Down’s Adam McCann-Gibbs ready for college football debut at the Aviva
Michael Bolton
As excitement builds ahead of Saturday’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic, it will be a special day for Co Down's Adam McCann-Gibbs at the Aviva Stadium.
He will make his debut for the University of North Carolina (UNC) as they take on Texas Christian University.
The 18-year-old made the switch from playing for the Down minors to signing up as a kicker in American Football, an avenue where Irish players have found success in recent years.
A graduate of the Leader Kicking programme that has fed a growing number of Irish players into the US college football system and, for some, the NFL.
Starting off a new sport in your late teens is never easy, particularly being thrown into the highest level. However, his fellow county man, Charlie Smyth, has shown how to be successful in the sport, following his breakout season with the New Orleans Saints.
"Charlie’s obviously been a big inspiration for me. He only lives 10 minutes from me.
“Having that two, three years’ experience under his belt, being able to learn from what he’s been doing, and listening to him, it’s been really inspiring. And obviously, he’s a local lad, like myself, so it’s always really good to see him do well.”
Not many players could have wished to make their debut in their home country when moving across to the other side of the world, but Adam McCann-Gibbs will have this incredible moment on Saturday.
He attended last year's game between the Kansas State Wildcats and the Iowa State Cyclones, in what was his first time attending an American Football game.
This time, he will be the man on the pitch thousands will be watching, and is taking it all in ahead of Saturday.
“It’s an amazing feeling knowing that you’re able to go home and potentially make your debut in front of a home crowd. I have a lot of family coming, a lot of friends, a lot of people from home who texted me in the last week, so yeah, it’s just a really special moment and I’m trying to enjoy it.”
One man who is used to big crowds and pressure is his head coach, Bill Belichick.
Belichick led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowls and helped Tom Brady become the greatest player the sport has seen.
College football is a new challenge for Belichick, but he is still as motivated to teach the next generation at 74-years-old.
“You’re blown away whenever he goes up in a team meeting, everyone shuts up really quickly. You’re able to learn from the guy who’s at the top of his game.
"One thing he talks a lot about is just the process of doing everything. Everything good has [a process] behind it, that’s what we stick by.”
