STARKVILLE — On a day when Willie Gay was the center of attention, he didn’t want it that way.

On Thursday, the Starkville High School football senior linebacker was presented with his 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl jersey as part of the American Family Insurance Selection Tour at the Starkville football office. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl will be at noon Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. WTVA will broadcast the game live.

Gay said only a few words when he was recognized, but he made sure he credited his coaching staff, his team, and his family in his speech. When the ceremony was over, Gay asked his teammates to take a picture with him.

“He is a very humble guy,” said Emmanuel Ware, Gay’s brother. “He’s a caring person, and as you see, he cares a lot about his teammates. He’s just a friendly guy.”

Gay and Starkville (4-2, 1-1 Class 6A-Region 2) will play host to Greenville (3-4, 1-1) 7 tonight at Yellow Jacket Stadium in a Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A-Region 2 game.

Gay, who is committed to Ole Miss, is rated as the third-best player in the state of Mississippi, the 125th best player in the nation, and the ninth best outside linebacker in the 2017 recruiting class, according to 247Sports Composite. The four-star prospect has 48 tackles (four for loss), one forced fumble, one interception, two pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, and a blocked extra point.

Ware, who played for the Yellow Jackets from 2007-10, said Gay always has been humble. He said that attitude came from home with good parents.

“My momma was preaching that word to me before I knew what it meant,” Gay said of his mother, Bridgette. “When I finally caught on to what it meant, it was easy to be a humble person like I am.”

Gay’s mother was unable to attend the event.

Gay said it was his dream to play in All-American game. The reason he chose the Army All-American game is because he respects what soldiers do on a daily basis by sacrificing their lives to protect America.

Gay also will play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic at noon Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Crampton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. Teammates Jakoby Jones and Connor Reinike, both offensive lineman, will join him.

Senior defensive lineman Nelson Jordan said he and Gay are close and they talk about everything. Walking down the hallways, going to class and attending practice with Gay, Jordan has never seen him act like he was better than anyone.

“He fits in with everybody,” Jordan said. “He doesn’t try to stand out or be boastful about anything. He’s just a regular guy that has an amazing talent.”

Starkville football coach Ricky Woods called Gay a “team player” who is liked by all of the players and coaches. He said they are happy for his success and that he deserves the recognition he is getting.

As a result of Gay being selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Woods earned an invitation to travel to San Antonio to attend the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, an elite three-day learning experience, and participate in Bowl Week activities.

Gay received 15 Division I offers, including ones from Mississippi State, Alabama, Florida State, and Florida. Gay said he wouldn’t have received the offers if it wasn’t for his teammates.

“If it wasn’t for those guys, there’s no telling where I would be today,” Gay said. “I remember back when I used to do stuff and those guys got me out of trouble and kept me from doing dumb stuff. If it wasn’t for those guys, there’s no telling what would be going on.”

Starkville outside linebackers coach Randy Carlisle has coached Gay since the seventh grade. He recalls the coaching staff putting Gay at quarterback during his seventh-grade season.

However, they immediately discovered Gay wasn’t the best for the position, so they moved him to running back and linebacker.

“He wanted to be the quarterback, but he took (the move) and really ran with it,” Carlisle said. “He said, ‘OK, if that’s what I need to do, that’s what I’ll do.’ He never went back to, ‘I’m the ego guy, I want to be the quarterback.’ He’s worked very hard. He’s a totally different person and player now than he was in the seventh grade.”

Ware said he and Gay talk about football on a regular basis and it has been a real treat for him to see Gay have success. He is especially happy Gay’s football career won’t end when he gets his high school degree.

“He’s just a good kid. He’s always put others before him, and I’m just glad he’s getting this opportunity,” Ware said.

Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait

Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.