Season-end honors pile up for Flames Football

Following a perfect first season in Conference USA, winning the CUSA Football Championship, and now on their way to play in their first New Year’s Six bowl game, the Liberty Flames continue to rack up postseason awards.

Quarterback Kaidon Salter was named the CUSA Most Valuable Player; linebacker Tyren Dupree was named Defensive Player of the Year, and transfer running back Quinton Cooley was selected Newcomer of the Year.

In addition to the program’s Player of the Year awards, Liberty Football also placed 15 players on CUSA’s all-conference teams.

Liberty’s first-team all-conference selections include Salter, Cooley, offensive lineman X’Zauvea Gadlin, Dupree, defensive backs Kobe Singleton and Brylan Green, and kick returner Aaron Bedgood. Second-team all-conference selections include wide receiver CJ Daniels, offensive linemen Jonathan Graham and Jordan White, and defensive tackle Jay Hardy. Making the all-conference honorable mention squad are running back Billy Lucas, offensive lineman Xavior Gray, and defensive end CJ Bazile Jr. Flames defensive end TJ Bush was named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team.

Salter has also been named as a Maxwell Award semifinalist (National Player of the Year Award) and Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2023 member and is currently on the Manning Award watch list.

Cooley leads all CUSA running backs in rushing yards (1,322) and rushing touchdowns (16).

For his success leading the Flames, first-year Head Coach Jamey Chadwell was named CUSA Co-Coach of the Year. He has also been named a finalist for the 2023 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, a semifinalist for the 2023 George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, and is one of 12 finalists for the national coach of the year award, joining David Braun (Northwestern), Kalen DeBoer (Washington), Eliah Drinkwtiz (Missouri), Jedd Fisch (Arizona), Rhett Lashlee (SMU), Chuck Martin, (Miami, Ohio), Mike Norvell (Florida State), Barry Odom (UNLV), Nick Saban (Alabama), Steve Sarkisian (Texas) and Jon Sumrall (Troy). Chadwell previously won this award in 2020.

Liberty enters bowl season with a perfect 13-0 record and is one of four undefeated teams in the country, joining Florida State, Michigan and Washington. The Flames’ success positioned the team to receive their first-ever invitation to play in a New Year’s Six bowl game. Liberty will square off against No. 8 Oregon in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (For all bowl game information, including tickets, visit Liberty.edu/BowlCentral.)

Liberty enters the matchup against the Ducks ranked No. 18 in the latest Associated Press poll and No. 20 in the Coaches Poll. The Flames were ranked in the final three College Football Playoff rankings, a first in program history, and are currently at No. 23.

Chadwell’s spread option offense has allowed Liberty to have the nation’s No. 1 rushing attack. The Flames enter the New Year’s Day bowl game averaging 302.9 yards per game, having rushed for a school-record 3,938 yards and 39 touchdowns.

Additionally, Liberty ranks No. 1 in tackles for a loss allowed (2.54 per game), No. 2 in sacks allowed (0.69 per game), No. 2 in first down offense (333), No. 2 in time of possession (33:43), No. 3 in total offense (514.9 yards per game), No. 3 in team passing efficiency (174.48), No. 2 in passing yards per completion (16.91), No. 4 in third-down conversion percentage (50.3), No. 5 in scoring offense (40.8 points per game) and No. 7 in fewest passes had intercepted (5).

Defensively, Liberty leads the nation with 21 interceptions while ranking No. 2 in the country in turnovers gained (25).