Liberty QB Kaidon Salter dedicates C-USA championship to late teammate Tajh Boyd

In its first year as a member of Conference USA, Liberty won the conference championship, defeating New Mexico State 49-35. But the Flames did so with a heavy heart, as Kaidon Salter said afterward.

In August, offensive lineman Tajh Boyd died by suicide, rocking the program just before the season got underway. Liberty then proceeded to go 13-0 under first-year coach Jamey Chadwell to win its first conference championship.

After the Flames put the finishing touches on the victory over New Mexico State, Salter made it clear Boyd’s presence was still a big part of the program.

“This one’s for Tajh,” Salter said, via The Athletic’s Chris Vannini.

Boyd, a Virginia native, was gearing up for his freshman season at Liberty. He enrolled at the university in January, and Chadwell said he had a soft demeanor, but was a fun presence around his teammates. Even after his death, his spirit lived on. In fact, Liberty honored him in a special way during Friday’s championship game as X’Zauvea Gadlin wore Boyd’s No. 77.

“He made a huge impact on the team. He was very quiet as far as an outwardly quietness. But when he was one on one with his teammates, he lit up the room,” Chadwell said in August after the news came out, via the AP. “He had a very giving heart and if there was something that anybody was going through on the team, he was always there.”

Chadwell also expressed his gratitude for the support from the community after Boyd’s death.

“Obviously, they’ve went through challenging times, as well,” Chadwell said. “Nobody wants to go through that at all. But to know there’s so many people that are praying for your community, your team that has obviously experienced loss, they can — whether that’s just listening or whether that’s just a word of encouragement — it gets you through.”

Salter had a monster game in the C-USA Championship. Not only did he throw for 349 yards and two touchdowns, but he also ran for 165 yards and a touchdown to lead the high-powered offensive attack. CJ Daniels was his top receiver, hauling in seven catches for 157 yards and a touchdown.

Now, Liberty will await its bowl fate when the assignments are announced on Sunday. And even though he didn’t play a regular-season game with the Flames, Boyd’s memory will continue to be a big part of Liberty’s preparation for its final game of the year.