Respected, reliable and next man in
Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – At a time when many college athletes bail when things don’t go their way, Iowa defensive back Anthony Gair is being rewarded for staying the course.
The fifth-year senior from Plano, Texas made his third career start on Saturday against Illinois and recorded a career-high eight tackles during a 28-0 victory at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
Gair started at strong safety in place of junior Miles Taylor, who was injured early in the Michigan game on Nov. 12 at Kinnick Stadium and hasn’t play since then. Taylor received medical clearance on Friday, according to Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, but he didn’t practice all week, so Gair got the start against Illinois and made the most of his opportunity.
Gair was part of an Iowa defense that held a Big Ten opponent scoreless for the first time since a 12-0 victory over Minnesota in 2009.
Illinois only gained 61 rushing yards on a day in which passing was difficult because of the 20-plus mph wind.
“We came in with the wind knowing it was going to be a factor, so we definitely had to stop the run, which we did,” Gair said.
The only sad thing about Gair’s opportunity is that it came at the expense of Taylor, who has started at strong safety for two seasons. Football is a violent sport in which injuries are a sobering reality and a constant threat.
Gair stepped in with the season on the line against Michigan and has performed admirably in back-to-back games. He has epitomized Iowa’s next-man-in approach by putting the team first, but by also being ready when opportunity presented itself.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Gair was rushed into the Michigan game with no warning, but more than held his own.
That experience, along with having a week to prepare for Illinois, helped Gair on Saturday in Champaign.
“Oh, definitely,” he said. “We prepared pretty good all week, so I knew I was going to get the start about midway throughout the week. So I met with the guys and did the best that we could to get this done.”
As a fifth-year senior, Gair has maturity on his side. His situation is different than freshman cornerback Manny Rugamba, who is now starting for injured senior Greg Mabin.
Gair, unlike Rugamba, has been in the Iowa program since 2012 and made his 45th appearance in a game on Saturday. Gair understands the college game and knows what it takes to be ready each week.
“I’ve gotten on the field quite a bit the past couple years, so I kind of know what to expect when I get out there,” Gair said. “I think it helps a lot.”
Gair could’ve have said the heck with being a reserve defensive back for his entire career as an Iowa football player and bolted.
He could’ve transferred to a school closer to his home in Texas or to a school where he was assured of more playing time.
Transferring has almost become an epidemic in big-time college sports, especially in football and men’s basketball. Some recruits enter college with a sense of entitlement and an expectation to play immediately and then leave at the first sign of resistance.
Gair is determined to finish what he started and will make his final appearance at Kinnick Stadium when Iowa faces Nebraska in the regular-season finale at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
His biggest contribution until recently had mostly been on special teams.
But you also can’t underestimate Gair’s value as a teammate. Team chemistry is crucial to success, and part of building chemistry is having veteran players who accept their roles, trust the coaches and support their teammates.
Gair also embraces the student side of being a student-athlete, and is perhaps an up-and-coming inventor.
He already has one invention to his credit called "Track Slides" that prevent damage when athletes walk on concreate or asphalt while wearing track spikes. A former track athlete in high school, Gair invented a cap that prevents direct contact of the cleat with pavement.
Senior defensive tackle Faith Ekakitie is another shining example of staying the course.
The former four-star recruit hasn’t achieved stardom at Iowa, but has made a significant contribution, along with being a solid teammate by all accounts.
Ekakitie has been part of a three-man rotation at defensive tackle with Jaleel Johnson and Nathan Bazata throughout the season. Ekakitie has taken on more responsibility in recent games, though, with Bazata hobbled by an injury.
This season could’ve unraveled after the 41-14 loss at Penn State, but the players stuck together, made no excuses and just kept grinding.
In other words, they responded to leadership, not just from the coaches, but from a strong senior class that benefits from having unselfish players like Gair and Ekakitie.
Leaders don’t always have to be stars on the field. They have to be respected and reliable.
Gair and Ekakite are both.