Career Awards
• 2016 honorable mention all-conference
2016 (Junior): Gates played in all 11 games and made nine starts at linebacker. He had 64 tackles, with 44 solo and had three sacks for a loss of 28 yards. Forced one fumble against Lamar. He had a season high 11 tackles (nine solo) at Air Force during the season opener. Broke up six passes with two each against Incarnate Word and at Southeastern Louisiana. Gates was named 2016 honorable mention all-conference.
2015 (Sophomore): Played in eight games, but started each of the Wildcats’ final three games at outside linebacker, finishing the season with 32 tackles, including 25 solo stops. He had the best game of his career on Nov. 14 in ACU’s home finale when he had eight tackles (six solo stops), including three tackles for 11 yards in losses in the Wildcats’ 21-17 win over Southeastern Louisiana. He also had his only sack of the season in that win over the Lions. He had five tackles and two tackles for loss in the Wildcats’ season-opening loss at Fresno State.
2014 (Freshman): Gates played in nine games with one start (McNeese State) in his true freshman season. Gates finished with 11 tackles (seven solo) in those nine contests. Gates had a career-high three tackles against both Ave Maria (three solo stops on Oct. 11) and McNeese State (one solo).
High school: Gates helped lead Fairfield to the Class 3A Division II state championship game in 2013 where the Eagles lost to Argyle in a thriller, 38-33, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Fairfield finished the season at 15-1. As a senior, while helping lead Fairfield to the first state title game in program history, Gates finished with 61 tackles (16 solo), including eight for loss. He also had three sacks, one pass defended, two fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles. He was a first team all-District 19-3A selection as a utility player on the offensive side of the ball and a first team all-district selection at outside linebacker on the defensive side of the ball. As a junior he had 38 tackles (23 solo), including eight tackles for loss. He also had three sacks, one pass defended, one fumble recovery and three forced fumbles. As a sophomore he had 54 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, one pass defended, two interceptions and one forced fumble. He was a high school teammate of fellow ACU signee Chris Lide. Played at Fairfield for head coach John Batchel.
Personal: Son of Reshonda Gates. 2014 graduate of Fairfield High School. Born 11 April 1996.
