The long-awaited college football debut of former five-star recruit Torrance Gibson could be pushed back yet another season.
In an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer, new University of Cincinnati football coach and former Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell spoke about life in the Queen City, establishing a recruiting base and getting his family settled. He also said that ex-Buckeye Gibson's status with his program is "undetermined," though the quarterback is enrolled in summer classes.
Gibson transferred to Cincinnati after spending the spring at Cincinnati State in an attempt to get his Associate's Degree so he could be eligible to play quarterback this fall for the Bearcats. Cincinnati opens the 2017 season at home against Austin Peay on Aug. 31, then travels to Michigan on Sept. 9.
According to Fickell, Gibson looks in line for a redshirt season in 2017, the second in his college career. Fickell, however, sees a lot of former Ohio State star quarterback and current Washington Redskins wide receiver Terrelle Pryor in Gibson.
From cincinnati.com:
Q: What is the status of Torrance Gibson? (NOTE: Ohio State transfer Gibson, a former five-star recruit, was a high school quarterback who was moved to wide receiver at OSU. After redshirting in 2015 and serving a university-issued suspension in 2016, Gibson transferred to UC and will be tried at quarterback. Gibson was taking classes at Cincinnati State in hopes of joining UC for the 2017 season, but it appears he will not play until 2018).
A: He enrolled here at UC on May 8 (for summer classes). At Cincinnati State, he wasn’t going to get his associate’s degree there because he needs about 30 (credit) hours. His status is undetermined, but he is in good academic standing here. it’s likely he will redshirt this year, but it’s a little bit of a gray area. It’s not black and white.
Q: Assuming he redshirts this year, how much eligibility will he have left?
A: He would have two years to play (2018 and 2019). He can work out with the team this year.
Q: What kind of quarterback will he be?
A: He’s by nature a better runner but he has a really good arm. Big kid (6-foot-5, 220 pounds), big hands. I’d compare him a lot to Terrelle Pryor. He’s thinner but more athletic, and he’s faster than Terrelle.
Gibson redshirted in 2015 after signing with the Buckeyes that February. He started at quarterback but moved to wide receiver in the hope of getting on the field last fall but the University suspended him for Autumn Semester for an off-field incident. Urban Meyer didn't agree with the suspension and never had any indication Gibson would leave Ohio State.
But Gibson signed a Letter of Intent with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in December and eventually opted to transfer to Cincinnati in the hope of a fresh start.
“These last few months have been crazy for me and my family, but the craziness is finally over,” he wrote then on his Twitter account. "Time to start my next chapter at the University of Cincinnati! BEARCATS!”
It appears that next chapter has a few more pages to it before Gibson actually suits up for Fickell's Bearcats on Saturday afternoons.
H/T @LoriSchmidt
