Gibson explains scholarship situation

Jason Gibson has been offered by every Pac-10 school except Southern Cal and the Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra defensive end recently got an answer why the Trojans have yet to extend an offer.

"I talked to my recruiting coach, Todd McNair, and he told me the reason I haven't gotten an offer yet is because they don't give offers to players who don't play that position," Gibson said. "He said I was one of the best in the country but they didn't want to give me an offer yet."

Gibson plays defensive end at Serra but is being recruited as an outside linebacker so the Trojans want to see him at that position before offering.

Many major programs including California, Florida, Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA, LSU, Miami, Oregon, Stanford and Washington have not hesitated to send Gibson, a 6-foot-3, 212-pound prospect, an offer but Southern Cal has decided to wait. Pretty much every program projects Gibson as an outside linebacker.

Gibson, one of the best-looking prospects at the recent Rivals.com Five-Star Academy at UCLA, said he's only going to play defensive end in his senior season but will work out at linebacker at the upcoming Los Angeles Nike Camp which will be at USC. He hopes that could help with an offer.

"I'm just going to do it so I have it for when I go to college, so I can have a feel for it," Gibson said.

"I'm not playing any linebacker next year. I'm still playing d-end next year. I talked to (Serra coach Scott Altenberg) about it but we have nobody else at my school who can play that position so I'm doing it for the school right now."

"He's very talented, really mature, a captain for us last year as a junior," Altenberg said in March. "He's just great with his hands. He's an outside linebacker and we can use him a little like that but no one can block him at defensive end.

"I don't think we're doing him a disservice because everybody in America is going to recruit him anyway but if a defense can't block you I feel good keeping him in that spot."

Southern Cal might wait on Gibson, who's included in the Rivals 250 to watch for 2011, but he's making the rounds and checking out other schools. A recent visit to UCLA went incredibly well and the Bruins are definitely in the hunt for his services.

"The tempo was very high at their practice," Gibson said. "The way they do things it seemed pretty fun. I liked it up there. From what I've seen from UCLA, they're looking pretty good."

Florida is also pushing for Gibson to visit. The Gators have also offered Serra teammates George Farmer, considered a Southern Cal lean, and Marqise Lee, who's said he wants to play with Farmer in college.

Gibson, who said California is still his favorite school, wants to visit Gainesville but hasn't set a date yet.

"I talked to them not too long ago," Gibson said of Florida. "I was going to try to plan a visit out there but I haven't decided on an exact date though."