The Mountain West college football conference recently announced its 2022 All-Mountain West football teams and former Temecula Valley football standout, and current Wyoming Cowboys linebacker, Easton Gibbs earned a First Team selection. The team was selected in voting by the 12 Mountain West head coaches and media members covering the league and for the fourth consecutive season, Wyoming has a linebacker on the All-Mountain West First Team.
Gibbs finished the 2022 regular season averaging 9.2 tackles per game to rank No. 3 in the Mountain West and No. 23 in the nation, making this the first All-Mountain West Conference honor of his career. Along with his top rankings, Gibbs also recorded the first 100-tackle season of his career, with 111.
He became only the 61st Cowboy in the 126-year history of Cowboy Football to record 100 tackles in a single season, which ties him for the 29th best single-season tackle total in school history with former UW safety Marcus Epps, who had 111 tackles in 2016.
Gibbs, a high-profile candidate for the NFL draft in 2023, will be able to add to that total in Wyoming’s bowl appearance later this year. He posted double figures in tackles in five games this season. Gibbs also ranked third on the Cowboy team in tackles for loss, with 8.0.
He added 2.0 sacks, four quarterback hurries, one pass break-up and one fumble recovery on the season. His fumble recovery was made in the end zone for a touchdown in a 40-37 double overtime win over Tulsa.
“Getting the first team selection was a very special moment, it was something I had been working towards for a long time,” Gibbs said. “I am very thankful for all of the support from the people back home in Temecula and the state of Wyoming.”
The Wyoming Cowboys, with Gibbs in tow, have been invited to play in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl. Wyoming will be matched up against the Ohio Bobcats from the Mid-American Conference Friday, Dec. 30 at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, which will kick off at 12:30 p.m. This year’s appearance will be Wyoming’s 18th bowl appearance in history. The Cowboys are 9-8 overall in bowl games.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
