No. 39 — S Anthony Gair

No. 39 . . .

Have you heard of 'Track Slides'? Probably not, but you might someday.

'Track Slides' are an invention and maybe someday a company for Iowa junior safety Anthony Gair (6-2, 210). Gair ran track at his high school in Plano, Texas, and discovered a need for something that protected his track spikes when he walked on concrete or took off sweats.

This summer, he had the chance to pitch his product 'Shark Tank' style. Daymond John, founder of the FUBU urban apparel company and one of the stars of ABC-TV's 'Shark Tank,' gave a lecture at the Iowa Memorial Union. Afterward, four UI students had a chance to make 'Shark Tank' pitches.

Gair said his invention will cover a track shoe when it's not in use, allowing athletes to still wear them while not competing. He's hoping to get a prototype made soon.

'I actually have a scar here from spiking myself with my own track shoes,' Gair told KCRG-TV. 'It's just a covering that will protect the bottom of your track shoes. The shoes also feel lighter when you take them off.'

Freshman wide receiver Conner Keane is waiting on a patent for his new seasoning shaker, the Swivl Shakr. Keane said his invention allows multiple seasonings to fit in the same shaker. They can be poured separately or at the same time, Keane said.

The players formed their inventions with the help of the student business incubator at the University of Iowa.

The 'Shark Tank' experience had to show some confidence and moxy on Gair's part. It was that kind of a year on the field for Gair, too.

He was tagged for his first career start on the road at Pittsburgh after free safety Jordan Lomax was suspended for a targeting penalty against Iowa State. He picked off a pass to seal the victory (arguably Iowa's most important and, perhaps, unexpected of 2014) and had three tackles.

Gair returned to a backup role for most of the rest of the season. He finished with 11 tackles and saw time on a few special teams units.

This spring, Gair saw time as the No. 2 free safety (behind Lomax) and didn't see time in a nickel role (Iowa didn't do a whole lot of that this spring, so probably don't read a lot into it).

No time at strong safety (as far as we saw). . .

For now, it seems that Gair is locked into the backup free safety role. The strong safety job is open, but sophomore Miles Taylor and redshirt freshman Brandon Snyder are the competitors there.

Here's what defensive coordinator Phil Parker (also the safeties coach) said this spring on the whole safety thing (mostly talking strong safety here, but Gair's name thrown in): 'Well, we've been moving around a little bit. And we kind of tried to figure out what's the right combination. I think Snyder and Anthony Gair are trying to figure that out, too, seeing if they're in the right spot, to create some competition. But the last practice I saw some stuff I liked out of Brandon Snyder a little bit. So we'll see. It's still a long ways to go.'

So, maybe Gair is in the strong safety race? Hard to say. The way spring ended, at least what we saw on the field in the spring game, it didn't look like it.

Outlook . . .

Gair will be on special teams and has a chance to see time in nickel, dime situations. Will he play in regular defense? He won't pass Lomax, a burgeoning leader and solid performer. Maybe he's in the strong safety race? Time will tell on that.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com