By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

           Shawn Gibbs hasn’t been a head coach before, or even a coordinator.

          But players do seem to get better under his eye in a coaching career that start at North Carolina A&T – after a stellar playing career – and continued at Grambling and North Carolina Central.

          Fort Valley State hopes for that and more from their newest head coach, introduced on a warm, sunny Thursday afternoon on campus at the Christine and Willie C. Jones Amphitheater.

          Gibbs thanked the coaches who had impacted his career: Bill Hayes, Rod Broadway, and Sam Washington.

          Washington coached Gibbs at North Carolina Central, and took over as head coach at N.C. A&T in 2018.

          “I met Coach Washington in 1993 as a freshman,” Gibbs said. “Back then, CW told me that he believed in me. Coach Washington believed in me as a coach, and he allowed me as an assistant to pursue this opportunity. He didn’t hold me back, gave me his blessing, gave me all the knowledge that he had.”

          Gibbs did his homework on his new job.

          “I understand I stand up here on the shoulders of giants, legendary coaches like Coach (Stan) Lomax, Coach (Doug) Porter,” he said. “Legendary players like NFL Hall of Famer Rayfield Wright, Greg Lloyd, Tyrone Poole - who I had a chance to eat lunch with - Ricardo Lockette, Marquette King, Derrick Wimbush, just to name a few.

          “I know that the expectations from Wildcat Nation are high. … I want you to know that my expectations are high.”

          His message to the players was concise.

2021 Central Georgians on FVSU’s roster

5 LB Tim Alderman, Peach County, Fr.
9 QB Victor Dixon, Westside, Fr.
11 TE Jhi-Marre Brown, Perry, Sr.
16 DB Delvin Webb, Dooly County, Sr.
18 WR Brenden Anderson, Westside, So.
20 DB R.J. Howell, Peach County, Fr.
20 RB Undre Williams, Jones County, Sr.
21 RB Dearrius Oliver, Rutland, Jr.
22 DB Dieuseul St-Cyr, Westside, Jr.
24 WR Jaren Lawson, Westside, Jr.
27 DB Ethan Manns, Peach County, Jr.
30 RB Deandre McKenzie, Northside, Fr.
31 WR Jonathan Williams, Perry, Fr.
34 RB Tyler Williams, Houston Couty, Fr.
43 DB Cameron Stewart, Houston County, Fr.
44 DL Zaquan Baldwin, Southwest, Jr.
52 DL Nathaniel Freeney, Twiggs County, Jr.
53 DL Josh Burney, Jones County, Fr.
55 DL Stacy Ivey Jr., Southwest, Jr.
55 OL Roderick Smith, Northeast, Fr.
58 DL DJ Wilson, Veterans, Fr.
62 DL Bryce McGuire, Peach County, Fr.
69 DL Rodrick Thompson, Peach County, Sr.
71 OL Emanuel Boone, Westside, Jr.
82 TE De'Andre King, Warner Robins, Fr.
90 DL B.J. Sharpe, Southwest, Jr.
99 DL Caleb Thomas, Warner Robins, So.

          “The standard is the standard,” he said. “How you do anything is how you do everything. The standard you will be held to academically, in the classroom, will be the same standard you’ll be held to on the football field.

          “That’s the standard of excellence.”

          Most of Gibbs’ coaching career has been on the FCS level, with a stint from 2003-6 at Division II North Carolina Central. And running backs have thrived everywhere he’s been.

          FVSU went barely a month without a head coach.

          Maurice Flowers resigned after one full and a partial season last month to take over at Johnson C. Smith, his alma mater. Flowers was Fort Valley State’s sixth head coach since 2000, following Kent Schoolfield (1997-2002), John Morgan (2003-2005), Deondre Clark , (2006-08), Donald Pittman (2009-16), Kevin Porter (2017-2019).

          Schoolfield, Morgan, Pittman, and Porter were all fired, and Clark asked to be reassigned.

          Five FVSU underclassmen earned All-SIAC honors last fall, including Southwest grad Zaquan Baldwin.The program has added nearly 40 players between signing day and mid-term transfers.

          And Central Georgians will play a role in Gibbs’ start. The Wildcats signed Keyundre Whisby of Rutland, Kyree Brown and Landon Austin of Macon County, Christian Edwards, and Northeast products Roderick Hill, Tyler Terry, Donnie Brown Jr., and Jaylon Stephens.

          Mid-term pickups included Peach County’s Justin Harris, by way of Georgia Southern. Central Georgians were all over the 2021 roster.

          Gibbs still holds the N.C. Central rushing mark. He started his coaching career at N.C. A&T in 2002 with tight ends, then returned to his alma mater to coach running backs.

          N.C. Central won consecutive CIAA titles in 2005-6, and led the league in scoring offense, rushing offense, and total offense.

          He moved to Grambling in 2007 and boosted the Tigers’ run game.

          In his first year at Grambling, the Tigers produced the SWAC freshman of the year in Frank Warren, who teamed with Cornelius Walker to run for 1,466 yards and 10 scores. Grambling had an FCS top-15 rush attack two years later.

          Gibbs returned to North Carolina to join the A&T staff as running backs coach and assistant head coach in 2011.

          Only one year with Gibbs on hand did an A&T running back fail to get 1,000 yards. Mike Mayhew was the MEAC offensive player of the year, and Tarik Cohen won that honor three times after being named the conference freshman of the year.

          Cohen, after earning All-American honors as well as the Deacon Jones Award, was drafted by Chicago in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft.

          A&T won five MEAC titles and four Celebration Bowl trophies while Gibbs was there, his duties also including recruiting coordinator and special teams work.

          Watch the introduction ceremony – which included FVSU legend Tyrone Poole - here.