Devin Gibson, a Pensacola local, was standing in the middle of Friday night’s euphoria at Blue Wahoos Stadium, with a smile as big as bling bling on his finger.
After helping bring the University of West Florida into school football history as the first start-up program to win an NCAA national name 4 years later, he now loved memories.
A ring he seduced.
“Obviously I have big hands, but this (championship ring) even makes my hands look small,” Gibson said, laughing, as the former center watched the huge diamond-encrusted ring after a presentation rite in the box where the UWF presented its first season in 2016.
Gibson, now a graduate and two weeks after his wedding, where he will marry his high school sweets girlfriend from West Florida High School, reflected on the dizzying odyssey of the Argos.
No field. There are no lockers. No middle education when football was born in the UWF. In the 2017 season, the Argos reached the NCAA Division II national title. In season four, they won it all with a 48-40 win over minnesota state on December 21, 2019 in McKinney, Texas.
“Having the opportunity to play in this stadium is a blessing,” said Gibson, one of the founding members of the football program when it was created in 2015. “And not in a million years, it occurred to me that we would have a national championship ring. here only 4 years after our first season.
“You grew up betting this game when you were little and now you’re thinking about the fact that you played two league games and won one
The Argos are now joining the story. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic led the NCAA to close in 2020 at its Division II and Division III levels.
The Argos will be the first to reign as national champions without betting the following season.
“I like to see the bright side. We are the national champions
Argos welcomed a hundred members of the 2019 team, including foot players and players who trained but did not participate in matches.
Players sat in well-distance chairs in the box for a 20-minute rite that includes Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson, recalling that the UWF lately owns a bachelor prize.
“I have a chance to see this championship trophy (NCAA) here,” he said, pointing his head at the Blue Wahoos shelter where the gold trophy was placed. “There’s a football trophy in the state of Florida. But it’s not in Gainesville, Tallahassee, Miami, Tampa, Orlando or Jacksonville.
More: Booker T. Washington Football: Veteran San’tonio Coleman strengthens Wildcats ahead of Pine Forest
More: Catholic football loses Drift Waymond Jordan Jr. Wildcat
“You’re the University of West Florida, but more than anything else, you’re Pensacola. We are our university and our football team. I can thank you.
“I just want to play football tonight
In addition to fitting the team faster in all NCAA grades to move from a first season to a national championship season, Argos’ feat grows when you have all his victories in the playoffs on the road.
In two years, the UWF is 9-1 in the NCAA after the season, the most productive percentage in the history of school football. They have never played a home playoff game at Blue Wahoos Stadium, which coach Pete Shinnick recalled next on the wish list.
“The Blue Wahoos have been wonderful in giving us a chance to play in this stadium,” Shinnick said. “How many do we have here? I’m just thinking about last season.
Shinnick and his training team helped design the ring produced through national jeweler Jostens. Before the players sat down on Friday, they placed a black box in their seats. UWF President Martha Saunders won a Shinnick diamond pendant.
In addition, former UWF president Judy Bense was greeted several times during the rite and also won the souvenir jewels.
The team said not to open the ring box until the 2019 season video clips were released and a countdown to the video board for the presentation began. When the boxes were opened, players were surprised by the size.
“I put on goose bumps when I watched the video and helped design it,” Shinnick said with a smile. “It was to see.
“I’m very proud of those kids and now having jewelry to display them is amazing. Our training probably spent 10 hours looking to design it and get what we wanted. We’re trying to include everything in our program.
Many of the headlines in 2019 were older adults who now live elsewhere. Star receiver Tate Lehtio, whose playoff functionality is critical to the success of the UWF in either championship game, traveled from South Florida, where he now works.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment forever, ” said Lehtio. ” It’s wonderful to see you all again, which is wonderful. I miss seeing a hundred of your friends hanging out in the locker room.
“These are years of difficult work for all of us. And to succeed in my purpose in my last game, it was amazing.
The Argos are in education this month and are part of November in preparation for the 2021 season and expect to have hand-to-hand games within the team or scrums opposed to a Gulf Conference member near the spring educational game.
“There will be no live games in the spring,” said athletic director Dave Scott. “We hope to have some scrums, either here or on an impartial site, however, everything you say has a disclaimer based on where we are in the community, based on what the NCAA says and what we can do from a test perspective. “
“I walked on this box after winning the championship and thinking about my family, but also Dr. Bense and his perseverance and all the meetings and leadership and leadership of Dr. Saunders.
“It’s a smart race. The Lord has blessed us. Doing that in four years, man, it’s amazing.
Bill Vilona is a retired columnist for the Pensacola News Journal and recently senior editor of Pensacola Blue Wahoos/ Studer55. You can be contacted bvilona@bluewahoos. com.