Photo courtesy: Fansided
Update 8/16: The athletics department released a statement that Kevin Grooms is officially part of the football team. Grooms will be ineligible for the 2014 season. The NCAA mandates that all athletes who are suspended for disciplinary reasons at one school and transfers to a different school, must complete one year in residence at the new school before being able to compete athletically. Grooms will have 1 season of eligibility remaining when he returns in 2015. As mentioned below, he has pending felony charges and was dismissed by Marshall in late July.
This was definitely a high-risk addition by Coach Gill, but with the 1-year Grooms must sit out, there will not be as much backlash. If Grooms is able to adjust to life at Liberty and grow as a man while he sits out this year, this could turn into a win-win situation for all parties involved.
Liberty coach Turner Gill said there’s a “zero tolerance” policy in place for Kevin Grooms. One slip up in the next year, and he’s gone.
— Chris Lang (@ChrisLangLNA) August 17, 2014
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Liberty could land a high-profile transfer at running back in Kevin Grooms from Marshall, according to sources. Grooms was dismissed from Marshall in July after being arrested and charged with felony burglary, domestic assault by threat, petit larceny, and fleeing by foot charges. It was his 3rd arrest in 16 months. He was arrested previously on misdemeanor charges of underage consumption and obstruction in April 2013 and again in November 2013 on misdemeanor domestic battery and obstruction charges.
As a freshman in 2012, Grooms was named the Conference-USA Freshman of the Year after leading the Herd with 737 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns. Last season, Grooms rushed for 503 yards and 6 touchdowns after being hobbled with a high-ankle injury much of the year. By transferring from the FBS level down the FCS level, he would be eligible immediately with 2 seasons of eligibility remaining. Coach Gill is looking for help to bolster the running back position after losing All-Big South performer from a season ago in Des Rice who suffered a season ending knee injury during spring practice.
Grooms was a 4 star prospect out of high school who initially signed with the University of Miami (FL). After being ruled academically ineligible prior to his freshman season at Miami in 2011, he ended up at Marshall where he sat out the 2011 season.
Here is a highlight package from Grooms freshman season with Marshall.
Sounds like an upstanding young man
I’m all for 2nd chances, but this seems like a 4th chance. 3 arrests already.
Who gives a crap about his previous arrests, this guy can flat out play football. He isn’t coming to Liberty to be a Dr, he coming to help us win some games!