Salter and Cooley Named to Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List

Liberty's Kaidon Salter and Quinton Cooley, two of the top Group of Five players in the country, have been named to the 2024 Maxwell Award Preseason watch list.

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official.

Salter was a semifinalist for the honor in 2023 and is one of five returning semifinalists from last year. He is joined on the preseason watch list by fellow returning semifinalists Jalen Milroe (Alabama), Carson Beck (Georgia), Luther Burden III (Missouri) and Ollie Gordon II (Oklahoma State).

The full watch list consists of 80 players with Miami and Ohio State leading the way with three candidates each and an additional 15 schools having two players represented. The ACC boasts 20 candidates followed by the SEC (15), Big 12 (15) and Big Ten (12).

Three players from Conference USA made the preseason watch list. Salter and Cooley were joined on the listing by WKU quarterback TJ Finley.

Salter was the 2023 HERO Sports Group of Five National Player of the Year after throwing for 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,089 yards and 12 additional scores.

The native of Cedar Hill, Texas, received numerous honors from Conference USA during the Flames' inaugural season in the league. He was named the CUSA Most Valuable Player and was selected to the CUSA first-team all-conference listing. He was also a four-time CUSA Offensive Player of the Week.

Salter led the Flames to an undefeated CUSA 8-0 conference record. The quarterback also guided the Flames to its first conference title at the FBS level with a 49-35 win over New Mexico State in the CUSA Football Championship game.

Salter received several other national honors during his redshirt sophomore season. He was named to the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2023, was a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award.

Statistically, Salter was one of the top quarterbacks in the country. He ranked No. 3 in the country in passing efficiency (176.6) and passing yards per completion (16.25), No. 5 in passing touchdowns (32), No. 5 in points responsible for per game (18.9), No. 8 in rushing yards per carry (6.68) and No. 22 in total offense (283.2 yards per game).

Cooley made the most of his first season at Liberty, earning CUSA Newcomer of the Year honors and leading the Flames in rushing and scoring.

The transfer from Wake Forest ranked No. 7 in the country with 1,401 rushing yards and No. 6 nationally with 16 rushing touchdowns. He also ranked No. 13 in rushing yards per carry (6.34), No. 14 in total touchdowns (16) and No. 15 in rushing yards per game (100.1).

Cooley, a native of Bailey, N.C., and the Flames finished the 2023 season with a school record 4,106 rushing yards and had the country's No. 1 rushing offense (293.3 yards per game).

Liberty also ranked No. 4 nationally in total offense (499.1 yards per game) and No. 9 in scoring offense (38.3 points per game).

2024 Liberty Football Season Tickets Information
Season tickets for the 2024 Liberty Football season are on sale now! Starting at just $120, members of Flames Nation can secure their spot at Williams Stadium this fall to watch the Flames defend their CUSA conference title and earn their way into the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

Liberty's exciting 2024 slate includes home games against AAC foe East Carolina (Sept. 21) and CUSA home games against UTEP (Sept. 14), FIU (Oct. 8), Jax State (Oct. 30) and WKU (Nov. 23).

You can purchase your 2024 Liberty Football season tickets now at www.LUFootball.com or call/text (434) 592-5015.

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Salter and Cooley Named to Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List

Players Mentioned

Quinton Cooley

Kaidon Salter

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