Jerrick Gibson: The Modern Running Back

Running back Jerrick Gibson has all the tools to become a three-down back. Tennessee is heavily interested in making him a Volunteer, and Gibson seems to reciprocate that.

Tennessee's explosive passing offense forces defenses to cover that entire field vertically and horizontally. However, you need a running game to sustain that, as defenses could vacate the middle of the field without a strong ground attack.

The Volunteers do an excellent job of scheming runners into their offense. Running back Jaylen Wright found a lot of success in his second season with the program, becoming the home-run hitter they needed.

The coaching staff is zeroing in on a 2024 target who matches that style. Running back Jerrick Gibson is the consensus top back in the country, and most major programs are in on him. Tennessee is in the mix, but what is driving everyone to Gibson?

Fluid Running Style

Dominant backs in high school win with traits and are often stonewalled when they arrive in college. You must develop habits and a style that repeatedly works, and Gibson has one at a young age.

He displays excellent leg drive, exerting his knee over his toes to maximize the forward momentum. Gibson keeps his eyes up and knows how to leverage his body against tacklers.

The most impressive thing watching Gibson is his body control. He comes in at 5-10 and 200 lbs., a large stature for a high school junior. Gibson remains in control and never overextends himself, balancing himself down the field.

One-Cut Style

The best backs find ways to create yardage even when a pileup starts at the line of scrimmage. Gibson separates himself when he must quickly get his eyes between gaps and make decisions in tight windows.

When he decides where to attack, Gibson can stick his foot in the ground and promptly cut. There isn't any wasted movement, and he can get skinny in windows while performing his cut.

Some backs are susceptible to big hits when cutting, but Gibson remains alert and keeps a firm grip on the football. Once he finds open space, he's tough to bring down, and Gibson's cuts ruin most tackling angles.

Contact Balance

The ultimate mark of an elite back is how consistently they make the first defender miss. It doesn't matter how they get by, but the result has to be yardage over expectation.

Gibson makes his living fighting through contact. He doesn't necessarily shoulder through defenders, though he has the frame to do so if he must.

Instead, Gibson absorbs the contact and works off it, using it as a propellor. He can quickly reset and reach top gear and adjusts his move out of the contact depending on if the tackler went high or low.

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