Star Defensive Back Kaleb Beasley Looks to Make a Mark on Offense for Lipscomb Academy
Lipscomb Academy is gearing up for their upcoming season opener against IMG Academy, and they aren’t giving away any secrets during their scrimmages. In their recent scrimmage against Pearl-Cohn, the Mustangs focused on their base defense and kept their offensive playbook pared down. The result? A decisive 12-0 victory for Lipscomb Academy.
One player who is excited to make a splash on offense this season is Kaleb Beasley. A committed Tennessee recruit and star defensive back for the Mustangs, Beasley hasn’t played on the offensive side of the ball since his middle school days. However, he fondly remembers his time wreaking havoc on opposing defenses back then. I was scoring all over the place in middle school. It was a lot of fun, so I’m looking forward to getting in the end zone on offense, Beasley shared after a strong performance in the scrimmage, which included a couple of tackles and an interception.
During the scrimmage, Beasley didn’t get a chance to take any offensive snaps. However, he expects to see playing time as a wide receiver this season, providing Lipscomb Academy with an additional weapon on offense. While Beasley has primarily been a defender throughout his high school career, he did get a few snaps on offense in last year’s state title game. He jokingly remarked, I never got the ball, though. They ran some plays to the other side of the field.
Beasley, ranked as the top college prospect in Tennessee for the 2024 class, had an outstanding season in 2022 with six defensive touchdowns and nine interceptions. Now, he envisions a scenario in which he surpasses 1,000 receiving yards and scores a combined total of 30 touchdowns on offense and defense. That would be big time, he expressed. I don’t know how much I’ll play on offense, but I’m trying to do the most when I’m out there. I want to be great at all facets of my game.
Edwin Spillman, a fellow Tennessee commit and standout linebacker for the Mustangs, also hopes to see some action on offense. Despite never playing as a running back at Lipscomb Academy, Spillman has been in talks with the coaches about potentially taking a few snaps at that position in the upcoming season. The 6-foot-1, 216-pound linebacker committed to Tennessee over Ohio State last week. Last season, he recorded 129 tackles, including 14.5 tackles for loss, showcasing his defensive prowess. In the recent scrimmage against Pearl-Cohn, Spillman made two tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Regarding his desire to contribute on offense, he said, My role is linebacker, so that’s my focus, but I’ll be ready if they need me at running back.
As the Mustangs prepare for their highly anticipated season opener against IMG Academy, they reflect on their successful scrimmage against Pearl-Cohn. While there were many positive moments, the team also identified areas for improvement. Spillman acknowledged, It was a good night for us, and we made some good plays. But we also had some mistakes that we have to fix before we face IMG Academy.
Overall, the Lipscomb Academy football team is poised to have another strong season, with star players like Kaleb Beasley and Edwin Spillman leading the way. The willingness of these defensive standouts to contribute on offense shows the dedication and versatility of the team. As they fine-tune their game plan, the Mustangs aim to maintain their status as two-time defending Division II-AA state champions and continue their winning ways on both sides of the ball.
