No. 24 Fred Gaines
Slotback/Defensive Back
5-10 • 160 • Freshman
Chowchilla, CA / Chowchilla HS

High School -- Gaines cracked the 1,000-yard mark in rushing and notched four 100-yard games as a senior under head coach John Henson at Chowchilla High School in the San Joaquin Valley. Gaines gained 1,008 yards on 113 carries, averaging 8.9 yards a trip, and scored 13 touchdowns for the Redskins, who finished 12-1 overall, won the North Sequoia League title and captured the CIF-Central Section Division IV championship with a 20-0 victory over Kingsburg. Gaines rushed for 183 yards on just 11 carries and scored twice in the game against Kingsburg. For the season, Gaines also had eight catches for 250 yards and four touchdowns. On defense, he intercepted a Central Section-best 10 passes, returning one for a touchdown. Gaines earned first-team All-North Sequoia League honors as both a running back and defensive back and was unanimously named MVP of the North Sequoia League. He also was named to the all-state second team as a defensive back, was team MVP as a senior and earned All-Fresno Bee honors. As a junior, Gaines rushed for 400 yards and five touchdowns and caught 12 passes for 340 yards and four more scores for the Redskins, who were 8-4 in 2007. He was the team’s offensive player of the year as a junior and compiled a 3.85 grade-point average in high school.