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Hamilton High’s Gilbert  verbally commits to BGSU

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By Jay Morrison, Staff Writer 12:21 AM Tuesday, September 29, 2009

HAMILTON — On a day when strong winds consistently blew through Butler County, Hamilton High School senior Darius Gilbert decided he would like to spend the next four years playing football in those same conditions.

A 6-foot-3, 265-pound defensive end, Gilbert verbally committed to play for Bowling Green.

“I really liked the environment up there,” Gilbert said of his recent visit. “The coaches and the players seemed cool.”

Gilbert started attracting attention last year when he finished tied for first in the Greater Miami Conference with 8.5 sacks. And he’s added 2.5 more sacks in 2009.

A lot of schools have shown interest, and Gilbert received scholarship offers from Toledo, Ball State, Ohio, Kent State and Akron in addition to Bowling Green.

“He’s a very quick, pass-rushing defensive end,” HHS coach Jim Place said. “He’s a very serious person. He’s very focused on his goals.”

Gilbert, who has a 2.6 GPA, said he isn’t sure what he wants to major in at Bowling Green, but he’d “like to do something that involves working with kids.”

Nicknamed  ‘Bango’ for reasons he said he’d rather not discuss, Gilbert has earned a second nickname from his teammates due to his penchant for mentoring the younger members of the Big Blue squad.

“They call me ‘preacher’ because I’m always telling people what to do,” he said.

Gilbert said he remains thankful for the way former teammate Phil Manley treated him as a new player in his younger days, and he feels obligated to carry on that tradition of helping the freshmen and sophomores.

Gilbert said he still talks to Manley regularly, but that he was a little reluctant to inform him of his decision to attend Bowling Green.

“He’s probably going to be really mad at me,” Gilbert joked about Manley, who plays for Toledo, BG’s archrival.

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Thanks Jay, for profiling someone OTHER than Jordan Hicks. If one were to read this website with any regularity, you'd think that Jordan was the only player in the area who is going on to college. Not to mention there seems to be a "recap" of a conference call every week with Jordan.

Contrary to what those in charge at the J-N apparently think, not EVERYONE in Butler County plans their day around what Jordan Hicks is up to today.

Thanks
9:02 AM, 9/29/2009

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