After putting up a season-high 153 yards and a touchdown in a 20-14, homecoming win over Maine, Tim Gale has been named The Northeastern News Player of the Week.
The senior running back took home the Thornton Homecoming MVP and was one of the key players to help the Huskies snap out of a three-game losing streak, their longest since 2000.
Gale’s 11-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter brought his school-record rushing TD total to 32 and moved him into Northeastern’s number fourth spot in all-time rushing yardage with 2,333.
“With [Gale] pounding the defense, it brings everyone up to the line to stop him, especially the safeties,” said junior quarterback Shawn Brady. “That opens up the passing game for us, it’s our dream to have one-on-one coverage on the outside.”
Coach Don Brown echoed his QB’s sentiments.
“He controls the clock and controls the pace of the game,” he said. “In the second half, when you need to run the ball and grind it out, he had 120 yards.”
“He’s the type of guy that, in the second half, he’s like tackling a tractor trailer,” continued Brown, who noted that Gale runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. “But he also has great speed; you’ll see a guy who seems to have the angle on him and all of a sudden he’s by him.”
Gale is also one of the Huskies’ four captains, his influence on the team was noted by his quarterback.
“He’s a great leader, a great kid, he’s one of my close friends,” said Brady. “He’d do anything for anyone.”
After a breakout season in his freshman year in which he set the record for rushing yards by a true freshman and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, Gale was hampered by a myriad of injuries as a sophomore, playing in only five games.
He took 2001 off for personal issues, and took the opportunity to get knee surgery to fix a lingering injury.
Gale was back with a vengence in his junior year, collecting yards and awards at a frenzied pace. He ran for 176 yards and 12 touchdown in the final five games of 2002 and was first-team All Atlantic-10, New England All-Star, and the team’s offensive most valuable player.
He also inserted his name into the top of NU’s record books next to L.J. McKansas on two occasions, tying his record for rushing touchdowns in a season (14) and his streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games with five. But, with a pair of touchdown receptions, Gale’s 16 all-purpose TD’s broke Dave Klemic’s record of season record of 15.
— Peter Conroy, News Staff
