According to a transaction bulletin dated Jan. 6 on Arena Football League 2’s (AF2) website, Phillip Hibbard,?a PCC freshman offensive lineman from last season, signed with the Kentucky Horsemen, a franchise of the league.Hibbard, standing at 6’7″ and 330 pounds, will be headed to Lexington, where the Horsemen play their home games in the minor professional ranks of the Arena Football League (AFL) family.
Lexington is where the University of Kentucky resides, where Hibbard signed to play in 2007.
He redshirted in 2007, but for unknown reasons he arrived to play at PCC this season.
Hibbard was listed as the third left tackle on the Wildcat’s depth chart as late as April 28, according to scout.com.
Lexington is also only 75 miles away from London, Kentucky, where he played football at South Laurel High School.
Hibbard was a starter for the Lancers, but missed their final game against Southwestern College in the Tremblay Financial Services Bowl hosted at La Playa Stadium on the campus of Santa Barbara City College.
Even though the parent league to AF2, the AFL, has cancelled its 2009 season “while the League works on developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model,” the AF2 and its 25 teams will play a full season beginning March 20.
AF2 stretches to each coast of the country in 18 states featuring smaller markets and fan bases, such as Stockton, California and Des Moines, Iowa.
Hibbard will be playing under Head Coach Mike Harmon, who also coaches Tates Creek High School in Lexington.
Harmon and Horsemen Recruiting Coordinator Garry McPeek were unavailable for comment.
Since he will now be playing professional football, regardless of the scope, Hibbard will probably lose his collegiate eligibility and won’t be able to return to PCC next season.
Additional reporting by Richard Garcia
PCC offensive lineman Phillip Hibbard signed with the Kentucky Horsemen, an Arena Football 2 team. Hibbard grew up and went to school in Kentucky. (Jeremy Balan)
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