Torrance Gibson became a Buckeye on Monday afternoon during his U.S. Army All-American Bowl jersey presentation at American Heritage High School in Broward County, Florida. His decision to attend Ohio State went public three months shy of national signing day, providing the potential for more twists and turns in a recruitment process that's already veered away from its expected path plenty of times.
The 6'4", 200-pound prospect with a million-dollar smile has spent past months tantalizing a collection of college fanbases. Gibson, one of the most actively engaged high school football stars you'll find on Twitter, acquired admirers from Rocky Top to Death Valley during a vast tour of campuses and kept them guessing on social media with constant hints about his feelings toward teams.
His scholarship offer list featured many of America's premier college programs even before he led American Heritage to a state title in 2013. Gibson partnered with running back Sony Michel—now a freshman at Georgia—last season to create a feared backfield tandem.
Gibson rushed for 1,063 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior while throwing for another 1,789 yards and 18 scores. A three-touchdown performance in the state championship game solidified his spot among the nation's most coveted dual-threat quarterbacks.
Offers from the likes of Florida, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Auburn arrived soon after the season, setting the stage for an epic spring break itinerary. In an effort to expand his recruiting horizons, Gibson made plans to spend time at six schools during a seven-day stretch in March.
While racking up the miles, he provided open access that allowed social media followers to observe his adventures.
The journey started in Norman, Oklahoma, where the Sooners showcased past and present success during a sales pitch:
The next detour took him to another eventual finalist in Baton Rouge. Gibson conversed with LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron at the first of several SEC stops:
Reigning conference champion Auburn welcomed Gibson a day later. The visit was highlighted by a personal encounter with 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, a dual-threat quarterback who thrived throughout his lone season in head coach Gus Malzahn's offensive attack.
"People tell me I play like Cam Newton, so why not sit down and talk to him about how he's the best, why he's the best? That's what I did," Gibson told Justin Hokanson of Rivals.com (subscription required). "He told me Gus is a great guy and I'd fit great within the offense."
A visit to Clemson followed, and then Gibson moved on to Tennessee, a university he once appeared primed to attend:
Gibson raved about his trip to Knoxville, particularly when it came to describing the level of excitement shown by Volunteers fans:
That group would eventually make up a strong contingent of his followers on Twitter, providing overwhelmingly positive reinforcement for the young quarterback until things eventually began to unravel between him and Tennessee.
Gibson wrapped up the long and winding road trip with a stop at Florida before heading home:
Less than six weeks later, his recruitment accelerated.
He utilized Twitter again, unveiling a list of his top 15 college choices. Expansive announcements like this have become relatively common in recruiting thanks to social media, but his came with a twist.
Gibson presented the schools ordered by his level of interest, with Tennessee on top and Nebraska rounding things off.
Gibson cut the list in half by the end of May, but staying true to form, he provided another dramatic element. Dubbing it his "final" top seven, Gibson declared Tennessee and Auburn as co-leaders and followed the announcement with trips to both schools.
This is also the period when Gibson began developing his national blog with USA Today, attempting to draw in even more college football fans who wanted to stay up to the minute with where the playmaker might be headed.
He used the broadened stage to share news that Tennessee officially gained an edge over Auburn after his return trip to Knoxville. Naturally, Volunteer Nation took notice:
As senior season training camp neared, Tennessee settled into the driver's seat of his recruitment.
Head coach Butch Jones spent recent recruiting cycles keeping top in-state players home and plucking talent from elsewhere to establish a strong foundation for the future, and a potential star like Gibson offered an intriguing set of new possibilities.
However, Ohio State spoiled the party in Tennessee by creeping back into the picture and eventually lined up a July visit from Gibson. He confirmed the development on his national blog, giving Tennessee faithful a reason to feel fret.
Tennessee is my leader, but I'm headed to Ohio State tomorrow for the Friday Night Lights Camp. I don't know what'll happen after that as far as who will be in the lead. Just gotta see what happens when I get there. I don't know if there's anything that they can do really; I already really like Ohio State, I think it's just a feeling that I'll get. We'll see.
The Volunteers' worst fears quickly became a reality, as Ohio State unseated Tennessee atop Gibson's list upon his return:
Soon, Gibson was sporting Ohio State-themed cleats on high school fields in Florida, creating the impression that a silent commitment with Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer was possibly already in place:
Auburn and Tennessee—once viewed as the top two contenders in a frenzied pursuit—swiftly fell off the pace. It remains a mystery whether Gibson or those programs had more to do with creating distance, but their flirtation effectively ended.
In late August, he told Bleacher Report's KynonCodrington that Arizona and Oklahoma joined Ohio State in his top three. Still, Gibson adamantly identified the Buckeyes as a heavy favorite.
"Ohio State is my clear leader," he told Codrington. "I like the offense they run; I really like everything. I know it's cold, but it's cold in the NFL, too. The most important thing is they want me at quarterback, not athlete."
His final point has been a topic of conversation throughout the recruiting cycle.
Many recruiting analysts have outwardly questioned Gibson's ability to develop into a reliable passer at the next level, believing his athleticism would be best served at wide receiver. Recruiting industry leaders like 247Sports and ESPN list him as an "athlete" instead of a quarterback, drawing frustration from the Sunshine State standout:
Gibson lamented that lack of faith this summer during our conversation at The Opening, an invite-only football showcase held in Oregon at Nike's world headquarters.
"I view myself as a quarterback, and right now, I'm only considering teams who look at me the same way," he told me. "That's just the way it is."
Gibson dealt with doubts in Oregon, where he was listed as a wide receiver on rosters and wasn't initially included among Elite 11 finalists. His persistence to play the position resulted in acceptance into Elite 11 action, and he took snaps at quarterback during The Opening while also running routes at receiver:
He remains a work in progress entering the last stretch of his final high school season. Through nine games as a senior, Gibson has completed 46 percent of his pass attempts for 1,236 yards, 12 touchdowns and just one interception, per MaxPreps.
Regardless of where he ultimately lines up three or four years from now, it's clear his first shot will come behind center. He is set to join fellow Ohio State quarterback commit Joe Burrow on campus next year, representing Gibson's first test toward potential playing time at the position.
Burrow, who has thrown for nearly 2,900 yards and 42 scores in 10 games this season, per MaxPreps, provides legitimate immediate competition. Either player could eventually step up to orchestrate an offense that has produced multiple Heisman Trophy contenders and first-round NFL draft picks, but not before Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett take their turns in the spotlight.
Gibson will aim to answer plenty of questions when he arrives on campus. If his journey ahead is anything like the process that brought him to this point, prepare for fireworks.
Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report national recruiting columnist Tyler Donohue unless otherwise noted.
Recruit ratings and stats courtesy of 247Sports.
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