Jimmy Gaines

[dg151]

Maybe the Hurricanes were told about what Gaines did in 2008, his junior season. Canisius, trying to test its growing program, asked for a game with nationally known Ohio powerhouse Walsh Jesuit. It did not go well.

“On the road, getting our face kicked in by a 90-man roster in front of 10,000 people,” recalled Robbins, Canisius’ defensive coordinator at the time and now head coach. “We had about 30 kids. We probably weren’t ready for it.”

Walsh won 58-0. When Canisius’ starting tailback left the game with an injury, Gaines, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker, got the ball. He bullied his way ahead for 18 yards on the first play. On the next play, his stiff-arm attempt landed in an opponent’s facemask.

Blood everywhere. Bone sticking out a sickening angle. With a mangled finger and a hand that was “filleted open,” Robbins recalled, Gaines tucked his arm at his side and returned to the huddle. After laying crunching blocks on the next two plays, an official saw the blood and directed him to a horrified trainer on the sidelines.

Now that's a freaking middle linebacker.

Crazy that he's going to be 20 in his senior season. If Porter can stay healthy and Pierre takes the next step I feel pretty good about the middle of the defense with those two and Gaines/Kirby.

Rest of the article.

 

[jandman514]

Yea he and Grimble should have been red shirted both were young for their classes...

 

[Oh Snap]

He definitely has the size. He has developed a ton since 2011.

 

[rudebuddha]

Maybe the Hurricanes were told about what Gaines did in 2008, his junior season. Canisius, trying to test its growing program, asked for a game with nationally known Ohio powerhouse Walsh Jesuit. It did not go well.

“On the road, getting our face kicked in by a 90-man roster in front of 10,000 people,” recalled Robbins, Canisius’ defensive coordinator at the time and now head coach. “We had about 30 kids. We probably weren’t ready for it.”

Walsh won 58-0. When Canisius’ starting tailback left the game with an injury, Gaines, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker, got the ball. He bullied his way ahead for 18 yards on the first play. On the next play, his stiff-arm attempt landed in an opponent’s facemask.

Blood everywhere. Bone sticking out a sickening angle. With a mangled finger and a hand that was “filleted open,” Robbins recalled, Gaines tucked his arm at his side and returned to the huddle. After laying crunching blocks on the next two plays, an official saw the blood and directed him to a horrified trainer on the sidelines.

Now that's a freaking middle linebacker.

Crazy that he's going to be 20 in his senior season. If Porter can stay healthy and Pierre takes the next step I feel pretty good about the middle of the defense with those two and Gaines/Kirby.

Rest of the article.

Read the whole article. Great story.
His high school team is now a national power and his coach credits Gaines as being the catalyst for their emergence even though he graduated 4 years ago.
I have mucho respect for Jimmy Gaines.

 

[HurricaneVision]

Always more to the story than what we see as fans. Dude's a 20 year old Senior. He definitely should have been redshirted, and we see a player who isn't the athlete that a lot of other recruits are.

We don't see the leadership skills. The film study. The work ethic. These things matter to coaches quite a bit, and helps to explain his acclaim.

Good story, thanks for sharing.

 

[jnw4563]

This guy has come a long way from a 2 star recruit.

 

[canecountry3]

Was the only guy with a pulse on D vs Virginia.

I expect him to start and play well.

 

[L A M P]

Just rewatched the USF game.. he was ballin!

 

[DiegoCane]

He played pretty **** well down the stretch last year. Its a real shame he isn't a RS JR, kid was playing when he was 17.

 

[bg534]

I've been telling people for a while that he was going to start this year.


Him and Shayon Green. While the younger guys definitely have more athleticism and upside than these two, the importance of having seniors with strong leadership qualities and the ability to organize a defense cannot be understated. We were completely lacking in that last year.


I still worry that Kacy Rodgers may start over Rayshawn Jenkins, though. That is a terrifying thought for any Canes fan. You've got to go with Senior leadership, sure, but only to a certain point. The man lost the defensive end of the FSU game singlehandedly.


/Please don't let my Kacy Rodgers comments derail the thread.

 

[RepTheGables]

For as lost as he's looked at times, Jimmy's made some serious heads-up plays. During the OT goal-line stand against GT, Jimmy made the defensive audible that put EJ in position to stop Tevin Washington. And as others have noted, his performance down the stretch showed vast improvement over his earlier work.

I expect Gaines to be a heady leader of the defense this season.

 

[Cans4life]

He really started to come on at the end of last year. He'll never be Jon Vilma but I think He can be as good as Darryl Sharpton this year.

 

[The Franchise]

Victim of horrible roster mismanagement by Shanntard. This dude was forced into action way too soon. He's a super smart guy (coach on the field type), works hard, and is a good player. I think he'll have a really nice senior season. This guy was a tackling machine in HS, so he knows what to do out there. He was simply physically overwhelmed earlier in his career.

 

[eleganttomcat]

After watching the video of him being interviewed after practice I have a lot more respect for Jimmy Gaines. He is a well spoken, high character kid. I am 100% in the driver seat of the Raphael Kirby train (and n***a I ain't stoppin for anyone) but I am definitely pulling for Gaines to have a great year too. After hearing him and seeing what he's like the kid is just extremely likable.

 

[grover]

Gaines and Porter and the two guys I'm expecting the biggest leap from this year. A great defense starts from the middle. Need our plug and MLB to control the interior.

 

[moshated305]

After watching the video of him being interviewed after practice I have a lot more respect for Jimmy Gaines. He is a well spoken, high character kid. I am 100% in the driver seat of the Raphael Kirby train (and n***a I ain't stoppin for anyone) but I am definitely pulling for Gaines to have a great year too. After hearing him and seeing what he's like the kid is just extremely likable.

I agree. But I will add we will need both of them. I expect to see Kirby a lot this year. I know a lot of people were worried about losing EJ but I think our LBs will be much improved.

 

[Burr]

My dads whole family is from Buffalo and in Decmeber for Christmas I visited Fam there. I stayed at an apartment building literally a block from Canisius and in the last 3 years they have built a state of the art Field house and brand new turf field with nice seating areas.


That school is so sick

 

[rudebuddha]

He really started to come on at the end of last year. He'll never be Jon Vilma but I think He can be as good as Darryl Sharpton this year.

Sharpton. Still can't believe he's a pro linebacker.
I was thinking Gaines doesn't have the physical talents to make it to the next level but if Sharpton could make a pro roster I don't see why Gaines won't be a pro.

 

[gogeta4]

He really started to come on at the end of last year. He'll never be Jon Vilma but I think He can be as good as Darryl Sharpton this year.

Sharpton. Still can't believe he's a pro linebacker.
I was thinking Gaines doesn't have the physical talents to make it to the next level but if Sharpton could make a pro roster I don't see why Gaines won't be a pro.

Sharpton when starting in the league has played good.

 

[zone3cane]

Jimmy Gaines has had a number of underrated and overlooked performances throughout his career