We continue our look at the Liberty position groups during training camp. Today, we look at the safeties. Be sure to check out any of the previous previews you have missed:
Linebackers
The Flames have some veterans that return at safety in Javon Scruggs, Juawan Treadwell, Quinton Reese, Juawan Treadwell, and Rocket Rahimi. Behind them, the unit is very young with three true freshmen and a transfer redshirt-freshman fighting for playing time. Though the depth is young, they are very talented and should allow safeties coach Jack Curtis to lean on his depth more than he was able to last year.
Frontrunners
FS 1 Javon Scruggs SR 5’11” 185
We all know what Scruggs provides. He is the leader of the team, the defense, and the safeties. He is the top returning tackler from a season ago when he racked up 61 tackles with six pass breakups in 12 games played. In his last year of eligibility, Scruggs is making sure the next generation of Liberty safeties is able to carry the torch forward.
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “He’s getting every rep he can, with the first group, of course. We’re not holding him out in any way. He’s the general out there, so smart, getting everybody lined up, kids lean on him a bunch. He’s doing a great job mentoring the young guys, coaching them on the field. He’s out there as much as he can be.”
SS 6 Rocket Rahimi JR 6’1″ 190
Rahimi got valuable reps last year in his first season with the Flames. He played primarily as Scruggs’ backup, seeing action in 13 games, finishing the year with 22 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and an interception. This year, he is looking to take a step forward and is currently listed as a starter. Coach Curtis expects him to be able to have a breakout year.
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “There’s a guy that came out of Junior College, spent one year at Junior College, and came in. There’s a learning curve that comes when you are in a new system or a new level. He played a pretty good bit last year, but he’s really put in the time to learn the system and has done quite well. He’s very, very talented. He’s got a high ceiling. He can get better. He’s very, very explosive. I think this can be a banner year for Rocket kind of a breakout year. He’s penciled in right now as a starter. He’s doing really well. He’s got some younger guys that are behind him. Real pleased with him, think he’s going to have an outstanding year for this team.”
NICKEL 16 Quinton Reese R-SO 6’0″ 190
Reese was growing into one of the best players on the defense last year before he suffered an injury, forcing him to miss the last half of the year. He is one of the most athletic and versatile players in the safety room, and he has forced his way into the starting lineup at nickel during camp. He also has the flexibility to serve as a backup at another safety position if injury forces that to happen and some of the younger safeties aren’t quite ready to step into that big of a role.
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “Just a wonderful person, a wonderful human being. He’s fabulous to coach. He’s smart. He gives his all every day. He can learn multiple positions, playing him at nickel, playing him at strong safety. I think he can play all three positions at safety. Actually, think he could play corner for us. When you’ve got that kind of player, who is a student of the game like he is and there’s depth that is provided as well. He may be the first team nickel, but if somebody goes down at the high safety, he can go back there and play that if your nickel is better than your backup high safety. I can’t say enough good things about Quentin Reese. I’m glad he’s healthy. He looks great out there. There’s no showing of his injury coming up in any way. We’re excited to see him work so hard. Talked to him over the summer to make sure he takes care of his body to make sure he is getting the rest and recovery that he needs. He is pushing to his limit every day. I almost have to hold him back some, really almost overworks his body.”
Competition
FS 13 Jaylon Jimmerson JR 5’10” 200
Jimmerson is currently serving as Scruggs’ backup at free safety. He played in 12 games last season, finishing with nine tackles and two TFLs on the year. Expect him to have a bigger impact in his second year with the program this season.
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “Both those guys (Treadwell and Jimmerson) are going to be able to play and give valuable reps. I think they will probably even more so see playing time this year than they did last year. Another year older, understanding of the game, continue to play.”
NICKEL 9 Juawan Treadwell SR 5’11” 200
Treadwell has played plenty of snaps in his first two years at Liberty. This year, he is currently working behind Reese at the nickel spot. If Reese plays at another safety spot at times, it allows Treadwell to see the field more.
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “Both those guys (Treadwell and Jimmerson) are going to be able to play and give valuable reps. I think they will probably even more so see playing time this year than they did last year. Another year older, understanding of the game, continue to play.”
NICKEL 12 Maurice Freeman, II R-FR 6’0″ 200
Behind those five safeties listed above, competition is fierce between four young players beginning with Freeman. Liberty recruited him hard out of the 757 in high school before he ending up signing with Indiana. He spent his freshman campaign with the Hoosiers, playing sparingly and mainly on special teams before transferring to Liberty prior to the spring. If he is able to learn the defense and have things slow down, he should be able to see the field plenty this fall.
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “Maurice came in, a transfer from Indiana. He’s a bigger and thicker kid. We were starting him off early at high safety, we’ve moved him down to the nickel position. He’s a big body that packs a punch when he tackles you. He brings a lot of physicality in that room and a size that we haven’t had back there. He is another guy that, although he’s not a freshman, the learning curve is still there. He’s having to pick up as a freshman. He’s probably about where the freshmen are with his understanding of the game. With those guys right now, but getting him a lot of reps especially since we made the move. I think he’s got a lot better opportunities to play at that nickel spot than at the high safety. Glad he’s here, we needed him to provide a little bit of maybe some age into the group with the three freshmen coming in.”
S 15 Brylan Green FR 5’11” 170
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “Real smart football player. Been really, really impressed with he and A’Khori Jones, two of the freshmen that came in this summer. Brylan played for a great team in Louisiana at Lafayette Christian Academy, played a lot of football. Very, very impressed with him.”
S 29 A’Khori Jones FR 5’11” 185
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “A’Khori Jones was a quarterback in high school. Really, really smart player, has been able to pick things up and do what you ask of him.”
S 22 Jayden Sweeney FR 5’11” 175
Coach Curtis spoke very highly of all three true freshmen and thinks each of them have the opportunity to play this season. There is room for one of them to break into the two-deep behind Rahimi.
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “Sweeney is a guy that came in in the spring and got a spring under his belt which has been very valuable to him.”
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “The three safeties that we’ve signed and one transfer (Green, Jones, Sweeney, Freeman) we’ve added four guys to the room. When you do that, how well they can come in and contribute early is undetermined until you really get out there and start practicing. You see some things in the summer with the athletic ability, but I’ve been impressed with the high school players that we’ve signed and how well they have caught on to the system.”
Depth
S 31 Tim Coutras SO 6’1″ 205
Safeties Coach Jack Curtis – “Had the knee situation. He had a really good spring. After spring, had a little cleanup. He’s been released today. He will be back, hopefully full speed before too long. He was playing in a backup role last year. We will wait to see how he does when he comes back.”
