Really ever since Liberty made the move to the FBS ranks in 2018, the Flames have been having to find plug and play replacements at linebacker each and every year. Many times, it has been grad transfers that have served as a stop gap. The Flames’ coaching staff is hopeful that 2025 serves as the last in that line, as the team has several expected impact players with multiple years of eligibility remaining.
Still, this season will feature several new faces to the program on the field at linebacker as Liberty looks to find replacements after the departures of Jerome Jolly, Teylor Jackson, and Jahmar Brown. One constant is Joe Carter. Entering his fifth year in the program, Carter has developed into a team leader. He’s played in each of the 26 games over the past two seasons, starting most of them. He also led the team in tackles last year with 88 to go along with his five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Behind Carter there are question marks. Two incoming transfers in Micah Pollard and Deuce Spurlock, who joined the Flames prior to the spring, are expected to help fill some of the losses from last year’s linebacking corps. Both Pollard and Spurlock began their careers at Michigan where they were teammates in 2022 before Spurlock eventually transferred to Florida and now they are teammates once again at Liberty.
Pollard is a 6’3″, 200 pound linebacker who played in 30 career games over three seasons at Michigan, including two in 2024, finishing with 15 career tackles for the maize and blue. As a true freshman in 2022, Pollard appeared in 13 games on special teams for the Wolverines and four at linebacker, finishing with 8 tackles and twice being named Special Teams Freshman of the Game by Michigan. In 2023, Pollard played in all 15 Michigan games with 7 tackles while helping them to the CFP national championship. This past year, Pollard played in two games, against Fresno State and Texas, before being unavailable the rest of the season with an undisclosed injury. In addition to the national title, Pollard was part of a team with two Big Ten titles and two trips to the CFP, as well as three wins over Ohio State.
Spurlock, who Liberty recruited heavily out of high school even making his top five before committing to Michigan, spent the past two seasons at Florida. Originally from Madison, Alabama, Spurlock played in two games at Michigan in 2022 during his true freshman season, maintaining his redshirt before heading to Gainesville. He was named Freshman Defensive Player of the Game honors in his collegiate debut against Hawaii. In 2023, he played in three games for Florida, all on special teams. He did not play in 2024.
Ethan Crisp and Aidan Vaughan are two others who are expected to have a role for the Flames at linebacker. Crisp transferred to Liberty from Vanderbilt prior to the 2024 season. Last year at Liberty, he played in all 12 games and finished the year with seven tackles and three tackles for a loss. Vaughan came to Liberty from Wisconsin prior to the 2024 season, playing in 11 games last year with 16 tackles. Both Crisp and Vaughan are competing for a starting spot.
The Flames also welcome Appalachian State transfer Derrell Farrar. Farrar is a 6’1″, 225 pound linebacker originally from Loganville, Georgia. In two seasons at App State, Farrar totaled 52 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He entered the portal on April 16 and has two years of eligibility remaining. He will be expected to compete for playing time and potentially even a starting spot this fall.
Behind those five, Liberty has three redshirt-freshmen who will be fighting this summer and into training camp for playing time in Kaidon Whidby, Seneca Moore, and Dillano Glaud.
Previous Roster Reviews:
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Offensive Line
