Meet Diego Pavia and Kaidon Salter: NMSU and Liberty QBs take different paths to CUSA championship

Nov. 30—One was a four-star recruit in high school, impossible to miss, destined for greatness at the next level.

The other was a zero-star prospect, sparingly recruited, barely noticed by anybody at the next level.

One was an acclaimed hurdler and jumper, light on his feet with jarring top-end speed.

The other was a state champion wrestler that, at least in his coach's eyes, sometimes still plays like one.

One was recruited by Auburn.

The other beat Auburn.

And for all the differences in how they got to this point, the two will meet for the second time on Friday. Because as New Mexico State takes on Liberty for the Conference USA championship, no matchup will be more compelling than that between quarterbacks Diego Pavia and Kaidon Salter.

During a press conference on Tuesday, NMSU head coach Jerry Kill spoke about Pavia's second season with the Aggies. The Albuquerque native and Volcano Vista High School graduate has largely keyed NMSU's dream season, completing 199 of 325 passes (61.2%) for 2,727 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions with 806 rushing yards and five touchdowns to boot.

On maybe the biggest stage of his career, Kill still sees the same fierce competitiveness that stood out to him when Pavia led New Mexico Military Institute to a NJCAA national title in 2021.

"He's been a good leader. He's a good teammate. The kids love him," Kill said. "He plays all out, which hurts him sometimes. But I mean, he'll do anything to win.

"And if he has to duck his head to win, he'll do it. He's not gonna run out of bounds and sometimes that's good, sometimes that's bad on that body he has. Because he's not that big, but he's a three-time All-State wrestler and you look at him and you don't think the guy's a quarterback."

Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell said, at this point, it's not really a matter of stopping Pavia so much as it is containing him.

"He just has a great confidence," Chadwell said on Tuesday. "Even from, you know, our first game, just watching the things that he did, you're amazed by the competitiveness that he has. What I believe through watching him the rest of the season, it's rubbed off on his team.

"And they play with this strong belief in each other and a competitive fire. I think that's a direct result of him and the way he plays the game."

But as the Aggies' dream season roared on, Pavia had hardly been heard from — until this week. On Sunday, he spoke publicly for the first time since September, when KOB-TV Channel 4 published a video of Pavia urinating in the University of New Mexico's indoor practice facility.

In an interview with KVIA-ABC 7's Rachel Phillips that aired this weekend, NMSU's quarterback said the incident captured on video happened before the season and cited "animosity" he felt toward UNM football after they declined to offer him a scholarship

"I knew what I could do," he told Phillips. "They doubted me. They told me I basically wasn't good enough — I wasn't gonna play. And when somebody tells you that, that's supposed to believe in you — I'm from (Albuquerque), I'm there, I live 15 minutes away — it was just like, heartbreaking kind of."

Pavia went on to say he didn't feel focused on his first three games this season — including a 37-17 loss to Liberty on Sept. 9 — because of his anticipation for the UNM game. Including that coveted 27-17 win over the Lobos on Sept. 16, Pavia has thrown for 2,012 yards, 17 touchdowns and only four interceptions — with five rushing touchdowns to boot.

"But that doesn't justify my actions for that," Pavia told Phillips. "At the end of the day, I shouldn't have done it. Obviously it was a bad look: people thought different of me. But, you know, only God can change me and at the end of the day, I'm at his calling."

For Salter, this season's been one for the Cedar Hill, Texas native to remember. In his second season with the Flames, Salter has thrown for 2,431 yards, 29 touchdowns and five interceptions — with 899 rushing yards on 141 carries.

Chadwell remembers the former Tennessee quarterback — who was dismissed from the program in 2021 after being arrested for simple possession and driving without a license — and the expectations he faced after winning the starting job this fall.

"And he's by far exceeded those things — obviously sitting here 12-0," he said. "His improvement on the field, more importantly off the field, is a major reason why we're sitting where we're at right now and we would not be here without his improvement."

Kill made sure to compliment Salter as well, calling the sophomore quarterback "outstanding."

"You take a running quarterback that can throw it — I mean, (when) he played in our game, he played his tail end off," he said of Salter. "Every time he threw the ball, I mean, he completed it. There's a lot of different things that they do and it's hard to prepare for them."