Dalton running back Jahmyr Gibbs received the Touchdown Club of Atlanta’s Mr. Georgia Football Award at the group’s annual awards banquet Thursday night at the College Football Hall of Fame.
Gibbs, who has committed to Georgia Tech but remains unsigned, rushed for 2,554 yards and 40 touchdowns on 233 carries in 11 games. He averaged 11.0 yards per carry and 232.2 yards per game for the Catamounts, who finished 7-4. Gibbs ran for a season-high 420 yards and eight touchdowns on 23 carries in a season-opening 62-10 victory over Ringgold.
The club’s Little Peach Player of the Year Awards, presented to the state’s top underclassmen went to Parkview running back Cody Brown (Junior Little Peach), Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton (Sophomore Little Peach) and Blessed Trinity running back Justice Haynes (Freshman Little Peach).
Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei of St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Cal., received the Bobby Dodd National Back of the Year Award. Offensive lineman Tate Ratledge of Darlington in Rome was named the Bobby Dodd National Lineman/Linebacker of the Year. Uiagalelei has signed with Clemson, and Ratledge is a Georgia signee.
The eight state championship head coaches received D.L. Claborn Coach of the Year awards. Those went to Richard Morgan of Marietta (AAAAAAA), Matt Dickmann of Harrison (AAAAAA), Bryant Appling of Buford (AAAAA), Tim McFarlin of Blessed Trinity (AAAA), Miguel Patrick of Cedar Grove (AAA), Roger Holmes of Dublin (AA), Jonathan Gess of Eagle’s Landing Christian (A private) and Buddy Nobles of Irwin County (A public).
Other awards were presented to former Valdosta and Georgia quarterback Back Belue (inaugural TCA Lifetime Achievement Award) and official Mark Lavasque (George Gardner Officiating Award).
The Touchdown Club also presented its state all-star team. Offensive players were QB Harrison Bailey, Marietta (Tennessee); RB Keaton Mitchell, Eagle’s Landing Christian (East Carolina); RB TK Mack, North Atlanta; RB Jo’Quavious Marks, Carver-Atlanta (Mississippi State); WR Parker Self, South Paulding; WR Josh Downs, North Gwinnett (North Carolina); TE Arik Gilbert, Marietta (LSU); OL Tate Ratledge, Darlington (Georgia); OL Myles Hinton, GAC (Stanford); OL Paul Tchio, Milton (Clemson); OL Broderick Jones, Lithonia; OL Seth McLaughlin, Buford (Alabama); and K Dylan Lewis, East Coweta (Georgia Southern).
Defensive honorees were DL Jared Ivey, North Gwinnett (Georgia Tech); DL Myles Murphy, Hillgrove (Clemson); DL Will Anderson, Dutchtown (Alabama); DL Nazir Stackhouse, Columbia (Georgia); LB Phillip Webb, Lanier (LSU); LB BJ Ojulari, Marietta (LSU); LB Kevin Swint, Carrollton (Clemson); DB Ambe Caldwell, Woodward Academy (Miami-Ohio); DB Braxton Hicks, Rabun County (Georgia); DB Brian Branch, Sandy Creek (Alabama); DB Rashad Torrence II, Marietta (Florida); and P James Williams, Athens Academy (Syracuse).
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