In Boulder, stories of grit and reinvention are starting to define the Colorado Buffaloes under Coach Prime, and very few embody that more than the Salter brothers. Seven months into life as a Colorado Buffalo, there’s been an image on social media that’s caught the attention of fans and teammates alike: a sturdy knee brace and a determined caption. And for the Buffaloes, this is really good news because one of their top-line backers is climbing his way up to full strength. And if his story could be described in one word, it’d be resilience.
Meet Kylan Salter. If the last name sounds familiar, yes, he’s the younger brother of quarterback Kaidon Salter. But Kylan is carving his own legacy. A three-star linebacker from Cedar Hill, Texas, he transferred from TCU after a major knee injury derailed his 2023 season. His career so far could’ve been a cautionary tale: a promising defender who saw his football dreams slowed down with a slew of injuries. Instead, it’s shaping up to be a story about grit, second chances, and big ambitions rooted in black and gold.
The news right now is that powerful Instagram message, a digital rallying cry in its own right. Pictured with his knee brace, Kylan put it plain and simple for the world as the caption in his story read, “Bounced back from it twice in less than a year can’t nothing break me.” Every Buffs fan and especially Coach Prime knows that injuries are cruel curveballs, but it’s rare to see an athlete answer so defiantly and publicly. Expanding on this story, Kylan’s path hasn’t just been about flashy comebacks or social media bravado. In 2023, he was sidelined by a torn ACL, a brutal injury that ended his season at TCU before it could really start. “I’m coming off an ACL injury and Colorado and TCU are not giving up on me,” he told BuffStampede.com, referencing the support he’s received through these setbacks.
That’s the kind of loyalty you want from a program and the kind of gratitude you hope for from a player. “They trust in my (recovery) process, know that I am a hard worker. Everything is similar between the two. They are showing the same amount of love, both letting me know that they really want me,” he shared about his commitment. Later, he committed to the Colorado Buffaloes. His history of injury is tough, but his outlook has only gotten stronger.
So, Boulder, how fired up are you to see this guy take the field again? When Salter suits up this fall, he’ll be representing every athlete who’s ever battled back and every Buff who believes toughness is more than talk. The Salter brothers are making Boulder proud, one comeback at a time. Get ready, because this is the kind of football story you’ll want to say you witnessed from the start.
Kaidon Salter vs. Julian Lewis
Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes are heading into a season of transition at the quarterback position, with a heated competition unfolding between senior transfer Kaidon Salter and freshman Julian Lewis. Salter arrives with plenty of experience after thriving at Liberty in 2023, while Lewis is a highly touted recruit out of Georgia, expected to be a cornerstone of Colorado’s future. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur gave a detailed update on the QB battle, highlighting the developmental nature of the competition: “I call it quarterback development. We’ll develop a plan, who plays and when, once we get to the game.”
Shurmur emphasized that both quarterbacks are “doing extremely well” and stressed the complexity of the installation process during training. “As you can imagine, in the meeting room setting or the academic setting, you teach them something, they go out and practice it. Then the next day we teach them something new then they have to go back and review because now the two installs apply to that practice, and then three and so on. It’s a process.” The coach made it clear that both players are bright and picking up the playbook quickly, but also noted the difference in experience between the two signal-callers.
In perhaps the most revealing part of his comments, Shurmur contrasted the two quarterbacks’ familiarity with the system, saying, “Juju obviously is much younger. So this process is a little bit foreign to him, but Kaden has got a lot of experience and is used to it.” This suggests that while Lewis has the talent and arm strength to make an impact in the long run, Salter’s experience and command of the offense give him the edge to likely start the season under center. However, Shurmur’s mention that the plan will involve “who plays and when” hints at opportunities for Lewis to get valuable reps, making this a competitive QB room to watch as the season opener against Georgia Tech approaches.
The post Suffering a Season-Ending Injury, Kaidon Salter’s Brother Sends Clear Message to Coach Prime on His Colorado Future appeared first on EssentiallySports.