DALTON, Ga. — Jahmyr Gibbs did everything he was supposed to do Wednesday. On National Signing Day, the four-star running back from Dalton High School took to the stage of his school’s theater. In front of him were a couple of hundred individuals who came out to support him and a few of his teammates as they made their own signing-day decisions.
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Gibbs had the hats set out on the table in front of him, and when it came time for him to reveal his long-awaited decision as to where he would go to college, he left the Florida and LSU hats sitting on the table, choosing the Georgia Tech hat and placing it on his head.
Gibbs then followed the protocol top signees have on signing day. He received hugs and handshakes from teammates, friends and family. He posed for numerous pictures and took each “Congrats, Jahmyr” with a nod of acknowledgment. He let a mass of cameras and microphones move toward him to capture what he had to say about his decision. He answered each question thrown his way with quick and efficient responses.
When all of that was said and done, Gibbs stood up and walked over to the stairs leading off the stage and transformed from Jahmyr Gibbs, the four-star running back ranked as the fifth-best player in Georgia, to Jahmyr Gibbs, the young man with a quiet disposition who just happens to be good at football.
The whirlwind of recruiting is something Gibbs could do without. While many top recruits eat up their time in front of cameras, Gibbs didn’t. While many top recruits go to social media and watch their engagement grow with each cryptic post, Gibbs didn’t. In fact, he barely posted anything on Twitter or Instagram throughout his recruitment. That’s just not who Gibbs is, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that Gibbs walked off the stage, took the white Georgia Tech hat off his head, replaced it with his hood, grabbed his backpack and walked out of the auditorium with a small group of friends.
As he made that transformation, few would suspect the young man with the unsuspecting hood and backpack walking out of the Dalton auditorium was the source of intense fights among some of the best coaches in the country. But according to those who know him best, it was never about the fight for Gibbs. Instead, it was about the relationship the schools could build with him.
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Georgia Tech, and specifically running backs coach Tashard Choice, understood that. That relationship between Choice and Gibbs was the ultimate factor in Georgia Tech landing Gibbs just one year after signing another four-star running back, Jamious Griffin. Gibbs was asked what was the deciding factor in his decision, which he said came down to Georgia Tech and Florida. Without hesitation, he answered, “Coach Choice.”
Dalton head coach Matt Land said the bond Choice and Gibbs shared was established early on and pivotal.
“I think their ability to be relational really created a very difficult dynamic for any coach to come in and change,” Land said.
Land explained that he saw some of the best coaches and best recruiters sit down with Gibbs, but Choice pursued Gibbs before he burst on the recruiting scene. Gibbs said just moments before that Choice pursued him before he ever got the high recruiting ranking he wanted.
“The relational base that Georgia Tech had built all the way back into the summer, back before he really blew up like he did, I think just formed the base of where he is today,” Land said.
When it comes to what catches Gibbs’ eye, it wasn’t going to be anything flashy, because he is not flashy. He likes his hood up and his head down.
A few weeks ago, Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins and Choice made their way to Dalton in the helicopter Collins uses to get around during peak recruiting season. That was all well and good, Land said, but it didn’t really matter to Gibbs. Land joked that the Collins and Choice could have driven up in a Jeep Cherokee CJ7, and Gibbs would have been just as content. What sold Gibbs wasn’t the helicopter, the swag gear or having his name shining on the brightest screen in the biggest stadium. It was the relationship he built with Choice. At his core, Land said, Gibbs is a relationship guy.
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The running back isn’t a man of many words. Notably, his longest response Wednesday came when he was asked about his bond with Choice.
“It’s his personality. It’s like no other,” Gibbs said. “He’s a great dude, and he really cares about everybody.”
Also not lost on Gibbs is the story Choice weaves as a prominent figure in Georgia Tech’s history: He’s one of the most decorated running backs to go through the program and transformed that college career into several seasons in the NFL before he returned to his alma mater to coach. When asked what type of mentor he expects Choice to be for him, Gibbs cracked a bit of a smile.
“He knows how to get there,” Gibbs said of Choice’s time in the NFL. “He can teach me the way.”
The fact that Gibbs decided to follow the path that Choice laid out for him is significant. The fact that Georgia Tech was able to sign a top-ranked running back like Gibbs is important. But in terms of what Collins is trying to do at Georgia Tech — which begins with getting players like Gibbs — a big part of that falls on the shoulders of his assistant coaches. In just two years in Atlanta, Choice has shown he can handle that responsibility.
Choice’s running backs group just got more talented, with Gibbs joining a room that already included Jordan Mason and Griffin, who was in Gibbs’ spot at this time last year. Ultimately, Gibbs’ decision can be traced to the relationship he built with Choice during this recruiting cycle — one that both expect to keep growing.
“He’s one of the best people I’ve ever met,” Gibbs said.
(Photo: Tori McElhaney / The Athletic)
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