At Tiger football's annual Blue-Gray game last week, Memphisreceiver Tavares Gideon was ready to put on a show.
Gideonlined up on the outside made one quick inside step afterthe snap to elude his defender and galloped down the field.
As he made his move, quarterback Danny Wimprine lofted a highpass in Gideon's direction that hung in the air long enough for thedefense to recover.
It didn't matter.
Gideon leapt and stretched his 6-4 frame skyward. The defendergrabbed him on his ascent, but Gideon wouldn't be denied, grabbingthe ball with two hands as he was dragged down.
A flag came in late -- defensive pass interference -- but Gideoncaught it anyway.
Time after time, a similar play was run and invariably Gideonmade the reception.
Although catching a football seems effortless to him, his roadto Memphis was far from easy.
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Gideon never thought he'd leave Mississippi.
He grew up in Greenville, Miss., and starred as a high schoolreceiver there. He was a Mississippi State fan, but he also hadties to Southern Miss.
Gideon's cousin Sherrod Gideon, was a standout receiver for theGolden Eagles from 1996-1999. He still holds most Southern Missreceiving records. Sherrod was so productive that the HoustonTexans drafted him. While his NFL career never materialized,Sherrod is finding a niche in Canada with the CFL's OttawaRenegades.
Tavares wanted to follow in his cousin's footsteps.
"My cousin went to Southern Miss," Tavares said, "I was going togo there and try to fill the legacy where he left off, try to breaksome of his records."
He never got that chance.
Despite being recruited out of high school by Southern Miss,Tennessee, Minnesota and Baylor, Tavares Gideon was ineligiblebecause he didn't meet the NCAA's minimum ACT requirement. So hedecided to stay close to home and enrolled at Mississippi DeltaCommunity College. In 2000, he showed modest production while hetried to adjust to the next level.
"In (junior college) there was a lot of good competition,"Gideon said. "The players were a lot bigger. The physicality iswhat I learned in (junior college)."
It didn't take him long to adjust. At 6-4, 210 pounds, Gideoncould shove right back. After solid 2000 campaign, Gideon ledMississippi Delta with a big year -- 54 receptions, 900-plus yardsand 13 touchdowns. All of a sudden, Gideon was a wanted man, and hewanted Memphis.
"A lot of schools wanted me," Gideon said. "What made me comehere was coach West. He's a great guy, a great coach. He'll listento you, tell you what's the right thing to do. He was really why Icame up here."
Gideon was ready to play Division I football.
But the transition was bumpy. In his first four games, Gideonplayed sparingly. He caught just six passes in his first four gamesas a Tiger. The inactivity began to wear on him.
"I kind of felt like (I didn't get a chance),"Gideon said. "Ireally believe they didn't have faith in me right off the top, butas the year passed and I showed them what I could do in practice,then they started believing in me and trusting me. Then I startedmaking plays."
Gaining confidence with each other in practice, Gideon andWimprine started to connect. In his next three games, Gideon caught21 balls for 267 yards and three touchdowns. The final game of thatrun, against his Mississippi State Bulldogs, Gideon was named acaptain and had a career day, catching eight passes for 127 yardsand a touchdown.
Gideon still remembers the touchdown clearly.
"It was a streak pattern, a one-handed catch over Cory Bankswhere I tipped it to myself," Gideon said. "It was a 59-yardtouchdown."
His production leveled off, but Gideon still finished with 42catches for 446 yards. Those numbers made him the second leadingreceiver in 2002, behind Travis Anglin. With Anglin's departure,2003 was supposed to be Gideon's time to shine.
***
After a brilliant series of spring practices in 2003, Gideon wasdetermined to keep himself in shape. He was working out one day inJune when his knee popped.
"I was working out, just running routes and my foot got caughton the ground," Gideon said. "I didn't know it was that bad, I wasstill walking around on it."
The injury was a torn ACL, which required surgery. Gideon wasforced to take a medical redshirt and sit out the entire 2003season.
Gideon agonized in street clothes as his team went 9-4 and wontheir first bowl game in 32 years.
"It was really hard to watch ... really hard," Gideon said."Knowing I could be out there playing in the best year they've had.It really hurt (to sit out)."
In 2003, without Gideon, the other receivers developed.
Maurice Avery became a go to guy and received all-conferencehonors. Chris Kelley and Tavarious Davis also made an impact. Allof them will be returning.
***
This spring, Gideon looked sharp and had no ill effects from hissurgically repaired knee. Looking ahead, Gideon thinks his absencelast year will make the receiving corps this year that muchbetter.
"I'm really excited about this year, because nobody's going toknow what hit them," Gideon said. "Avery, me, Darron White and(running back) DeAngelo Williams. That's nice."
On top of it all, Gideon will be going back to Mississippi
The Tigers play their opener in Oxford, Miss. against OleMiss.
"There are going to be a lot of people there," Gideon said. "I'mexcited. I'm going to try and make the best of it."
