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CB/WR Chris Gamble (All B1G, All-American, National Champion)

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Gamble Is A Safe Bet Against Bucs

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By IRA KAUFMAN The Tampa Tribune
Published: Nov 13, 2006


CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Chris Gamble's season has symbolized Carolina's overall play - not as good as advertised.
The former first-round pick out of Ohio State looked like one of the league's most promising young defensive backs after his first two pro seasons, but Gamble and the rest of the 4-4 Panthers have struggled at times in 2006.
Perhaps the familiar sight of the Bucs will trigger a second-half resurgence for Gamble, a lanky 6-foot-1 corner who victimized Chris Simms for three picks in the past three games against Tampa Bay.
"Gamble's a pure athlete," veteran Bucs receiver Ike Hilliard said. "I know he played some wideout in college and he's got great instincts at the corner. He's got a big frame, long arms and he's made some big plays against us in consecutive years."
Gamble had two interceptions against Simms at Raymond James Stadium last season, returning one 61 yards for a score in Carolina's 34-14 win.
In a Week 3 matchup of winless teams this season, Gamble picked off a pass 40 seconds into the game to set up a touchdown as the Panthers edged the Bucs 26-24.
"You've got to know where Chris Gamble is on the football field at all times," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "He has hurt us in the past."
But for every big play Gamble has turned in this year, he's been exploited, either in coverage or as a punt returner.
His fourth-quarter lateral off a punt return at Minnesota led to a critical turnover as the Vikings rallied in Week 2. Gamble is averaging only 5.3 yards on his 21 returns and don't be surprised if the Panthers turn to Steve Smith for a spark.
Gamble has frequently been caught out of position for the NFL's 20th-rated pass defense.
"I think defensively we haven't been as good as we can be," Carolina coach John Fox said. "But it's not been due to his play. I think Chris has been fairly steady and made some big plays for us in big spots."
The Panthers expect more, especially after Gamble picked off 13 passes in his first two years as a pro.
"I'm just trying to get better to be a shut-down corner," he said. "I've still got little things to work on. I'm trying to watch Champ Bailey and the great cornerbacks who have played the game."
With right cornerback Ken Lucas questionable with a groin injury, the Panthers probably will rely on Gamble to shadow Joey Galloway, who remains one of the NFL's fastest receivers despite turning 35 later this month.
And with Simms on the sideline tonight, Gamble will be trying to get the jump on rookie Bruce Gradkowski.
"Oh yeah, he's fast," Gamble said. "If you play Galloway, man, you've just got to go at him and try to jam him. Watching film against other opponents, all I see of him is catching a lot of deep balls. Once you have a game plan to stop the deep ball, you're all right."
 
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Panthers Training Camp Battles: Chris Gamble v. Ken Lucas v. Richard Marshall
Posted Jul 26th 2007 11:00AM by David J. Warner
Filed under: Panthers, NFC South, Charlotte

Perhaps the most intriguing battle, however, is at cornerback, where Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall, all potential starters, are fighting two starting positions. Loser plays nickel. Lucas was a key defensive cog in the Panthers' 2005 playoff run, but nagging injuries ruined him last season, and Marshall stepped in and played fairly well. Gamble, meanwhile, had something of an off year, so he has something to prove as well.
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Panthers Training Camp Battles: Chris Gamble v. Ken Lucas v. Richard Marshall - Sports Blog - The FanHouse
 
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Panthers CB Gamble doubtful, LB Davis questionable

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) ? Carolina Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble is doubtful for Sunday's game against New Orleans with a broken right thumb, while linebacker Thomas Davis is questionable after missing practice Friday with a foot injury.

Coach John Fox provided no details on Davis, who starts at outside linebacker. Davis practiced the previous two days.

Gamble was injured in last Sunday's loss at Green Bay. He underwent surgery on Tuesday, and Fox said there is a chance Gamble could play with a cast.

"He's feeling better each day. It's just a matter of some of the pain subsiding," Fox said. "We've had guys play with casts before."
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Panthers CB Gamble doubtful, LB Davis questionable - USATODAY.com
 
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Coach Conley discusses Gamble's recruitment to tOSU

Conley's recruiting keys: Identify the decision maker
By Bill Conley
Scouts Inc.
Updated: December 10, 2007

One of the keys to being a good college recruiter is the ability to identify the most influential person in the recruit's life in terms of making the final college decision. In a world of an increasing number of single parent homes and varying family relationships, there are multiple influences on the youth of today. Sometimes the one who has the greatest affect on the recruit may not even be a family member. If not a dad, mom, brother, etc., it could be the high school coach, a former athlete from the community, a close friend or some other acquaintance. One thing is for certain, the sooner the college recruiter can identify the decision maker, the quicker he can try to impress and influence this individual. As a coach you cannot afford to spin your wheels on someone who has little or no influence on the recruit.

It was in the spring of 1999 while coaching and recruiting for Ohio State University that I attended a practice at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dillard High was perennially rich with Division I football talent. The head coach was Joe Redmond, who I had known for many years dating back to when he was the head coach at Central State in Wilberforce, Ohio. Joe was always good about promoting his players and being cordial to visiting college coaches.

As I stood on the sideline that day with other coaching colleagues, a particular junior wide receiver caught our attention. On one play he ran a deep fade route down the sideline. The quarterback terribly overthrew him to the point the football was headed well out of bounds right toward a four foot deep drainage ditch. This young receiver was so concentrating on the football that he didn't notice the ditch. He and the ball arrived at the four foot deep trench at the same time and both disappeared from view. We all started running toward the ditch to see how badly the young man was hurt. Then, all of a sudden, a hand emerged from the trench holding the football. Not only was he unharmed, he actually had made the reception. It was right then and there that I new we wanted this type of competitor at Ohio State.

The young receiver's name was Chris Gamble, and he became one of my main recruiting targets for the next fall. It was now my job to find out as much as I could about Chris and most importantly, find out who the key decision maker was in his life. For a short time, I thought Redmond might be the main influence on Chris since Joe had always taken a huge role in recruiting. College coaches knew they had to go through Joe to get even a chance at one of his players. But as I talked with teachers, counselors, assistant coaches and high school administrators, it didn't seem that Redmond, even though influential, was the main person Chris turned to when making important decisions.

The real power person in his life was his mom Latricia. Even though both parents were living in Fort Lauderdale at the time, the mom and dad were no longer together, and the vast amount of authority over Chris rested in the hands of his mom.
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ESPN - Conley's recruiting keys: Identify the decision maker - Insider
 
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In focus: Chris Gamble, Panthers, CB
Thursday, December 20, 2007

Staff Writer Calvin Watkins analyzes a key Cowboys matchup for Week 16:

Why him
Gamble (6-1, 200) is tied for third in team history with 17 interceptions. He became a starter during in his rookie season in 2004. He split time at wide receiver and cornerback at Ohio State, which helps him understand route running and reading quarterbacks. Gamble, 24, had one interception last year against the Cowboys. He's struggled this season, though, and didn't start last week against Seattle.

How he does it
He might have only one interception this season, but he will cover the opposing team's best wide receiver. Gamble, with 46 total tackles, is very fast and able to outleap some receivers for jump balls. He has good awareness, which helps him cover tall wideouts, such as Terrell Owens.

How to stop him
Gamble gets out of position at times because he overplays balls. Double-moves and pump fakes hurt him, and he's not that strong, especially when physical wide receivers push him at the line of scrimmage.

What about him
A native of Sunrise, Fla., he attended Dillard High School where he was first-team All-Florida his senior season as a wide receiver. ... He was a sports and leisure studies major at Ohio State.
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In focus: Chris Gamble, Panthers, CB | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | SportsDay: Football: Cowboys
 
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Five-year veteran Chris Gamble (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) started 12 games last year, but worked in a reserve role for the final three contests of the season while playing through a thumb injury he incurred on Nov. 18 at Green Bay. Richard Marshall (5-foot-11, 189 pounds) took his place at left cornerback for the final three games.

Gamble, however, was back at left cornerback opposite Lucas when minicamp began.

"Last year, Chris Gamble had a cast on his arm (in December), and it became harder to play with one arm, so we made that change," Fox said. "Now, we line them back up like we were and let them compete."

With Marshall playing well in the final weeks of the season, the Panthers could find themselves with three starters at two spots. Considering that three-wide receiver formations necessitate the use of five defensive backs, whoever ends up as the third cornerback would likely have plenty of work.

"(Marshall) is a guy that I think is capable of starting in the National Football League. Right now, so are Ken Lucas and Chris Gamble. We also signed in the offseason Ricardo Colclough, who has also shown that he can play in the National Football League. Again, we just try to create competition. It's really going to be up to those players."
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Panthers.com
 
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A big year could mean big payday for CB Gamble
By Mike Cranston, AP Sports Writer

SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Carolina Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble saw all the big deals given to defensive backs in the offseason and realized he could be next.

Set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2008 season, Gamble is one strong, healthy and productive season away from cashing in.

"Every other day somebody else is getting signed and it's a DB," Gamble said. "So it's like, 'Man, my time could be up next.' I just try to blank that out and think about this year and what I've got to do."

Entering his fifth season, the former first-round pick has been a starter since his rookie year and is tied for second in team history with 17 interceptions. With a combination of speed and leaping ability, the 6-foot-1 Gamble is looking for his contract year to be his breakout year.

"My goal is to make the Pro Bowl," the 25-year-old Gamble said. "And now I've got to start every day in practice, making plays and grinding it out."

Gamble is coming off his least productive season. Playing with a cast on his right hand due to a broken thumb, Gamble had only one interception and a career-low six pass deflections.

The injury forced Gamble to miss one game and he didn't start in three others as Carolina finished a disappointing 7-9.

"You don't feel pain," Gamble said. "It just feels like you've got one hand to play with."
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"Chris is a guy that ended last year with a broken hand, and that kind of limited him some toward the end of last year," coach John Fox said. "But he's come back and worked very hard this offseason and he's having a good camp."
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"I could be that next DB but it starts first on the field," said Gamble, who indicated the Panthers have not approached him about starting contract talks. "I've got to make myself go out there and have fun and make plays like I know I can. When I see that, it just puts a smile on my face that I could be one of those guys."
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A big year could mean big payday for CB Gamble - USATODAY.com
 
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