State sports briefs

Louisiana RB commits to Hogs

A day after visiting Fayetteville, running back Jeremy Gibson called Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema and receivers coach Michael Smith and orally committed to the Hogs.

“As I was riding home, I was just thinking about the place and I was just thinking about the conversation with Coach Bielema and how I can achieve my dreams of becoming an NFL player and I can see myself there,” Gibson said. “I can become a better man with the coaches and I feel like it’s the right place for me.”

Gibson, 5-11, 200 pounds, of Reserve (La.) Riverside Academy, picked the Hogs over scholarship offers from Arizona State, Missouri, Texas Tech, Utah, Purdue and others.

He was accompanied on the visit by his aunt, but his mother was unable to make the trip and wanted him to take other visits before making a decision. She had a change a heart Sunday.

“I told my mom I really liked the place and my aunt was there to defend me,” Gibson said. She kept saying ‘I could see you here’.”

Gibson rushed 204 times for 1,319 yards, 20 touchdowns to go with 16 receptions for 225 yards and 1 touchdown as a junior.

Smith and running backs coach Reggie Mitchell double-teamed Gibson during the recruiting process. Gibson said Mitchell was eager to get him on board.

“Yesterday he was like, ‘You haven’t committed yet?,” Gibson said. “I told him I had to talk to my mom. He said ‘You got to get to it’.”

He believes Bielema’s track record of producing NFL running backs will benefit him.

Gibson is the Hogs’ No. 6 commitment for the 2018 class. Oral commitments are non-binding.