Per 24/7 Sports and American Heritage High School confirmed that Virginia Tech has offered a scholarship to five star quarterback recruit Torrance Gibson.
#VirginiaTech offers 5-star QB Torrance Gibson. (FREE) http://t.co/N77JpOmU11 @VTScoop247 @EvanGWatkins247 @jcshurburtt @quick_tg6 #Hokies— RyanBartow247 (@RyanBartow) January 28, 2014
New Offers: Isaiah McKenzie - South Carolina. Torrance Gibson - Virginia Tech. Tarvarus McFadden - Auburn #Gamecocks #Hookies #Tigers— American Heritage (@AH__Athletics) January 29, 2014
Gibson, a 6'4 200 pound lefty from American Heritage High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL, has offers from most of the powerhouse schools in the Southeast, including Miami, Florida, LSU, Alabama, and also Ohio State and Notre Dame. Gibson excels running the read option and has terrific speed and elusiveness when he gets into the secondary. He has a slow, elongated throwing motion similar to that of Tyrod Taylor as a young player. He has a very strong arm (note his 45+ yard throw on the room running to his right despite being left handed at the 2:21 mark.)
His high school offense has all the elements of the scheme that Loeffler used this past season. It features read option and inverted veer from shotgun, pistol, and jet sweep looks. He looks pretty comfortable under the center, and the video includes bootlegs (indicating that they must use some zone stretch base running plays to set up the bootleg.)
More video can be watched at Gibson's Hudl website: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/642539/highlights/120093376
Comments
Interested in the developments lately. This is the second top-rated 2015 QB we've offered this week I believe. I realize there's no such thing as too much talent at one position, but we already have at least 4 quarterbacks that will be on scholarship next season. What does this new move signify?
In my mind, that we want to make sure that what happened at WR and RB never happens at QB.
Or to ensure that what happened at QB never happens at QB again?
You get a turkey leg and heavy sigh. Hard to do , but very true statement.
It demonstrates that Loeffler doesn't mess around, and that he's not going to sit around and assume Ford / Durkin / Hodges / Motley are going to be the answer for the next 3-4 years when he hasn't seen any of them on the field (esp Ford & Durkin).
In the past I think we'd ignore this kind of prospect, because "c'mon we probably won't land him" but with the new recruiting strategy and the philosophies of the new coaches, we're making the effort to show serious interest. Can't land a fish if you don't throw your lure in the water after all.
Loeffler is bringing the approach that most top programs employ, and that is to identify talent that can work within and potentially augment your system, regardless of present depth. Injuries happen. Players leave early for the pros. Heck, some have run-ins with the law or fail to meet academic standards. Coaches cannot take anything for granted and need to constantly look to improve the roster in the short and long term. Until these kids step on the field, they are nothing more than "prospects" - unproven commodities that have star rankings attached to their names since high school, evaluated nationally by a bunch of guys who are seldom qualified to properly evaluate talent.
In 2006, USC chose not to pursue a QB in their recruiting class in hopes of convincing Jimmy Clausen (the far-and-away consensus top QB talent in the 2007 class) that he should stay home and become a Trojan. Now, history has shown us that Clausen's decision to shirk USC and head to South Bend had little impact on the Trojans at the QB position (though it did force Matt Barkley into the starting job as a T-Fr), but it was a huge gamble that could have come back to haunt them.
I like the fact that Lefty & Co. are not resting on their laurels and continue to seek out top talent that can make VT a perennial power. Take nothing for granted.
Both DBU and Philly's comments do this:
NAILED IT!
I'm interested in what exactly Lefty is looking for in QBs. Chazz had a good point about the ridiculousness of recruiting labeling as either Pro or Dual-Threat.
Nonetheless, we have Ford and Durkin coming in that are quite different in style of play. And seems we are pursuing both "Pro" and "Dual" in 2015 as well.
Does Lefty want one particular type? or he feels any gifted QB is good for his system?
He is doing something we may not be used to around here:
Get the best damn players you can on the field and then adjust your system to exploit their talents.
That is how you win big.
Lefties, it seems.
I can't explain Durkin either, given that.
Offer Isaiah Mckenzie right now and tell him his first job is to make this kid a Hokie. Absolute beast!
At this point, it seems rather unlikely that we'll land him, but you never know. This kid reminds me a bit of LT3 (minus the abuse, of course) in that he's got some mechanical issues (the throwing motion mentioned by French as well as some footwork problems he'll have to work on) but has scouts drooling based on his size, athleticism and arm strength. The only difference is that while Thomas has size and arm strength in the extreme, this kid has athleticism in the extreme. He's just making dudes look silly out there. His line also appears to be completely disinterested in preventing anyone from getting to their QB, good thing Gibson can run.
Side note: I'd take a good, long look at whoever #1 is on that team based solely on the fact that he always seems to be around the ball carrier offering a block 30+ yards downfield.
Is that Kevin Sherman's kid?
I just threw up in my mouth. Shoulder or no shoulder, that was disgraceful.
Agreed.
terrible, just terrible. I don't care what his "potential" was he should have been on the bench.
The good thing about that (and credit to TSL, blowing that story up in 2012 was one of the better things they ever did) is that it really opened the fanbase's eyes to just how awful the offensive coaching had become and made it so that there really was no choice for Beamer other than to clean house.
And Moorehead would lose his mind if he saw one of his players nowadays playing like that.
Looking at how critical some of those plays were drives me insane. We had a legit chance to win that game and to just piss away plays, especially at the goal line, is inexcusable.
I was a QB, I'm not going to block!
Watching that really is sickening!
To have the skills he had and his size, it was a shame he didn't AND would NOT block!
Sad part is got away with it! Sickening!
I think the NFL held him responsible.
#1 is 4-star RB Sony Michel, Class of 2014 - he signed with UGA.
If we get a group of QBs, the depth chart will materialize and then guys will transfer, change positions, or just get a free education and move on. We will take whatever top talent we can get especially for the QB position.
You can never have enough talent at the skill positions.
So we loaded up on 4* talent this year. Great. Time to dream bigger.
Hopefully he is looking to bring in a Chris Leak-Tim Tebow situation here. And by that I mean multiple titles.
So, TE? [sarcastica]
So, I know it's high school, but that 1st (or was it 2nd) play, where he started to run, but didn't cross the LOS, started running back around, then stopped and threw to wide open receivers (essentially every eligible receiver on his team) was ridiculous.
Any update on if we stand a chance with this guy? Looks like he will be a stud.
247 has us in the "cool" category while they have Tennessee and Ohio State in the "warmer" category and another 6 as "warm". Looks like it's not gonna happen, but it's nice to see the coaching staff going after top out of state talent.
The Isaiah Mckenzie situation is still leaving a bad taste in my mouth.