‘I want to be great’: Does Boise State have another running back phenom in 2025?

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — If Sire Gaines is physically capable of being on the football field or in the weight room, that’s where you’ll find him.

Throughout the early summer months, when student-athletes are given some time off, Gaines was hard at work under the baking sun. On the Fourth of July, instead of enjoying burgers and brats, Gaines was in the weight room at the Bleymaier Football Center.

“Every day, I woke up at 6 in the morning, and I was grinding until at least 10 o’clock every night,’’ Gaines told reporters Monday as week two of Boise State’s fall camp began.

Boise State football’s redshirt freshman running back announced his arrival to the college world last year when he opened the season with a two-touchdown, 154-total-yards performance against Georgia Southern. But an injury just two weeks later against Portland State brought Gaines’ freshman campaign to a sudden halt.

Injuries continued to plague him through spring, and he even missed the first few days of fall camp with a slight injury.

“It humbled me,” said Gaines, who rarely suffered an injury in high school. “These 11 months have humbled me because I understand that if I want to be who I say I want to be, I’ve got to go through the fire. I’ve got to go through the work.”

Who exactly does Gaines want to be? Something along the lines of last year’s Heisman Trophy runner-up, and former Bronco teammate, Ashton Jeanty.

Gaines and Jeanty had the potential to be Boise State’s two-headed monster last season before Gaines went down with his injury. The lack of competition for Jeanty, along with his general dominance, led to him racking up 2,739 total yards and 30 touchdowns on 397 touches in 2024.

Gaines has some good competition in the running back room this year, with sixth-year Malik Sherrod and junior Jambres Dubar also vying for snaps. And although Gaines repeatedly talks about how the team comes first, he isn’t shy about staking his claim.

“It’s not pressure, because I embrace it,” Gaines said. “Everything that (Jeanty) had, I want. All the carries, everything to just allow me to do my best for this team, because it’s the team first.”

The two running backs have a few things in common, too. Jeanty entered his final season at Boise State weighing 215 pounds at a height of 5-foot-9. Gaines, who’s only 18 years old entering this season, said he has bulked up to 225 pounds and stands at 6-foot tall.

Off the field, like Jeanty, Gaines is already part of the leadership team, which is voted upon by the players.

He also has remained in touch with Jeanty, who’s preparing for his first season in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders, to ask for advice on taking care of his body and staying healthy.

“I’m hydrating every day. I make sure that if I don’t drink at least a gallon of electrolytes, then I’m not ready to go,” Gaines said. “I’m stretching, I’m praying, eating the right things. I stopped eating fast food and stopped eating fried foods. I eat nothing but salad, fruits and protein.”

With four years of eligibility still under his belt, Gaines is already aiming to be named alongside the likes of Jeanty, Jay Ajayi and Cedric Minter — some of Boise State’s running back greats.

“I want to be great, so I’m going to do everything it takes to be great,” Gaines said. “Long nights, early mornings. I’m going to do whatever I’ve got to do to be great.”