There’s high expectations, high standards to represent Tennessee football.

“At the same time, we’re going to stay true to those kids and support them as they go through this process, and as we gain information, we’ll be able to share that.”

French, Washington and Willis are scheduled to appear in court April 12.

Salter had his charges dropped without prejudice.

Heupel provided an update on the suspended players following Friday’s practice.

“Any of the guys that have had those issues, no final word on any of that yet,” Heupel said following the Vols’ fifth spring practice on Friday. “We’re going to stay with those kids. I told you in the beginning, support those kids through the process. Once we have a final decision on all those guys, we’ll communicate that with you.”

Heupel mentioned he hopes to have a decision on the suspended players before the end of spring practices.

“We hope that that process will be thorough and we’ll be able to work through it and get to the point where we’re able to communicate with you where our university stands,” he said.

Tennessee will conclude spring practices with its annual Chevrolet Orange & White game on April 24 at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. EDT.

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Kaidon Salter suspended indefinitely from Tennessee team activities

Tennessee kicked off spring football practices Thursday.

Early enrollee freshman quarterback Kaidon Salter did not take part in Tennessee’s opening spring practice.

He is suspended indefinitely.

“Kaidon was not on the practice field today,” first-year Tennessee head coach Josh Huepel said following practice. “Kaidon is part of the group of individuals that are suspended from team activities at this point.”

Salter, along with Tennessee football players Martavius French, Isaac Washington and Aaron Willis, were involved in an incident at Stokely Hall this month.

They were charged with simple possession and unlawful drug paraphernalia. French, Washington and Willis were named at the time, as Salter was not being a minor.

Heupel mentioned there is not a timetable for a return of UT’s suspended players.

“That’s being handled on campus, and as we receive information, we’ll act accordingly,” Heupel said. “There’s high expectations, high standards to represent Tennessee football.

“At the same time, we’re going to stay true to those kids and support them as they go through this process, and as we gain information, we’ll be able to share that.”

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