This ‘vicious’ freshman is set for big Boise State role — even as backup to team’s star

Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Boise State fans person go accustomed to seeing nan shot clutched tightly adjacent to nan No. 2 jersey of moving backmost Ashton Jeanty.

But if they blink connected Saturday, they mightiness miss that it’s not successful nan reliable hands of No. 2; instead, No. 26 has possession.

Introducing freshman moving backmost Sire Gaines. Who could carnivore a striking resemblance to Jeanty erstwhile he spells nan prima moving back.

A existent freshman, Gaines is listed arsenic 6 feet (a mates of inches taller than Jeanty) and 209 pounds (6 lighter than Jeanty). And he doesn’t tally for illustration a freshman, coaches opportunity — conscionable arsenic Jeanty didn’t.

“To play successful nan backfield here, you’ve sewage to do each 3 things,” moving backs coach James Montgomery told nan Idaho Statesman. “You’ve sewage to beryllium capable to protect nan quarterback, you’ve sewage to beryllium capable to tally nan ball, you’ve sewage to beryllium capable to beryllium a threat successful nan walk game. And truthful we consciousness for illustration he tin do each 3 of those things.”

Simply put, nan Boise State backfield is loaded. Despite a promising freshman play from Jambres Dumbar — 335 yards connected 62 carries — and nan acquisition and versatility of sixth-year fullback Tyler Crowe, Gaines will beryllium backing up Jeanty this weekend.

Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said Gaines has “earned nan correct to person a immense freshman year” and will person a “huge role” erstwhile Boise State kicks disconnected its 2024 play against Georgia Southern successful Statesboro, Georgia, astatine 2 p.m. Mountain time.

Gaines arrived astatine Boise State arsenic a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports. He played for Orange Vista High School successful California and vanished his elder play pinch 2,079 all-purpose yards, including 1,685 rushing yards connected 175 carries.

Will each of that evident talent modulation to nan assemblage level? Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter doesn’t look concerned.

“(Gaines) is simply a feline that doesn’t tally for illustration a freshman, and he doesn’t look to beryllium acrophobic of nan moment,” Koetter said earlier this week. “He’s not retired location fumbling around; he knows what he’s doing.”

While nan coaches spot a batch of imaginable successful Gaines, there’s still personification large sitting successful beforehand of him — a subordinate successful nan Heisman Trophy speech who has a school-run website arsenic portion of that push.

But Gaines doesn’t spot backing up Jeanty, aliases having a batch of tin players astatine nan position, arsenic an issue.

“If I request to return nan load disconnected Ash, I’m going to do it,” Gaines told nan Statesman. “So immoderate I tin do to thief nan offense, to thief this team, I’ll do it.”

Gaines described Jeanty not only arsenic an “NFL-caliber moving back,” but besides arsenic his “big brother.” He said he’s been learning from Jeanty each time — and added, pinch a laugh, that occasionally they person been fighting for illustration brothers, too.

Gaines said he’s been picking up tips connected Jeanty’s expertise to trim explosively and elude nan defense.

“He brings nan dawg retired of me. He brings a spot connected my shoulder. He brings nan confidence,” Gaines said. “Because moreover if I do good, he still lets you cognize what I do wrong; if I do wrong, he’s nan first personification to beryllium connected me. And it brings a consciousness of urgency to do better.”

Gaines is simply a backmost pinch spot and power, truthful he’s apt to beryllium portion of packages that were akin to nan activity Jeanty had arsenic a freshman — short yardage and between-the-tackle runs.

But nan freshman besides calls himself an “honorary lineman” who useful to make walk protection 1 of his champion attributes.

Gaines has physicality that he utilized connected some sides of nan shot successful precocious school. He had 95 tackles successful his profession and 7 sacks, truthful he knows a point aliases 2 astir getting to nan backmost and what it takes to protect him.

What’s possibly astir breathtaking for nan coaches is Gaines’ translator since arriving astatine Boise State. He gained astatine slightest 15 pounds to measurement successful nan vicinity of 210, arsenic he’s listed connected nan roster. But he told nan Statesman that he precocious was correct astatine 215, nan aforesaid arsenic Jeanty.

“This 215 now is different; it moves differently,” Gaines said pinch a smile. “It’s existent vicious.”

Boise State astatine Georgia Southern
When: 2 p.m. MT Saturday

Where: Paulson Stadium (25,000, Turf), Statesboro, Georgia

TV: ESPNU (Mike Corey, Rene Ingoglia)

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Records: Boise State was 8-6 past year; Georgia Southern was 6-7.

Series: This is nan first gathering betwixt nan 2 schools.

Vegas line: Boise State by 13

Weather: 93 degrees, humidity 62%, partially cloudy skies, 9% chance of rain