MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — At some point in the lead-up to West Virginia’s 2015 season, Skyler Howard tossed a football into the hands of Shelton Gibson.
Always keep the ball with you, Gibson recalled Howard saying, and if I see you without it, I’m going to ask you where it is. Howard even named the ball “Vickie.”
Since that moment, Gibson cradles the ball with him most everywhere he goes. This Mountaineers wide receiver brings it with him to class, often having to answer questions from curious professors. When he showers, he places it on the sink and picks it up once he steps out.