When asked to describe Greg Gaines, teammate Psalm Wooching combined a pair of words not often used together.
“He’s a playful beast,” Wooching said.
At 6-foot-2, 318 pounds, there is no doubt Gaines has established himself as a beast on the field. He has piled up 32 tackles – eight for loss – and 3.5 sacks despite taking up consistent double teams, so his ability to be a force on the field has been well established.
But the playful portion of Wooching’s description, well, that may come as a bit of a surprise to some who have followed No. 4 Washington’s run to the College Football Playoff. So Wooching was asked to elaborate.
“Off the field, he’s a great guy, a funny guy,” he said. “He likes to play around. On the field he’s just an animal in the trenches.”
Vita Vea shared a similar sentiment when asked about Gaines.
“On the field, he plays around in a good way,” Vea said. “That’s a part of his game that helps him succeed and play to the best of his ability. He’s just goofy in his own way.”
That light-hearted nature on the field helps keep the Huskies loose through the daily grind of a long season.
Talk to Gaines for an interview, though, and he keeps that playful nature tucked away. During a recent photoshoot in advance of Washington’s trip to Atlanta for a New Year’s Eve matchup with top-ranked Alabama in the Peach Bowl, Gaines was all business.
“It’s been pretty fun,” he said. “I’ve done pretty well and I’m ready to go play Alabama.”
At the time, Gaines was preparing for finals. He had briefly shifted his attention away from football to make his school work a priority.
“I’m almost there,” he said, cracking a smile.
Now that finals are over, the defensive tackle has his full focus fixed on Alabama, but he said the reality of what’s ahead won’t truly hit him until the team arrives in Atlanta.
“I don’t think it will really hit us until we get there and start playing Alabama,” he said. “You watch them on TV and they’re like Gods among men. But they put their pants on one leg at a time just like we do. They’re all our age.”
Gaines has grown into an anchor on the Huskies’ defensive front. Working alongside Vea and Elijah Qualls, the team has a strong mix of size and athleticism across its defensive front.
“Our defensive line is doing really well and with Vita and Elijah next to me, it makes my job a lot easier,” Gaines said. “I know they’re doing their job, but I can focus on mine. It’s been really nice.”
Of the three, Gaines said Qualls is the best pass rusher. The sophomore called himself “the run stopper” – “I’m in the middle taking on double-teams” – and he said Vea, well, “he just does it all. He’s a beast.”
“We all do good together,” Gaines said. “We make a really good combo.”
While the reality of the situation facing Gaines and the Huskies might not hit the standout until the program heads east, opportunities like this are the reason he chose to play his college football in Seattle.
“I came here to win,” he said. “I knew coach Pete (Chris Petersen) was going to turn the program around and make it a championship program. Here we are. I knew it would happen. It feels good.”
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