Gibbs' great motivator

By BRANDON WRIGHT, Times Staff Writer
Published September 14, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG

New Gibbs coach Yusuf Shakir slipped a ring on his finger before meeting his team for the first time. But it wasn't just another piece of jewelry - it was Shakir's state championship ring as a Tallahassee Lincoln assistant.

"I never wore it before," Shakir said, referring to the past three years he spent as Lincoln's defensive coordinator. "But it was a conscious decision to wear it around here."

The players took notice. They asked to see it, feel it, wanted to know its origin. For Shakir, it is a symbol - but not of past glory.

"Success," he said. "It's a symbol of hard work and success, and that's what we are all trying to do around here - work hard and be successful."

Although it's a bit premature to think the Gladiators are state title contenders, their sparkling 2-0 start shines just like the ring on their coach's finger.

"This year we've just all been on our job," senior receiver Larry Murphy said. "You could tell from the very first meeting that this was going to be a new year."

Shakir, who played safety in college at Wisconsin, has instilled a level of accountability that many of the players say was lacking in years past.

"Discipline," senior linebacker Nigel Ballard said. "That's what Coach brings."

Although Shakir was quick to point out "all that is no knock on the previous coaching staff" and that there are "different ways to do things," his players have bought into the new approach.

"Everybody is flying around to the ball, hustling all the time," senior defensive back JaJuan Moorer said. "We just have a new confidence."

Shakir has implemented an attention to detail, as evidenced by the Gladiators' penchant for big plays on special teams. Gibbs blocked an extra point, a pair of field goals and forced a fumbled punt that led to the winning score in the waning seconds of a 14-13 season-opening victory over Lakewood. The Gladiators returned a punt for a score, forced a fumble on a punt that was returned for a touchdown and blocked a punt that led to a touchdown in a 21-9 win over Countryside last week.

"Thirty-three percent of the game is special teams," Shakir said. "A lot of people overlook that, but it's just as important as stopping the run."

And that will be Gibbs' main focus tonight when it faces Jeff Brinson and visiting Northeast 2-0. The senior tailback has amassed an eye-popping 701 yards and 11 touchdowns through the first two games. But if Gibbs is in awe of Brinson's numbers, it is not evident.

"Our focus is always to stop the run first, no matter who it is," Ballard said. "We're just going to go out and do what we always do."

Northeast beat Gibbs 43-28 in the preseason, but the score was 22-21 Vikings at halftime before several starters left. A Gibbs win tonight would still leave the Gladiators considerable work to get a ring like their coach, but it would go a long way in opening some eyes around the county.

"Championship teams, whether it be district or state, are made through so much behind-the-scenes hard work," Shakir said. "They're not ready-made."

Brandon Wright can be reached at bwright@sptimes.com or (727)892-2216.

[Last modified September 13, 2007, 23:56:35]