Guard needs speed as much as Navy needs him

Editor's Note: This is the first in a series profiling Navy seniors leading up to Saturday's Army-Navy game.

Anthony Gaskins' passionate interest in drag racing has been well-documented. Navy's starting left guard has been an ardent follower of the National Hot Rod Racing Association ever since being introduced to the sport by his great-grandfather.

What has not been well-publicized is the fact Gaskins has taken his need for speed to the street. The 6-foot-1, 284-pound senior is the proud owner of a flashy Ford Lightning, a sports-performance version of the F-150 pickup truck. Released and marketed by the company's Special Vehicle Team, the Ford Lightning is touted as combining outstanding handling with spirited acceleration. It is powered by a modular two-valve "Triton" engine that can produce 360 horsepower.

Gaskins sheepishly admits that his Ford Lightning has undergone some "after-market" alterations. In other words, the truck has been suped-up for speed. "I like fast cars. I wanted to get something that could really go," he said.

"Anthony tries to tell me all the time what type of engine modifications have been made to his truck, but I have no idea what he's talking about," said fellow offensive lineman and close friend Sander Gossard. "I do know that it's all gadgeted-up. He's got every gizmo you could think of."

Gaskins won't reveal how fast he's driven the truck on the open road, but one drag racing Web site reported that a tricked-out Ford Lightning has a maximum speed of 189 miles per hour.

"It's definitely real fast. Anthony has put a lot of work into it. When he starts it up, it makes a weird noise," Navy wide receiver Tyree Barnes said.

Barnes, who has been best friends with Gaskins ever since they roomed together at the Naval Academy Prep School, refuses to ride in the truck anymore after enduring a bad experience.

"The first time Tyree rode in it, I scared him a little bit. I hit the gas and did a burnout. He's been a little nervous ever since," Gaskins said with a chuckle.

Gaskins, a native of West Orange, N.J., grew up attending NHRA weekend events at nearby Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. He would routinely accompany his great-grandfather, grandfather and others relatives on trips to major events up and down the East Coast.

Upon graduation from St. Peter's Prep, Gaskins received a strange gift from his great-grandfather and mother. Charles Johnson and Charlene Gaskins sent the youngster to Frank Hawley's Drag Racing Camp in Gainesville, Fla. Gaskins earned a license to drive Super Comp Dragsters after completing six rounds, recording a top time of 8.53 seconds at 163 miles per hour.

Gaskins showed off his driving skills by winning the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl Go-Kart Racing Grand Prix. Gaskins deftly avoided multiple attempts by teammates to spin him out or run him into the wall then easily out-sprinted quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada down the stretch.

While Gaskins may play it fast and loose on the track, he is all about consistency and precision on the field. A two-year starter at left guard, Gaskins has become a master of executing the various blocks necessary in Navy's triple-option offense.

"Anthony might be the best guard that I've coached since I've been here," said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo, who oversaw the offensive line the previous six seasons. "Anthony has all the intangibles. He's strong enough to base block and fast enough to pull. He's real smart, real tough, very athletic and very explosive."

Niumatalolo is most impressed with Gaskins' football intelligence, which he says are "second-to-none" among offensive linemen at Navy during the current triple-option era.

"Anthony has the ability to make split-second decisions because he sees what is happening so quickly," Niumatalolo said. "He's been a guy over the last two years who has come off the field and told me what was going on."

Gaskins is the unquestioned leader of an inexperienced offensive line that features four first-year starters. He has taken on the responsibility of teaching the others the intricacies of cut blocking and taking the proper angles.

"Coach Niumat told me after the bowl game last year that no one was coming back on offensive line and that I would have to be the one to lead them," Gaskins said. "I try to help the younger guys with the little nuances of understanding what the defense is doing. I tell them that if the linemen slant this way, this is probably what's going to happen."

Gaskins was probably headed to Division I-AA Lehigh or Lafayette before Navy assistant Dale Pehrson stopped by St. Peter's Prep and suggested he take an official visit to Annapolis. Intrigued by the quality of education and impressed by the remarkable bond between the players, the baby-faced youngster decided to take the plunge.

"The military side of things was not something I really wanted to do and I was still a little hesitant during that year at prep school," said Gaskins, who has selected surface warfare as a service assignment and hopes to be stationed in Norfolk, Va.

"But that's where I met guys like Tyree and Sander and Shun White. You really bond together and that's what keeps you here and gets you through the place. The brotherhood at the academy is unbelievable. I've made s many friends that I will have forever. There is something special you develop here as part of this football team."

Gaskins is nursing a sprained ankle suffered late in the Northern Illinois game, but said there is no way he will miss appearing in a fourth straight Army-Navy game. Gossard, a fellow New Jersey native who got to know Gaskins well during drives home together from prep school and during plebe year, is not surprised his friend has become such a standout performer.

"I know the day-to-day Anthony. I see him put in the work in the weight room, in the film room and on the practice field. Based on that, I knew he would wind up becoming a starter and doing well," Gossard said. "Anthony has a real good understanding of the offense and is always doing what he's supposed to do, being where he's supposed to be. He's a physical player who really gets after it."