Gipson starts season off right

Mexia (Texas) 2017 quarterback Jaylen Gipson began the season by leading the Black Cats to a 51-21 win over McGregor.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound quarterback completed 14 of his 21 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He also had 47 yards rushing and a touchdown on nine carries.

"It felt great. I've been waiting all summer for that," Gipson said. "All the hard work and everything. Just to go back out there on Friday night and play. It felt really great to be back out there."

Gipson turned heads by rushing and passing for over 1,000 yards as a sophomore in 2014, and he continued to attract attention on the camp circuit.

Texas Tech was the first to offer a scholarship, and interest has arrived from SMU, Houston, Baylor, TCU, and Texas A&M. The offer from Texas Tech caught his attention as well, and the Red Raiders are also the program showing the most interest right now.

"I would say Tech has," Gipson said. "I stay in touch with coach Morris. I try to give him a call every two weeks. He's a good guy. I like what I hear from him and he talks about how if I were to go there how everything would be. The whole plan sounds great. I'm just going to wait it out and see if I get anymore offers between now and the end of football season. If so, I'd like to decide towards the end of the season where I want to go."

In addition to coach Eric Morris, Gipson also keeps in touch with coach Claude Mathis from SMU and Major Applewhite from Houston. Coaches are not the only ones staying in touch. He also keeps close contact with former Mexia standout and current Pittsburgh Steeler Kelvin Beachum.

"Kelvin, I talk to him monthly," Gipson said. "He checks up on me. He comes down and I talk to him. He came down this summer during the offseason. He had a camp here at Mexia that I attended and he came back and gave back to the community. I went there and talked to him and he told me to keep working hard and have great character and that will take you far. I talk to him because he's been through it and he knows what it takes to make it to the next level. So I listen to him and do what he says."

He does not have any unofficial visits planned, but he mentioned he would like to attend games at Texas Tech, Baylor, SMU, TCU, and Texas A&M this fall.

Gipson and Mexia face Teague on Friday night.