’26 RB from Breathitt a ‘one-cutter’
This is a kid we would call a ‘one-cutter.’ What we mean by that is he breaks immediately into the second level and makes his cut and bull-dozes ahead full steam. We love RB’s who run like Gibson. Gibson is a north/south guy, not an east/west player. Hell, we love Gibson. There is no telling how well this kid will do in ’23 behind a Big Blue Wave (Breathitt’s offensive front) returning virtually intact.
HB Lyon, Scouting Divison, KPGFootball
Do you remember the days when KPGFootball published underclassmen All-State football teams? It was a ton of work and we had to convene a selection committee to do it (and find a sponsor), but we sure had some good times and we were proven rarely wrong.
If we were to pick up a sponsor in ’23 for a freshman and sophomore team, I could see us putting the gang together and riding once more. Without a sponsor, we are afraid we will fall prey to the powerful, yet alluring constructs of capitalism. Oh well…
We bring that up because it would have been difficult to imagine our doing a freshman All-State team in ’22 which didn’t include Jayden Gibson in the offensive backfield. Allow us to make our case.
Gibson (5’10,” 200-pounds) is quite a specimen particularly for a freshman. He bench presses 260-pounds, squats 350, power cleans 225, and runs the 40-in an estimated 4.8-seconds, according to scouts we maintain in an around the mountains.
Breathitt will test 40’s and shuttles later on in the summer. We will provide those numbers at a later date.
Gibson had one whale of a freshman year. He gained close to 800-yards (770), scored 8-TD’s, and averaged 6.1-yards per carry. He carried the football 127-times, caught a few passes, was third in scoring, and even logged a few tackles on defense.
Jayden wasn’t your typical freshman in ’22
Kyle Moore, AD and HFC Breathitt High
We were able to talk with Breathitt’s head football coach, Kyle Moore, about Gibson. He told KPGFootball, “Like a lot of his classmates, Jayden wasn’t your typical freshman in ’22. He has embraced our offseason process and has seen outstanding gains. His vision is as good as any back I’ve seen. He’s made for running the zone.”
Breathitt was 9-3 a year ago and lost the Regional Final at Lloyd Memorial (Erlanger, KY) by six points. Do yourself a favor, don’t get Breathitt fans discussing the “phantom TD” the Juggernauts were permitted owing to a completely blown call.
Now remember when Kyle Moore says Gibson has vision, “as good as any back [he’s] seen,” Coach Moore has coached some explosive running backs including Charles Andrew “Geeny” Collins now playing at Campbellsville and who was a “Mr. Football” candidate just a few years ago.
[Gibson’s] vision is as good as any back I’ve seen
Kyle Moore
Just wanted to throw out the fact Coach Moore has seen a back or two through the years. This, of course, makes his assessment of Gibson even more poignant.
We are big fans of Jayden Gibson around the magazine too. He is a slightly shorter, but just as thick of a version of Hopkins County Central’s Calil McNary. Comparing the two, McNary as a freshman gained 41-yards on 22-carries with 2-TD’s. Last year as a junior, McNary gained over 1,200-yards and scored 15-TD’s rushing.
Should Gibson develop along a similar arc, look out!
This is Fletcher W. Long, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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