Know the Opponent | Liberty - BleedTechBlue: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Football & Basketball Recruiting

Liberty started playing football in 2018. In six years of existence, the program has never failed to win at least six games. In 2023, the Flames entered Conference USA. How important was it for the school to get into an FBS conference for football?

Ever since the Flames were approved to move to the FBS level in 2017 following a long stretch in the Big South, the standard of success has really risen around campus and with LU fans everywhere. Playing as an independent gave the school opportunities to play some top notch competition across the country and compete in bowl games on the biggest stage. Personally, I feel it was definitely an important step for LU to find a home in a conference. Liberty is a school that, relative to other universities, has not been around for all that long and is still hungry to further develop their brand as an academic and athletic institution. The move into CUSA marks another important landmark in gaining traction as an entity in the sports world that hopes to exist in the American consciousness amongst the other bigger schools. It’s a privilege to be a part of the conference and, in addition to working with/playing against all these great colleges, be able to make appearances on national television in front of an audience that otherwise may have any exposure to Liberty.

The Flames are off to an 8-0 start in 2023 and are one of the favorites to represent the G5 in a New Year’s Six Bowl. With Jamey Chadwell in his first season, were the expectations for this type of season realistic entering the year?

I believe so. Obviously losing Hugh Freeze after he was such a big part of the program for this period of growth was a huge loss, but that blow was softened by the news of Coach Chadwell coming to town. LU fans know that they have a team full of talent that can come in and compete with the best of the best, so there was confidence that the team could win the conference in their first year of membership. Chadwell’s offense at Coastal Carolina put an emphasis on stretching the field and making explosive plays in the passing game and seeing the same thing this year with Liberty has resulted in a higher octane offense than seen in previous years.

Kaidon Salter is putting together a PHENOMENAL season both throwing and running the football from the quarterback position. What makes the Cedar Hill, TX native so special?

Salter really fits the bill in terms of skill set for what this offense needs from its quarterback. Liberty puts a heavy emphasis on establishing the run against their opponents and winning the tough battles in the trenches. LU averages a whopping 49.3 rush attempts per game which leads CUSA. That volume combined with 5.7 yards per carry makes for a rushing attack that is exhausting to play against. Quinton Cooley leads the conference in rushing yards with 802 currently while Kaidon Slater is 4th with 614 yards. This dominance on the ground really opens up the field for Salter, allowing him to drop back with time and hit guys (usually CJ Daniels and Treon Sibley) on deep routes for big plays. Overall, Salter’s versatility as a scrambler combined with his impressive deep ball skills make him the ideal fit for the offense that we have been running.

For the Flames to win on Saturday night, what must Jamey Chadwell’s club do?

There isn’t too much I would want to change from what is being done now on both sides of the ball for Liberty. Opposing quarterbacks haven't felt a ton of pressure from the Liberty d-line thus far so potentially scheming different pass rush looks could be something to consider, but I still believe everyone is doing a good job in producing winning plays on both sides. Playing hard in the trenches is the essence of football, and if we do that I believe Liberty should keep finding success.

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