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Young ASU cornerbacks making progress
Sophomore Reine, freshman Gainey plugging hole in Mountaineers' secondary
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Published: October 2, 2008
Appalachian State's newest cornerbacks were tested early and often last Saturday night against a Presbyterian team that threw 61 passes.
Sophomore Jared Reine made his first start, replacing injured Dominique McDuffie at right cornerback. He alternated with Ed Gainey, a freshman from Winston-Salem who wound up getting the majority of playing time in the second half and finished with seven tackles and one pass breakup.
The Blue Hose went right after both of them.
"I expected that, with McDuffie going down the last game and us being new," said Reine, who had two solo tackles in Appalachian's 48-14 victory. "So I knew they would go at what they thought would be the weak part of the defense."
Gainey said: "We were expecting them to come at us. I made a few freshman mistakes, and they went right after us the first couple of plays, and I missed a couple of tackles. I learned a lot though."
Coach Jerry Moore of the Mountaineers said he thought that each did a relatively good job.
"I thought that they both played well," Moore said.
"I was really pleased with Ed, being a true freshman. He's one of those young guys that the light is starting to come on with him."
McDuffie is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, and Moore said that it's yet to be determined whether Reine or Gainey will start in Saturday's Southern Conference opener against The Citadel and whether the two will continue to share time.
"Both of them did some good things and both made some mistakes," Moore said. "We have the luxury to flip them or do like we did (against Presbyterian), but you'd also probably like to have a guy (identified) as the starting corner. I think it depends on how they practice this week."
Reine was expected to be the starter before breaking an ankle last spring, and freshman McDuffie emerged in fall camp to win the job.
"That set me back a lot," Reine said of the ankle injury. "I began (preseason camp) probably 75 to 80 percent. I wasn't really at full go, so I wasn't really able to do what I'm used to doing. I was a little nervous at first (last Saturday), but I settled in and felt more comfortable."
It's been a long journey for Reine, a New Orleans native whose high-school career was disrupted before his junior season. His family had to evacuate and moved to Atlanta after their home was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Gainey, who played mostly safety at Mount Tabor last season, has made a quick transition to cornerback.
The Mountaineers will face another passing team Saturday. The Citadel features receiver Andre Roberts, the program's all-time leader in pass receptions.
"We'll have to be ready," Gainey said.
■ Tommy Bowman can be reached at 727-7320 or at tbowman@wsjournal.com.
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