Wink head coach Brian Gibson hasn’t been surprised during the weeks leading up to the 2022 season.
After losing just five lettermen from a team that went three rounds deep in the playoffs last year, Gibson know his program.
“We are about where we thought we would be,” Gibson said after evaluating the Wildcats following scrimmages with Crane and Bovina. “The older kids stepped in like we thought they would; it’s been smooth on offense.
“The philosophy isn’t different.”
The Wildcats’ main philosophy for the past two-plus seasons has been put the ball in Kanon Gibson’s hands and see what happens.
The outcome is usually positive.
Kanon Gibson, the coach’s son, shared the quarterbacking duties as a freshman and then took over as a sophomore.
Wink is 29-10 during that span as Gibson has been dominant on both sides of the football.
He has passed for 6,070 yards and 75 touchdowns, with 24 interceptions. Running the ball, he has amassed 3,283 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Defensively he has accumulated 323 tackles, including 160 last season.
He also punts and kicks extra points.
According to his father, he was already getting noticed by college recruiters, but the pace of contacts seems to have accelerated as the season gets closer.
“Kanon has done a really good job being a leader this year,” Brian Gibson said. “He knows he has to stay healthy so he is taking care of his body better.
“He was smarter in the scrimmages and he’s playing really well defensively. He had four interceptions in the two scrimmages.”
Kanon Gibson is just the starting point, however, for the Wildcats, who have plenty of weapons on offense and plenty of players on defense ready to step up.
Senior wide receiver/defensive back Jordan Tally and sophomore running back/linebacker Hudson Morgan both have game-breaking ability and Brian Gibson is expecting big things from them.
“They are playing with a lot of confidence,” Gibson said. “They understand they have to take on a bigger role; they have to be on the field consistently for us.
“Jordan is running better routes, getting up in the air and high pointing the ball; he’s got the attitude that if the ball is in the air, it’s his. Hudson, on defense, we are going to put him out on the edge in space and with his athleticism that will help him.”
Depth on the defensive line is also going to help the Wildcats this season.
In the past, Wink has seen its offensive linemen switch sides when necessary, but that won’t be the case for the most part in 2022.
Jesse Putnam likely will be the only person seeing double duty, at times, in the trenches.
Eddie Ray Mendoza and Creed Frerich are the stalwart bookends.
That will help as Wink embarks on a new course in District 5-2A Division II, a seven-team grouping created during the UIL realignment.
The Wildcats also find themselves in Region II for the first time.
“I think our pre-district schedule is a good one that will get us ready,” Gibson said. “In district you have Iraan, which is getting back to where they are going to be good again and then McCamey and Eldorado, both very solid programs.
“And you have three teams (Water Valley, Sterling City, Midland TLCA) that are still learning the game. Those programs are good and you really kind of expect them to hit the ground running pretty quick.”
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WINK WILDCATS
— COACHES —
>> Head coach: Brian Gibson.
>> Coach’s overall record: 70-60.
>> Coach’s record at school: 43-20.
>> Assistant coaches, duties: Daniel Kelley, assistant head coach, special teams coordinator; Greg Voyles, defensive coordinator; Jason Archibald, offensive coordinator; Robert Mills, junior high head coach; Joshua Tally, assistant.
— TEAM INFORMATION —
>> 2021 overall record: 9-4.
>> 2021 district record: 4-1 (Second).
>> Last district title: 2019.
>> Last playoff appearance: 2021 (def. Sudan, 63-26, in bi-district; def. Clarendon, 64-26, in area; lost to Stratford, 56-21, in regional semifinal).
>> Stadium name: Wildcat Stadium (3,000).
>> Base offense: Power spread.
>> Base defense: 3-4.
— PLAYERS —
>> Returning lettermen: 35.
>> Returning starters: 18 (9 offense, 9 defense).
>> Key returners: Kanon Gibson, 6-1.5, 190, Sr., QB/DB; Jordan Tally, 6-4, 165, Sr., WRDB; Jesse Putnam, 6-1, 260, Sr., OL; Jalen Ramirez, 5-11, 280, Jr., OL; Hudson Morgan, 6-0, 190, Soph., TB/LB; Brandon Peters, 6-1, 170, WR/DB, Sr.
>> Key newcomers: Jayden Tally, 6-3, 150, Soph., WR/DB; Scott Burch, 6-0, 185, Jr., TE/LB; Zach Yactayo, 5-8, 140, Jr., WR/DB.
