There are no more secrets concerning University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff wide receiver JaVonnie Gibson, yet teams still can’t seem to stop him.
Gibson was named HBCU National Player of the Week by BOXTOROW Media and SWAC Newcomer of the Week on Monday.
The redshirt sophomore from Opelousas, La., caught a season-high nine passes for 183 yards and a touchdown last week against Prairie View A&M.
He made a crucial downfield catch late in the fourth quarter that helped UAPB (2-4, 1-1 SWAC) run clock in the 21-17 home victory. His 59-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter got UAPB on the board after the Golden Lions started the game down 8-0.
This is Gibson’s second straight SWAC Newcomer of the Week honor. Last week, he caught seven passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns in the SWAC opener at Alcorn State.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB coach Alonzo Hampton said defenses are doing what they can to slow Gibson down, but it hasn’t worked.
“They’re doubling him,” Hampton said. “They’re tripling him. It don’t really matter what you do to him. He’s a football player, and football players make plays. If you can see some of the stuff people are doing to him and then just watch him, he’s highly competitive.”
Gibson leads FCS with 758 receiving yards. He has caught 31 passes, six of them for touchdowns. The next-closest receiver in the nation is Abilene Christian junior Nehemiah Martinez with 704.
Among other HBCU receivers, South Carolina State sophomore Caden High, the MEAC leader, ranks 18th with 481 yards. The next-best SWAC receiver is Prairie View senior Shemar Savage with 397 yards, which ranks 41st nationally.
Gibson is averaging 126.3 yards per game and has finished with 149 or more yards against every opponent except Arkansas and Central Arkansas.
He will look to continue his hot streak when UAPB travels to Grambling State (3-3, 0-2) on Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium on HBCU GO.
Grambling coach Mickey Joseph said Gibson is an explosive player.
“The funny thing about this kid, I was face-to-face with this kid in the spring when he was leaving Monticello, and I probably should have took him,” Joseph said. “I didn’t, because we already had signed our class, but it’s (a) very explosive offense.”
Grambling’s defense has allowed 238.8 passing yards per game, which ranks ninth in the SWAC. The Tigers have been stingier in conference play, ranking fifth in passing defense by holding teams to 182 yards per game.
Tuskegee wide receiver Gabriel Garmon is the only receiver so far to surpass 100 yards against the Tigers. He caught five passes for 116 yards in Tuskegee’s 37-20 loss at Grambling.
This season has been a big step forward for Gibson. Last year at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Gibson made 28 catches for 403 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games. He was UAM’s third-leading receiver as a freshman.
Hampton said Gibson improves every day.
“You watch him work in practice, he’s just amazing to be around,” Hampton said. “He think he’s the best. He works like he’s the best. Came from a D2 school, and his running mate, No. 2 Kristian Gammage, the other receiver, had like 70 yards. Those guys played on the same team at a D2 school last year, but they can flat-out play. We got a couple more you haven’t even seen yet, if we can get them healthy.”
Gammage, as Hampton alluded to, caught four passes for 60 yards against Prairie View. The duo of former Boll Weevils made every reception but one for UAPB against the Panthers.
Ohio transfer Aramoni Rhone is UAPB’s second-leading receiver with 232 yards and two touchdowns. Gammage has 155 yards. Rhone ranks 12th in the SWAC, with Gammage 23rd.