Colorado freshman Quentin Gibson earns freshman All-American honor
Griffin Dreifaldt, Buffaloes WireWed, January 14, 2026 at 11:10 PM UTC·2 min read
Colorado football has been in the news a lot lately, with players coming and going through the transfer portal on what feels like a daily basis. However, this time the spotlight is on something different. For the first time in a while, the news is actually positive on-field recognition. Colorado freshman Quentin Gibson received an award Wednesday from the Football Writers Association of America, earning FWAA Freshman All-America honors as a return specialist.
The Fort Worth, Texas native was the only true freshman to start Colorado's season opener against Georgia Tech. Offensively, Gibson caught 15 passes for 71 yards during the year. His biggest impact came on special teams, where he returned 25 kickoffs for 597 yards, averaging 23.9 yards per return. He finished second in the Big 12 in both total kick return yards and average yards per return, and also added four punt returns for 29 yards.
Many Colorado fans are hoping Gibson earns a larger role at wide receiver moving forward, especially in Brennan Marion's Go-Go offense, where his speed and explosiveness could make him a real weapon. Even with Marion and Deion Sanders bringing in significant wide receiver talent through the transfer portal, Gibson chose not to enter the portal himself. That decision speaks volumes about embracing competition rather than running from it.
Even if wide receiver snaps are limited in 2026 for the rising sophomore, Gibson should have the return role locked down, potentially on both punts and kickoffs. He was one of Colorado's most explosive players this past season, and this award reflects a player poised to build on his success and continue improving in 2026 and beyond.
Don’t blink. ⚡️
Quentin Gibson earns FWAA Freshman All-America honors as a Return Specialist@Qfor6ix x #GoBuffs https://t.co/Cf7MCSRWJF pic.twitter.com/pGYQaI03OZ
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) January 14, 2026
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football Quentin Gibson earns Freshman All-America honors
