2027 Woodruff RB Aiden Gibson had another solid game last Friday night with 115 yards rushing on 14 carries during the loss to Wren. Unfortunately, Gibson strained his hamstring and will miss this week’s game at Broome. The off week follows, so he hopes to be back in action the following Friday against Mountain View Prep.
The hamstring injury didn’t prevent Gibson from hitting the road Saturday for a trip to Raleigh to watch NC State. Even though the Wolfpack was stunned at home by Virginia Tech, that didn’t take away from the enjoyment Gibson got out of the visit.
“I absolutely loved it when I was down there,” Gibson said. “The energy of the team. How they treated me when I was down there. All the love that they showed me and my family as I was down there. The way they coach their kids after a bad play. All my visits, I’m looking for how the coaches coach the players to see if that’s something that I want to have in my top eight when I drop my schools. I had a lot of fun when I was down there, and I’m looking forward to going back.”
Gibson said the Wolfpack coaches, led by running backs coach Todd Goebbel, love his size and his ability to play outside of the backfield.
“I’m a big back for them,” Gibson said. “A lot of schools that have offered me are going to get that from me. I’m a big back. I’m an all-around back. Coach Goebbel and the other coaches, they love that about me, that I can catch out of the backfield, I can go to receiver out of empty, I can do everything. That’s what they are really focused on me about, that I’m an all-around player.”
Gibson has seen USC play twice this season, once in Atlanta and once in Columbia. He is planning to return for either the Oklahoma or Alabama game. Gamecock head coach Shane Beamer and running backs coach Marquel Blackwell have targeted Gibson as a back they want for the 2027 class, and he’s hearing from the staff a lot.
“I talked to them earlier today (Monday). They were calling to check up on me,” Gibson said. “Zach Propp, Coach Blackwell, Coach Beamer. We had a big FaceTime call last week like we usually do, with me and the whole coaching staff. They talk to me probably three or four times out of a week.”
Gibson considers the Gamecocks one of his top schools right now, and it’s partially due to the way the coaches work with their players.
“Just the love that they show everybody on the field and off the field, and I like that overall,” Gibson said. “They know that I’m a big back, and that’s what they like about me. I’m also an in-state guy. They like that I can do everything, like get out of the backfield, go into empty and catch some balls at receiver, catch some swing passes. I’m just an all-around back. They’re pushing hard for me and they are one of my top schools as of right now.”
Gibson will be back on he road this weekend, heading to Tallahassee for the Florida State-Miami game. He plans to visit Appalachian State on October 11th. He also plans to visit Rutgers, Maryland and Virginia Tech later in the season.
Though he doesn’t have a favorites list at this point, Gibson said he plans to drop a list of 8-10 top schools around the end of his season, which he hopes is not until the state championship week in December.
So far this season, Gibson has rushed for 709 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also has 18 catches for 312 yards and 3 touchdowns.