As we get closer to the start of another college football season (“Woohoo!” -- Homer Simpson), Willie Taggart‘s offensive line crew at USF has received some somewhat unexpected, albeit very positive news.
Multiple media outlets reported late this past week that Reilly Gibbons has been granted immediate eligibility and can play for the Bulls in 2015. The Tampa Bay Times writes that the decision from the NCAA “concluded a lengthy series of appeals for the” offensive lineman.
Gibbons transferred from Stanford to USF in October of 2014.
“He was elated and so excited when Coach Taggart called him,” the player’s father, Shannon Gibbons, told the Times. “It’s a blessing, it really is. It’s great for Reilly and the whole family.”
Gibbons signed with the Cardinal in February of last year and was a part of the team at summer camp, although he didn’t participate because of an undisclosed lower-body injury. In early October, head coach David Shaw stated the player was a couple of weeks away from practicing with the team; less than two weeks later, Gibbons’ transfer to USF was announced.
Prior to signing with Stanford, he had originally verbally committed to play his college football at Miami.
A four-star member of Stanford’s 2014 recruiting class, Gibbons was rated as the No. 19 tackle in the country by Rivals.com and the No. 34 player at any position in the state of Florida. The fact that he attended a pair of summer classes at Stanford prior to his transfer led to the need for an appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility; if he hadn’t attended classes at his former school, there would’ve been no need for an appeal.
(Photo credit: USF athletics)