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| No. 25 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (1938-05-26)May 26, 1938 (age 86) Spruce Pine, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Lee H. Edwards(Asheville, North Carolina) |
| College: | NC State |
| NFL draft: | 1961: 3rd round, 33 (by theChicago Bears)[1]th pick |
| AFL draft: | 1961: 7th round, 55th pick |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Stats atPro Football Reference | |
Claude "Hoot"Gibson (born May 26, 1939) is an American formerfootball player and coach. Adefensive back andkick returner, he playedcollege football for theNC State Wolfpack before playing professionally in theAmerican Football League (AFL) for theSan Diego Chargers and theOakland Raiders.
Gibson attendedLee H. Edwards High School inAsheville, North Carolina.
Gibson was an instant star on the NC State Wolfpack freshman team, as a defensive back, receiver, return man and halfback. For the next three seasons, Gibson rarely came out of a ballgame. He led the Pack in punt returns in 1958 and 1960, kickoff returns in 1959 and interceptions in 1960 with four. He provided crucial rushing and receiving yards whenever needed. He played his entire senior season with a broken hand and wrist.Gibson concluded his senior year by playing in four post-season all-star games — Senior Bowl, Copper Bowl, Coaches All-America Bowl and the Chicago All-Star Game. Gibson, and teammateRoman Gabriel, with four appearances each, played in more postseason all-star games than any Wolfpack player ever.
It was Gibson's versatility, speed and daring that made him a valuable pro commodity. He was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft by theChicago Bears, but elected instead to sign with theAmerican Football League'sSan Diego Chargers. Gibson played two years for pro football hall of fame coachSid Gillman at San Diego, leading the league in interceptions in 1962. During Gibson's rookie season, the Chargers lost to theHouston Oilers, 10–3, in theAFL Championship game. Soon after the championship,Earle Edwards encouraged Gibson to return to NC State to finish his degree work, and help coach spring ball. He received an education degree from State in 1961.
Gibson's first year in the pro ranks he picked up a nickname. His Charger teammates gave him the nickname "Hoot." "During my pro career I never saw my name in the paper as Claude", said Gibson. "It was 'Hoot' everywhere I went, and still is today."
Following the 1962 season, Gibson was traded to theAFL'sOakland Raiders, where his head coach wasAl Davis. In both 1963 and 1964, Gibson led the AFL in punt returns, the only player in modern history to do so. In fact, Gibson owns the third best punt return average of all professional football players with 75 or more punt returns. Gibson returned 110 punts for 1,381 yards during his career for a 12.1 average. He scored three punt return touchdowns and had a long return of 85 yards. Gibson's pro career lasted five years, when he abruptly retired at age 27. For the next two years he served as a scout and recruiter in the Raiders' organization.
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
|---|---|
| 1967 | NC State (DB) |
| 1968 | Boston Patriots (DB) |
| 1969 | Buffalo Bills (assistant) |
| 1970–1972 | Tulsa |
| 1973–1982 | Mars Hill |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 66–53–2 |
| Tournaments | 0–1 (NAIA D-I playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1SAC (1980) | |
In 1967 when Edwards had an opening come up on his staff, Gibson was the first person he called. Gibson returned to Raleigh just in time for what is arguably the greatest football season in NC State history. He coached the "white shoed" defensive backs of the 1967 Wolfpack, a squad that started the year 8–0 and rose to #3 in the polls. The 1967 Pack finished the year 9–2. Following the 1967 season, Gibson began a pro coaching career that lasted two years. At age 29, he coached theBoston Patriots defensive backs in 1968, becoming the youngest assistant coach in professional football. He spent the 1969 season on theBuffalo Bills staff.
In 1970, Gibson returned to college football as theoffensive coordinator at theUniversity of Tulsa. During July of that year, Gibson was elevated to interim head coach when Golden Hurricane coach Vince Carillot resigned. When Gibson's Tulsa squad started the season 4–1, which included a stunning upset of Memphis State, a team Tulsa had not beaten in six years, the interim label was removed. His first Golden Hurricane team finished 6–4. Gibson would spend three seasons at Tulsa, before returning home to the North Carolina mountains. He became the head football coach atMars Hill College. He spent ten seasons there, compiling a 55–37–2 record, winning one South Atlantic Conference championship, producing four Division II All-Americans and 25 All-SAC players. He was recently inducted into the (State of) North Carolina Football Hall of Fame and the Mars Hill University Hall of Fame.
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa Golden Hurricane(Missouri Valley Conference)(1970–1972) | |||||||||
| 1970 | Tulsa | 6–4 | 3–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1971 | Tulsa | 4–7 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1972 | Tulsa | 1–5[n 1] | 1–1[n 1] | [n 1] | |||||
| Tulsa: | 11–16 | 7–4 | |||||||
| Mars Hill Lions(Carolinas Conference)(1973–1974) | |||||||||
| 1973 | Mars Hill | 5–6 | 2–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1974 | Mars Hill | 7–4 | 1–3 | 4th | |||||
| Mars Hill Lions(SAC-8)(1975–1982) | |||||||||
| 1975 | Mars Hill | 7–3 | 3–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 1976 | Mars Hill | 4–4–1 | 3–3–1 | 4th | |||||
| 1977 | Mars Hill | 7–3 | 5–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1978 | Mars Hill | 5–7 | 2–5 | T–5th | |||||
| 1979 | Mars Hill | 7–2–1 | 5–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1980 | Mars Hill | 8–2–1 | 6–1 | T–1st | LNAIA Division I Quarterfinal | ||||
| 1981 | Mars Hill | 5–5 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 1982 | Mars Hill | 1–10 | 1–6 | 7th | |||||
| Mars Hill: | 56–46–3 | 31–30–1 | |||||||
| Total: | 67–62–3 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||