"Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity."

— Lou Holtz
Former University of Notre Dame football head coach

Some say adversity builds character; other people say adversity reveals character.  When facing adversity you generally have two choices; let it destroy you, or let it strengthen and define you.  For the University of South Alabama's Jimmie Gipson III, the previous two seasons have definitely provided adverse situations, yet the senior defensive end is back looking to make a lasting impact during the 2017 season.

Throughout much of his life, Gipson has worked to overcome many different obstacles.  He was born in Mississippi and lived primarily with his grandmother there until around eighth grade, but because of some behavioral issues, he moved to North Carolina to live with his father's sister until his senior year of high school.

"When you're young, you sometimes do some mischievous stuff," Gipson said.  "At the time I was living with my grandmother and my mother and it was a pretty good situation.  But at the same time, I was pretty bad as a child.  Over time though, I learned to get better and become the man that I've become today."

The new change of scenery also provided Gipson a completely different environment than he was accustomed to having come from Coldwater, Miss., a small town with a population of less than 2,000 people.  

"I was acting up when I lived in Mississippi and I needed a change," Gipson said.   "I'm glad that I made the move because it showed me a different culture and way than I was used to.  The school that I went to in North Carolina was so diverse that it blew my mind."

During the time in North Carolina, Gipson's attitude and behavior improved and for his senior prep season, he returned to his home state.  In North Carolina, Gipson had had a strong junior season at the linebacker position, but due to two established players already at the position at Olive Branch High, Gipson made the move to defensive end were he flourished.  

As a senior at OBHS, Gipson recorded 101 tackles, five sacks, five passes broken up, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and a blocked field goal, helping the Conquistadors to a 15-0 mark and the state 6A championship.

Despite the strong senior season, Gipson only had two offers from four-year programs — Mississippi Valley State and Delta State.  His high school coach even told him that he wouldn't ever get a Division I offer.  Gipson used that doubt as motivation and after his time at East Mississippi C.C., he had 23 Division I offers, including his eventual landing spot at South.

While with the Lions, Gipson became a first-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American selection as a sophomore, recording 65 total stops, which included 24 behind the line of scrimmage.  He also led the NJCAA with 17 sacks and was named the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division Defensive Line MVP.  Gipson was also part of a Lion squad that ended the year 12-0, claiming the NJCAA national championship.

Success at EMCC didn't come immediately as Gipson appeared in nine games for the Lions as a freshman and made just 28 tackles.

That 2012 season at East Mississippi provided a bit of adversity and at the same time was a humbling experience for Gipson.

"At first it was rough when I got there, because I wasn't used to being second to anyone, but at the same time, I wasn't as good as I thought I was until I took the time to learn techniques and perfect my craft," Gipson said.  "As time went along, I got better and better.  The experience of being there made me better.  I realized that I wasn't doing things correctly and they weren't about to put in someone who wasn't doing things correctly, so I had to perform at a high level in order for them to put me in.

"When I was in high school, I thought I was good, but when I went to East Mississippi it was humbling.  The thing that shocked me the most when I got there was the level of competition.  I had always thought that JUCO was like high school, and that wasn't the case.  It was so much more, especially at East Mississippi because they had Division I quality coaches there.  I had to elevate my game when I got there.  My time at EMCC made me into the player I am today."

After signing with the Jaguars, Gipson made an immediate impact along South's defensive front during the 2013 campaign where he saw action in every contest, starting each of the last four and posting 28 total stops, with 6½ of those for loss including three sacks.  He led the team with seven quarterback hurries and big things were expected from him the following season.

However, during a pass rush drill during summer workouts on July 15, 2015, Gipson heard an unexpected pop.

"I was out there working with some of the other guys on some of the techniques," Gipson said.  " When I was going through a drill — it was our second time going through it — and out of nowhere, I thought somebody had tripped me.  I heard a loud pop and it felt like someone had tripped me, but as I was falling down I turned back and I didn't see anyone there.  When I hit the ground, I just felt this pain at the bottom of my foot.  I had tube socks on and I saw a lump at the bottom of my calf and I knew something bad had happened because I wasn't able to move my foot or leg really."

When the injury happened, it was disheartening to say the least for Gipson.  

"It was heartbreaking," Gipson said.  "I felt that I was really ready to go in and have a good season, I know I was ready.  I had been putting in a lot of extra work during the offseason."

Over the next nine months, Gipson would work his way back on the field from the achilles injury, but it would be tough.

"Rehab was hard, because I felt like I was having to teach myself to walk again," Gipson said.  "My calf muscle shrunk and I lost all that muscle that I had built up over the years.  It's frustrating when one leg is able to do so much and you want your other leg to do the same."

During the recovery process, Gipson looked inward and found strength.

"You have to take a step back and realize that it will just take the other some time to catch up; I'm still catching up today," Gipson said.  "I just had to realize that I'm a strong person and it was going to take my body time to get back to that point."

During his fight to get back on the field, Gipson even briefly thought about transferring out of the program, but ultimately decided to remain in Mobile.

After working himself back into shape and completing the rehab process, Gipson was once again ready to make an impact on the Jaguar defense entering fall camp last season.  However, on the first day of camp, misfortune struck again as the 6-foot, 260-pound defensive end tore his left anterior cruciate ligament while engaged with an offensive lineman during a team period, ending his season before it even began.

"I went out there and I was ready to practice and I was having a good day out there," Gipson said.  "I hadn't played ball in over a year and I was extremely happy to be back out there.  When I went to spin during that drill, I guess my left leg just stayed in the ground a second too long and my knee ligament just snapped.  When it happened, I knew immediately what it was and I thought 'This is crazy'."

While he didn't grow up rooting for either of the main two state schools, the Mississippi native was forced to miss last season's historic win over Mississippi State.

"I wanted to be out there with the team, but I knew I couldn't.  I knew that I couldn't do anything about being injured, but I was the biggest cheerleader watching it," Gipson said.

Throughout the 2016 campaign though, Gipson still found a way to contribute and help his Jag teammates as he was a 'coach' on the sideline.

"I always want to help someone do well when I can, and when I can give someone some advice to help them be a step ahead of an opponent and help them be successful, it makes me feel good because I was able to help them out," Gipson said.  "I just want to see everyone do good out there, even if that requires me coaching them up, that's what I'll do."

Gipson believes that the second injury may have happened for a reason.

"I wasn't heartbroken about the second injury as much as I was the first though, because as I was sitting there I was wondering if it was a sign," Gipson said.  "Maybe it had happened because there was something I hadn't learned yet; maybe I had some bitterness that I still had to get over.  Maybe I still had to get over that and there was a lesson for me in all of this.  I just had to leave it with the man upstairs and it had happened for a reason."

Gipson attributes the second injury to helping him become the person that he is today, but he still believes there is more that he can become.

"The [second] injury helped make me into the person that I am at this moment, but I still have so much more learning to do and so much more that life still has to teach me," Gipson said.  "Anyone who has been around for a while, knows that life is our best teacher.  I'm not done growing yet and I'm still eager to learn more."

There was even a brief moment after sustaining the second injury within a year that Gipson considered stepping away from the game he loved.

"It crossed my mind; I'd be lying if I said anything else," Gipson added.  "Anyone who has had two major injuries that close together would have that come into their mind no matter the amount of resilience that they have within themselves."

However, internal motivation would again bring him back.

"For me, I was disappointed in myself because I felt that I had so much to prove to people,"  Gipson said.  "I wanted to prove any doubters wrong that even after two injuries I can be just as good of a player if not better.  I want to be better than any version of the player that I've been in the past.  I have something to prove to everyone."

Even though having to go through a second extensive rehab process — this one a 10-month recovery — Gipson always kept a good perspective and worked hard to get back on the field.

This was noticed by one of the people who worked closely with him throughout both recoveries, associate athletic trainer/head football trainer Chad Stefano.

"Jimmie never let either injury get him down because he knew there was more to life than football," Stefano said.

Maybe Gipson had already learned a major life lesson.

After being granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, Gipson once again enters his last season in a Jaguar uniform expected to play a major role along the defensive front.

Last season, along with Gipson, the Jaguar defensive line was hit with a number of other injuries losing all four of its projected starters prior to the start of the season.  One person who is looking forward to No. 3 getting back on the field is defensive line coach Brian Turner.

"Jimmie brings so much experience, power and he's such a great pass rusher," Turner said.  "Having him out on the field allows me as a coach to do so much more and move people around to different spots and help us be a better defensive line."

Gipson, who is not a loud talker by any means, keeps his personal goals entering the season to himself, but as for as the Jaguars, he wants to go out like he has in each of his last seasons at both of his previous stops; as a champion.

"The perfect way that I see our team going out this season is to not only win conference, but have an undefeated season," Gipson said.  "That's how I've always ended things out at every place I've been and that's how I want to end out this season.  I want everyone on our team to thrive and prosper.  That's what I want to see personally."

The Jaguars' season opener last Saturday against one of the two main state programs marked a huge day for Gipson as he returned to the field for the first time in more than two years.  Prior to the game against the Rebels, Gipson was one of four team captains for the Jaguars.

Despite the loss, the game meant much more for Gipson.

"I was just glad to be able to go back out there and play my senior season with my family watching me in what was pretty much home for me.  It felt good for them to be able to watch me," Gipson said.  

When asked after the game about the emotions of being back out on the field, Gipson was somewhat speechless.

"To be honest, it was exciting; I can't even explain the feeling," Gipson said.  "It was just great to be back out there on the field with my teammates and be able to give them the best that I could possibly give them."

While there had been an extended absence from the game, Gipson — who was credited with an assisted tackle in the contest — felt right back at home against the Rebels.  

"When I felt the contact, it was like I hadn't been away at all," Gipson stated.  "There's a lot of things we do out there that require athleticism.  I still have a lot of things to work on, but I'm there and I'm going to give all that I can to my teammates."

Over his three-plus years in Mobile, Gipson has not only grown as a player but even more as a person.

"I've learned to approach a lot of situations, especially those when the odds seem to be against you," Gipson said.  "I know how to handle things a lot better and in different ways now."

This change has been noticed by pretty much everyone who comes in contact with Gipson.

"I think after the second injury, Jimmie started changing; I really noticed it in about January," South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones said.  "He really became that leader that we wanted to have here at South Alabama.  He completely took ownership of that leadership role.

"When you're in a situation like he was where you're hurt for two years in a row, it's easy to get yourself down and not want to go fight anymore, but he's fighting now more than ever to lead us and I really respect him for that."

Once his playing days on the gridiron are complete, Gipson hopes to continue to give back to the sport that helped make him into the man he is today.

"I want to have my own facility where defensive linemen can come and I can help teach them the art of pass rushing," Gipson said.  "I want to use the things I've learned from previous coaches and give back to guys that are eager to learn or that have potential to be great.  I want to help bring that out of them.  I want to be a mentor and help mold young men and teach them life lessons and how to handle adversity.

"I feel like I will be able to reach out to many different guys from a variety of backgrounds, whether they were raised in poverty or whether they came from a better up bringing.  I feel like I'm able to reach out to everyone.  Throughout my life, I feel that I've received the tools to relate to them.  Once you can relate to them, you can know how to coach them, because players take coaching in different ways."

To find the true measure of Jimmie Gipson III, all you have to do is look at what he's gone through and where he wants to go.

"Everyone goes through adversity in life, but what matters is how you learn from it."

— Lou Holtz
Former University of Notre Dame football head coach