By Mark Pszonak
The move from playing at the G5 to P4 level is a big one, especially for quarterbacks. This year, there are four notable P4 programs that will turn over their offense to G5 transfers. Here is a closer look at each of the four:
Kaidon Salter – Colorado (Liberty)
The skinny: Salter hasn’t been officially named the starter, as he is still competing with true freshman Julian Lewis, but he is the veteran and the favorite at this time. As for how Salter will do at Colorado, this is a difficult one to figure out. Is Colorado getting the 2023 version of Salter or the 2024? In 2023 at Liberty he completed 61% of his attempts, passed for 2,876 yards, 32 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while rushing for 1,089 yards and 12 touchdowns. 2024 was a different story, as only 56% of his attempts were completed for 1,886 yards, 15 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while rushing for 587 yards and seven touchdowns. Considering Salter is replacing Shedeur Sanders and has Lewis hovering in the background, the pressure will be substantial for him to perform well early. And with Colorado opening their season against a dangerous Georgia Tech team, plenty of eyes will be watching early to see how he does.
Prognosis: Pressure is something every quarterback must deal with, but for Salter it will be immense. Having to replace Shedeur Sanders while also dealing with a top-tier true freshman hovering over your shoulder is a recipe for disaster. Expect to see Lewis sooner than later.
Gio Lopez – North Carolina (South Alabama)
The skinny: Lopez redshirted as a true freshman in 2023, but did play in five games including the Jaguars’ bowl game against Eastern Michigan when he completed 14 of 19 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns. He also had seven carries for 88 yards and one touchdown. Lopez followed that up by enjoying a breakout 2024 season. He passed for 2,559 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 465 yards and seven touchdowns. For North Carolina, this was a spring addition by head coach Bill Belichik, who quickly identified that the program needed help at during the spring. Lopez, 6-foot-0 and 220-pounds, has been a dynamic dual-threat during his limited time in the Sun Belt, but will that transition to the ACC? Whatever happens, it likely won’t be boring.
Prognosis: It depends on how quickly Lopez can adjust to North Carolina’s offense since he spent the spring at South Alabama. Plus, this isn’t a normal Tar Heels season. With Coach Belichick now in town the media attention will be next level. I believe Lopez can prosper at UNC, but it may take a bit of time for him to hit his stride.
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Joey Aguilar – Tennessee (Appalachian State)
The skinny: While Aguilar took a pitstop at UCLA, he played at G5 Appalachian State last season, so he qualifies for this list. He became a trade for Nico Iamaleava, who famously departed Tennessee during the spring after an NIL disagreement. Aguilar was a JUCO signee by the Mountaineers who then enjoyed two successful seasons in the Sun Belt Conference. Overall, he passed for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns, but also 24 interceptions, which should bring some concern to everyone in Knoxville. Aguilar spent the spring with UCLA, so his learning curve will have to be very quick during the summer as he prepares for North Carolina’s season opener at home against TCU.
Prognosis: As with Lopez, Aguilar is a late arrival after spending the spring at UCLA. It is hard to imagine that the Vols can quickly correct his high interception ratio, which immediately puts additional pressure on the rest of the team. I thought Aguilar was a good fit for UCLA, but less so at Tennessee. This has the potential to be a disappointing season in Knoxville.
Devon Dampier – Utah (New Mexico)
The skinny: Considering Utah’s injury woes at quarterback during recent seasons, as long as Dampier can stay on the field it would be considered a success. Aside from his hopeful health, he also brings a dynamic dual-threat ability that saw him rush for 1,166 yards and 19 touchdowns during the 2024 season. Passing was a bit more challenging though, as he did finish with 2,768 yards, but only completed 57.9% of his attempts and threw 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. If he can improve his accuracy and limit his turnovers, Dampier has the potential to be a nightmare for defenses in the Big 12.
Prognosis: Dampier is an interesting wildcard who is worth taking a risk on. With his running ability, he doesn’t need to suddenly become an elite passer, but if he can at least keep defenses honest, the Utes have a chance to become a nightmare for defensive coordinators to deal with in the Big 12.
