For Liberty, life after Kaidon Salter was always going to feel like walking into a room with the lights off. The former Flames star bolted for Colorado after a 10-win, conference-title season, leaving HC Jamey Chadwell scrambling to identify the next man up. But before he could even crown a leader, one of his young QBs stunned the program with a decision you almost never see. 

Instead of fighting for reps, redshirt freshman Miles Kobe McEachin Jr. is shelving football for a season to finish his academic degree. In an X post on August 24, he dropped this major announcement about his career path, writing, “After consideration, I have made the decision to forgo the season to finish my electrical engineering degree at Liberty. I will re-enter the Transfer Portal in December. My recruitment is open.” For a player who hasn’t taken a single snap yet, the move was as unexpected as it was bold.

At 6’0, 200 pounds, the Newark, NJ native hasn’t taken a single collegiate snap yet, but that hasn’t made his decision any less significant. Miles McEachin is preserving three full years of eligibility while choosing to focus on a degree that demands more than the average student’s attention. Electrical engineering is no joke. In a sport where players often chase immediate playing time or chase the next portal opportunity, he’s betting on long-term payoff. For Liberty, it’s a curveball the coaching staff didn’t see coming, but one that underscores the delicate balance between ambition, talent, and timing in modern college football.

History has its parallels. Wyatt Sexton once stepped away from Florida State in 2006 to focus on health and studies after battling Lyme disease. Graduate transfers like Russell Wilson and Jake Coker famously front-loaded academics to create new football opportunities. And we’ve all seen the modern trend of star QBs skipping bowl games like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Kyle McCord. But punting an entire season to finish a degree before rejoining the chaos is a plot twist few saw coming. Meanwhile, Liberty’s depth chart looks like a revolving door waiting to stop. 

Liberty QB room reloads

Liberty has five QBs that could get a shot to shine in 2025. Leading the competition is Coastal Carolina transfer Ethan Vasko, who already knows Jamey Chadwell’s system and tallied 14 total touchdowns last year. Michael Merdinger, the strong-armed UNC transfer, is pushing for attention, while veteran Ryan Burger offers familiarity with the locker room. Freshmen Jayden Bradford and Ethan Houck round out the cast. They’re raw and unproven, but eager to prove they’re not just clipboard holders.

Jamey Chadwell knows the stakes. “We don’t need someone to just manage the game,” he said. “We need a playmaker, someone who will elevate everyone else around him.” Liberty isn’t focused on surviving without Kaidon Salter. They’re set on finding a QB who can win right now. Liberty’s offense is otherwise loaded. Receivers who can stretch the field, a backfield that’s two-deep everywhere, and a line that can keep the pocket clean. One more competitor in that room could’ve added insurance, or maybe even pulled off a surprise. Instead, the Flames are left wondering who among the five remains standing when Week 1 arrives.

Miles McEachin, though, has made his bet. He’ll chase an engineering degree now, and in December, a football home. By the time he re-enters the transfer portal, programs will be watching closely, curious to see how a player who balanced ambition, education, and athletic talent will perform when given a second chance.