When Kei’Trel Clark and Tayvion Land announced their intent to transfer from Liberty earlier this summer, questions were brought forth about the available depth in the secondary following so many key departures.
Clark and Land, both true freshmen in 2019, turned into weekly starters and heavy contributors in Liberty’s defensive backfield. The Flames also lost Elijah Benton and Bejour Wilson who signed undrafted free agent NFL deals. Also gone are Ceneca Espinoza and Rion Davis who were key contributors over their careers.
With all those departures, the secondary was a top priority for Liberty’s coaching staff on the recruiting trail this past cycle. The Flames brought in a number of new faces to the secondary, and several of them have been standing out during the early portion of fall camp.
Tim Kidd-Glass was a late arrival to Liberty’s roster last fall, joining the program from NC State. The former 3-star recruit from Danville, Virginia has just one final season of eligibility remaining. He played in 33 games for the Wolfpack over 3 seasons while making 9 starts in 2017. In 2018, he had 31 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 pass breakups. He’s looking at starting in the Flames’ secondary at the Rover position.
“He’s been good in the offseason,” safeties coach Corey Batoon said of Kidd-Glass. “He’s got a good understanding, as a 5th-year player, this is his last shot. I think he’s done a really nice job of seizing the opportunity, spending extra time, virtually learning the system, getting to where, I think, he’s pretty comfortable being vocal.”
Liberty also brought in JUCO transfers Juawan Treadwell and Marcus Haskins who have both settled in at safety. Both have impressive resumes coming in, as Treadwell is the younger brother of NFL star receiver Laquon Treadwell, and Haskins has been named an all-american at both the Division II and JUCO levels.
“The thing that both of those guys bring to the table is the athleticism,” said Batoon of his two JUCO transfers. “They’re both combo type players. They did a good job evaluating through the evaluation process and those guys are as billed right now.”
True freshman Jerome Jolly joined the program for spring ball and immediately showed his ability. He is likely to find playing time this season, and he could play either as a safety or be moved to linebacker to help the Flames fill in some holes.
Two other true freshmen are expected to play in the secondary as well, as corners Quinton Reese and Deon Biggins have showcased their ability early in their collegiate careers.
“Deon and Q are guys that come in and they press the pedal right away,” said Liberty CB coach Rickey Hunley. “They look completely different, as far as their length, and then their athleticism puts them in a position where they’re going to challenge, not just in our room, but from a defensive standpoint.”
*photo courtesy Liberty Athletics
