Zach Gibson knows he has his work cut out for him.
By Drew Wilson
This article is reprinted online with permission from the Danville Register and Bee. “Former GW football standout hopes to get exposure at Hargrave” first appeared August 24, 2008 in the Register and Bee. Drew Wilson is a Register and Bee sports editor.
Chatham — With 10 other linebackers listed on the roster, Zach Gibson knows he has his work cut out for him. But the former George Washington High School standout thinks he’ll make the most of his opportunity on Hargrave Military Academy’s post-graduate football team this season.
Hargrave has established a national reputation for pairing more than 30 of its football players with Division I universities each year. Gibson hopes to be in the next batch.
“This is pretty much like a high school All-American team,” Gibson said. “There are so many great players on it and I’m just happy to be a part of this team. Hopefully it will take me to where I want to be at the next level.”
Gibson, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker, made 68 solo tackles and assisted on 51 others during his senior season at GW. He also had four sacks and a fumble recovery. His play earned him first-team all-district and all-region honors, and Gibson was a first-team linebacker on the Register & Bee’s All-Metro team.
“I thought he was very competitive,” said Hargrave football coach Robert Prunty, who saw Gibson play in high school. “You could tell he’s one of those guys who practices hard and works hard.”
Gibson plans to do the same at Hargrave.
“There’s quite a few linebackers,” Gibson said. “I think everybody is going to get time. I don’t know how his depth chart will work, but it’s going to be a little fight there — which is always a good thing.”
The Ringgold native’s main reason for going to Hargrave is to catch the eyes of a Division I coach somewhere.
“(I wanted) to get more exposure and more looks from more colleges, and this is place to do that,” he said.
“It’s all about getting on film and making plays on tape.”
And Gibson has his goals set high.
“I’d love to play in the ACC next year,” he said. “If I play like I should, then I hope that will happen.”
Gibson’s quickness and speed are two areas he hopes to improve. Prunty said the level of competition will help that.
“I think he’ll get better by competing against these young men here,” Prunty said. “I think it’s going to bring out the best in him. I think GW did a great job with him. Coach (Dan) Newell does a great job in Danville.”
Prunty has taken in a number of former GW players and groomed them for college. Among them are Virginia Tech defensive lineman Orion Martin, Virginia State defensive lineman Stanley Randolph and former Clemson offensive lineman Chris McDuffie.
