Interview: Former Wisconsin QB D.J. Gillins Overcoming ACL Injury on JUCO Recruiting Trail

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

An injury for any athlete at any time is never good. Perhaps there is no worse time than when the clock is against the various players closing in on the end of a senior season in high school and in college or during a sophomore season at the junior college ranks. One player able to buck the trend rising above injury concerns is D.J. Gillins. Luckily for Gillins, he has a wealth of experience at the high school, college, and junior college level to ensure college recruiters how much next level talent he possesses.

Gillins was a do-everything kind of athlete in the pocket for Jean Ribault coming out of high school. Gillins could beat a team with his arm or his legs dropping dimes all over the field and breaking ankles with his speed and quickness. Once his playing days were done at the high school level in Jacksonville, Gillins was an early enrollee at Wisconsin picking the Badgers over numerous suitors as part of the 2014 recruiting class.

Once in Madison, Gillins made the personal sacrifice of team first choosing to fill in at wide receiver during his redshirt freshman season playing in six games for the Badgers. At the end of the 2015 season, Gillins transferred to Pearl River opening his recruitment back up seeking an option to continue playing college ball as a quarterback at the Division-I level. Spring tape showed the now- 6-3, 210 pound, talent is still quick-on-quick, accurate, and has an improved ability to make plays in the pocket opting more times than not to throw the ball to one of his play makers instead of gaining yards for himself on the ground.

College coaches have responded to Gillins desire to get back under center with teams like SMU, Troy, Georgia Southern, New Mexico, and Southern Miss all putting offers on the table.

The recruiting waters could have gotten murky for Gillins during Game 1 of his sophomore season. Gillins suffered an ACL injury that required surgery. He finished his first and only junior college game, hobbled, but compled 18 of 29 attempts for 179 yards and carried the rock eight times for 55 yards.

In a Recruiting News Guru stylized interview, I caught up with Gillins to get an update on his injury and recruitment.

Interview

DJ, when did you get injured?

“I got hurt during the first game of the season.”

Are you okay now?

“I am. I had surgery to repair a torn ACL.”

Since you are a sophomore, are you going to seek a medical redshirt to return next season?

“I can get a medical redshirt but I am still going to a four-year school when I graduate in December.”

Are all of the schools that have offered you still behind you 100 percent?

“Yes.”

Thanks fantastic. Before your injury, how was your personal play on the field shaping up?

“It was great. We are deep at wide receiver, two-deep all the way around. Our offensive line is good. When we played that game, I did not know JUCO refs were that bad. We were in the red zone eight times but we were only able to score once. When I tore my ACL, I continued to play even though I knew it was torn. I figured my last JUCO game, why not play. We missed a couple of field goals and we should have scored a couple of other times. We should have easily won that game.”

What were you working on this year in practice and games?

“I was really just working on my check downs. I wasn’t as successful in the game, I took off running. My main focus was check downs before running out of the pocket.”

What are your strengths as a quarterback?

“My pocket presence and knowing where the defenders are. I have pretty good footwork in the pocket. I am pretty accurate and I have a pretty strong arm.”

What did you learn as a quarterback from your time with the Badgers?

“Film study. Wisconsin is probably one of the best teams in the nation at film study. I was in there with Joel Stave. His prep for a game was incredible. I learned you win most games in practice and film. I spent a lot of time going over film at Wisconsin.”

Of the teams that have offered you, are there any pushing a little bit harder than the others?

“SMU, majorly, Troy, and Southern Miss.”

Are there any schools showing interest in you but have not offered you yet?

“Mississippi State, Tulane, and a couple other schools.”

Have you taken any unofficial or official visits yet?

“I took an official to SMU during their fall camp in early August. No others yet.”

How did the SMU visit go?

“It was great. SMU has everything I am looking for and everything I asked about they showed me. I like how their program works. I like how Coach (Chad) Morris does his thing. SMU is an up and coming program, and they are in the heart of Dallas. SMU is a great school, there education is on point. I had a great visit.”

You’ve been through the recruiting process before, what are you looking for from a four-year school this time around?

“I’m looking to graduate, I’m looking at their offensive scheme, and I want to know if the head coach really wants me to play at quarterback.”

You got some game time in with Wisconsin. Was there a game that stands out in your mind as your best or just a fun game for you on the field?

“The game that was the most fun for me was against Illinois. That was my first. I played a lot of special teams and wide receiver. It was a great learning experience and I got to knock someone’s head off. That was a fun time.”

What was your motivation to switch from QB to receiver at Wisconsin?

“Even if I had stayed at Wisconsin I would have gone back to quarterback. At that time, I wanted to play and I wanted to contribute so I switched.”

DJ, thanks for your time today and good luck with the rest of your rehab.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: madison.com; No. 7 D.J. Gillins

Photo credit: foxsports.com; No. 7 D.J. Gillins makes a Badger defender miss.

Photo credit: scout.com; No. 7 D.J. Gillins in the open field.