We have a lot of chips to play with here, IMO. Obviously, Gibson is going to go where he feels the most at home or makes the most money. However, we have a lot of "up-side" for him:
-MUCH more favorable depth chart
Gibson will come in and battle for the starting position against whoever is left after this season, much less summer practice. I predict use my homemade crystal ball that Fergy probably does leave, Dobbs will start next year, and possibly a Peterman transfer as well. That leaves a lot of open room at the QB position. If he doesn't start, he'll be the back up FOR SURE.
-Good quarterbacks coach
I don't think Coach Bajakian is a world beater at OC or necessarily as a QB coach, but the guys gets results. Especially so far this year. I think people were way to hard of some of these coaches last year. They want to run an up-tempo, spread offense with Dooley coaches players who were out of shape. Worley was still very raw. Does anyone even remember the name of our OC/QB coach Dooley's final season? They were leaning on Tyler Bray's ability to not screw up 60 percent of the time to make stuff happen. They didn't know how to develop at quarterback. Now we have a guy who is good at what he does. No he isn't Malzahn's, Kingsberry, or Sumlin, but I believe in Mike Bajakian's ability to bring a QB "in the way that he should go, so that when he is older, he shall not depart from it."
-We have better skill players that Auburn now
Y'all all now we have great skill positions now and UNBELIEVABLE depth at the receiver and back positions now. If Gibson thinks that he will have any better players to work with at AU, he's dead wrong and I'd tell him that to his face. While Auburn always reloads on it's JUCO play making talent every year, it is pretty obvious to be that we have WR and RB coaches on Azzani and Gillespie who are capable of developing these players into something special. Gibson to North/Malone/Pearson/Croom/Howard/Smith/Jackson/Young/Wolf/Helm/Branisel/...the list just goes. The boy will have great players to work with and in my honest opinion, BETTER players to work with than what Auburn is providing currently.
-Offensive scheme fit
I would about this, but I am bad at this stuff so all I will say is he is a better quarterback right now than Nick Marshall will be this season, IMO, and he will only get better at UT with out staff. Malzahn will pigeon hole him, Butch will let the kid develop.
GBO! Go Vols!