This FIU commitment is likely to be the Panthers next kicker. And he has a monster leg
Glynn Academy, the Georgia high school that helped prepare running back DeeJay Dallas for the Miami Hurricanes, has more recently assisted in the development of Chase Gabriel, who is in line to be FIU’s starting kicker this year as a freshman.
FIU’s kicking job is apparently open because standout redshirt junior Jose Borregales has entered the transfer portal, with rumors he could enroll at Miami. He scored 100 points this past season, making 21 of 29 field goals.
Gabriel, who turns 18 in March and will arrive at FIU this summer, went 13 for 15 on field goals as a senior, with five kicks of at least 45 yards. He set his career long with a school-record 52-yarder against Bradwell Institute … and then he tied it on Glynn’s next possession.
He also went 36 for 36 on extra points and produced 39 touchbacks on 46 kickoffs.
“Nothing fazes him,” Glynn special-teams coach Kemp Hall said. “He’s very mature for his age.”
Hall said Gabriel’s highest-pressure kick came against rival Brunswick in the city championship game. The score was 21-21 before Gabriel calmly booted a 26-yard game-winner as time expired.
Gabriel said he’s not really a punter, but he can do it in a pinch. He averaged 41.5 yards per punt as a senior, including a school-record 72-yarder that rolled about 30 yards.
“I was stoked,” Gabriel said.
The Panthers “discovered” Gabriel at a University of Georgia special-teams camp this past June. FIU special-teams coach James Vollono was impressed, and he kept in touch with Gabriel following the camp. The scholarship offer from the Panthers — Gabriel’s first — came in December, and the timing was perfect, given Borregales’ decision.
“I like the direction FIU is going — three straight bowl games,” said Gabriel, who said he’s interested in going to law school after he’s done playing football. “I like the coaches. I like the business school. FIU had everything I wanted.”
Gabriel said he was willing to learn behind Borregales for a year. But now that Borregales has indicated he’s transferring, Gabriel said he’s ready to win the starting job.
“Chase is the best [high school] kicker in the Southeast,” said Adam Tanalski, the owner of Hammer Kicking Academy and one of Gabriel’s top mentors. “He’s going to be a star in Conference USA.
“His elevation and leg strength are at a different level. He’s going to be a dominant freshman, and I couldn’t be happier that he’s going to Vollono, who is one of the best coordinators in the country.”
THIS AND THAT
▪ It was a big week for FIU’s men’s basketball team (11-4, 2-0 Conference USA), which beat Texas-El Paso by two points and Texas-San Antonio in overtime.
In the first win, Osasumwen Osaghae broke FIU’s career record for blocked shots. He leads the nation with 4.6 blocks per game.
In the second win, UTSA seemed on the verge of winning in regulation, needing only to inbound the ball with 2.9 seconds left and hit two free throws to sink FIU. But UTSA’s inbound pass was deflected to FIU’s Eric Lovett, who fortuitously banked in a 15-footer to send the game to overtime.
FIU’s Devon Andrews had a season-high 26 points, and UTSA’s Jhivvan Jackson — who entered the game as the nation’s second-leading scorer — had 30 points.
▪ Conference USA went 3-5 in its eight bowl games this season, including FIU’s 34-26 loss to Arkansas State.