Career Highs

Tackles: 16 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17
Solos: 7 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17
TFLs: 2.0, twice (last vs. Western Illinois, 9/8/18)
Sacks: 2.0 vs. Wisconsin, 10/28/17
QB Hurries: 1 vs. Western Kentucky, 9/9/17  
Fumbles Forced: 1 vs. Minnesota, 11/3/18
Fumbles Recovered: 1 vs. Western Illinois, 9/8/18
Interception: 1, three times (last at Rutgers, 10/6/18)
PBUs: 1, four times (last vs. Minnesota, 11/3/18)

2018 Senior

• Played 12 games with 11 starts at linebacker
• All-Big Ten honorable mention (media)
• Voted team's defensive captain for the season
• Only senior on defense
• Led the team in interceptions (4) an tied for the lead in tackles (95)
• Third on the team in TFLs (6.5)
• Interceptions against Kent State, South Florida, Penn State, and Iowa
• First career forced fumble against Minnesota 11/3/18
• First career interception in the season opener against Kent State
• Academic All-Big Ten

2017 Junior

• Played in 11 games with 10 starts at linebacker
• Missed the Minnesota game with an injury
• 85 tackles (46 solo), 4.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, two pass breakups, one quarterback hurry
• Led Illinois in tackles (85) and solo tackles (46)
• Ranked eighth in the Big Ten in tackles per game (7.7)
• Led Illinois with 64 tackles on rushing plays
• Second on the team in tackles during Big Ten games (53)
• Tied for third on the team in TFLs during Big Ten games (3.5)
• Team-high 16 tackles vs. Ball State
• Made his Illinois debut in the opener against Ball State
• Enrolled for spring semester and participated in 2017 spring practices

Junior College

• Four-star recruit by Scout
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN
• Ranked No. 14 junior college recruit in the nation by Scout, No. 19 by 247Sports and No. 44 by Rivals
• Ranked No. 2 junior college linebacker in the nation by 247Sports and No. 3 by ESPN
• Led Garden City to a junior college national title in 2016
• Garden City team leader with 95 tackles (52 solo), 12.5 TFLs and two forced fumbles in 2016
• Also had 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, four pass breakups and one forced fumble in 2016
• Third on Garden City’s team with 72 tackles (45 solo) in 2015 
• Also had 12.5 TFLs, 7.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 2015

High School

• Played high school football at Detroit Cass Tech for head coach Thomas Wilcher
• Led Cass Tech to 2014 city championship
• 2014 all-city selection
• Signed with Western Michigan out of high school

Personal

• Born Oct. 9, 1996
• Son of Latashia Phillips and Shawn Gaines
• Picked Illinois because he, “felt like it was the best place to develop as a student-athlete.”
• Plans to major in sports management 
• Listed Floyd Mayweather as his favorite athlete because he, “always finds a way to win.”