- December 1st, 2024, 1:31 pm
#664992
I don’t want this to come off as a dog pile but I was remembering that we had concerns about giving Salter a shot. To be fair, I think Salter has improved on and off the field but there are still “rumors” of behavior that is detrimental to the team going unchecked.
Here was my take back in 2021. The point is the most important piece of a consistently successful program is the culture:
July 12th, 2021, 10:38 am#628613
Couple of things:
1. This is a great boost from the marketing side of college football. Bringing in a blue chip with 4 years of eligibility is cool from a fans perspective
However...2. I was on the Cedar Hill sideline for one of Kaidon's games last year and was not impressed. From a pure football side of things, I was shocked that he was valued as a top 15 QB in the country and more so to see his offer list. He consistently held the ball too long and rarely executed the play as called. Used his legs to dance in and out of pocket and relied on his receivers to improvise with him to play pitch and catch (His highlight videos show the same). He struggled with the management of the game and in both halves, cost his team time and yards with very little awareness of the clock. His team was clearly more physically gifted than their opponent and yet he struggled to move the ball consistently, especially in the air. Threw 2 terrible pics that were a result of delayed decision making. Granted, this was one game and I am in no way credentialed as a scout evaluator but I also know talent when I see it.
3. Off the ball behavior was were I was really unimpressed. In short, his attitude was terrible. Not one time did he come to the sideline and fire up his troops. Rather, he would remove his helmet before reaching the sideline so that everyone could see him voice his displeasure with a coach or player(s). Others on the sideline would have to pick him up while he sulked. I am on a sideline most Friday nights in Texas and it stood out as one of the most self centered attitudes I witnessed all year. In fact, the 3 others with me said the same. The coaches seemed to cater to his behavior which led to a really undisciplined sideline as a whole.
4. I hope I am 100% wrong on this kid. He is after all, just a kid. My hope is that he has had a wake up call and will begin to mature around a great program and staff that will instill discipline. I trust the eyes of scout evaluators that all put their reputations on the line to offer him more than mine.
5. However (2), that is not my gut. To go to your "dream school" and not even make it to fall practices because you put yourself above the team with selfish acts is no small thing to overcome. This is the type of kid that can wreck a locker room if he hasn't had a dynamic attitude shift.
Liberty should be a school built on second chances. HCHF is the perfect guy to lead the program of Kaidon Salters and I default my judgement to those who have heard Kaidon's story and heart.
Just my 2 cents and I hope that I am wrong on this one.
Light 'em Up!
'01 Alum. Here to see the Flames rise