3A high school football: Gates is a two-way difference maker for Hurricane

Simply describing Ian Gates as a good football player doesn't adequately paint a picture of just how much he contributes to Hurricane on both sides of the football.

Gates, a senior, offers the Tigers valuable leadership as a two-way player. On offense, he anchors the line at one of the guard positions and sets a rugged tone that allows the unit to run-block and pass-block with equal proficiency. On defense, he stands out as Hurricane's leading tackler and has established himself as a consistent playmaker at linebacker.

Tigers coach Chris Homer believes what Gates has done for his team this season far exceeds the contributions of a typical senior starter.

"In my opinion, he's the best football player in 3A," Homer said.

Gates certainly ended up being a difference-maker in Hurricane's 24-19 victory over Park City in the 3A semifinals last week. He tallied eight tackles, 2 1/2 sacks and also recovered a fumble late in the second quarter to help the Tigers rally from an early 12-0 deficit and reach the 3A championship game for a second straight season.

If Hurricane can find a way to get past Juan Diego when the two teams meet at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday, you can bet Gates will play a major role in getting the Tigers over the hump.

Through 13 games, Gates has accumulated 86 tackles and ranks among the top ten tacklers in 3A this fall. He has recorded at least eight tackles in six games, with a season-best 14 tackles in a 42-24 victory at Dixie two months ago. Such numbers are in keeping with what Gates accomplished as a junior when he totaled 73 tackles in 14 games.

What makes his contributions even more impressive is that Gates plays a pair of positions that are among the most demanding physically and mentally on the football field.

"It takes a real toughness to do what he does," Homer said. "A true toughness. Maybe that's his biggest attribute is that he's extremely tough mentally and physically."

That toughness proved to be a real asset when injuries sidelined fellow linebacker Micah Anderson for several weeks. Anderson did not return to full strength until late October, which meant it fell on Gates to set the right tone for the Tiger defense and keep his teammates focused on working hard and being aggressive on that side of the ball.

Now that Anderson is at 100 percent again, both players do enough to create plenty of sleepless nights for any offensive coordinator. The defense as a whole received a boost to its effectiveness as well.

Off the field, Gates has excelled in classroom with an equal tenacity and carries a 3.97 GPA. Homer believes that intelligence has translated well to football and has helped form him into the poised quiet leader that Hurricane has needed.

"He's a special kid and a special player," Homer said. "We wouldn't be anywhere near where we're at without a kid like that leading the way."

EMAIL: jcoon@desnews.com