LAS VEGAS — At 6-foot-1 and 280 pounds, Gabriel Iniguez Jr. cuts an intimidating figure. The senior defensive tackle looks every bit the enforcer you’d expect anchoring the middle of Utah State’s defensive line.
But when he cracks a smile and starts talking about hiking the wind caves in Cache Valley or his budding love for golf, it’s easy to see why his personality and presence make him one of the leaders of the Aggie football program and a natural fit in Logan.
In a quiet corner of Mountain West Media Days, as the clock wound down, I made a quick U-turn after finishing a podcast when I saw Iniguez was free for the final few minutes of media time. It was an absolute pleasure getting to know him a little better.
“People sometimes stereotype football players, especially at Utah State. There’s the we don’t do things the right way off the field or we’re not approachable,” he said thoughtfully. “But when people actually get to know us, they see we’re a great group. We place an emphasis on education and attending class. We care about this place, and we care about each other. And overall, people really sleep on Logan, Utah. It’s got a lot going for it. There is a bright future for the program.”
That same unassuming, hard-working mindset has carried Iniguez through a winding college career that has taken him from a junior college, to Hawai’i, to New Mexico State, and now to Utah State, where he earned honorable mention All-Mountain West honors last season after starting all 12 games.
And as much as Logan has grown on him, so has one of his more unlikely pastimes.
“I just picked up golf,” he said with a chuckle. “I just wanted something that got me outside, instead of sitting at home playing video games when I had nothing else to do. And honestly? I love it. There’s something about it — it teaches you patience, it humbles you real quick, but it’s fun. I’ve been hitting Birch Creek and Logan River. I told Coach Bronco I golf, and he laughed, said I don’t look like a golfer. But yeah, I’ll be out there swinging that iron. Maybe one of these days, and Coach will finally get out and play a round… or at least play each other on EA Sports. I know Coach doesn’t play so it wouldn’t be fair.”
Golf may have humbled him, but football has only strengthened his confidence, shaped by a mindset he likens to one of his favorite superheroes.
“Batman doesn’t really have powers, but he gets stuff done,” he explained. “That’s how I play. I know my strengths, and I figure out how to complete the job. At the end of the day, that’s what matters.”
That approach has paid off. Iniguez has appeared in 27 career games across three Division I programs, accumulating 53 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 6.5 tackles for loss. Last season in Logan, he posted a career-high seven tackles against New Mexico and recorded sacks against his former team, Hawai’i, and rival Wyoming.
Yet for all he’s accomplished on the field, his favorite part of game days remains the atmosphere off it.
“The Hurd, no question,” he said of Utah State’s student section. “They bring it every game, and they keep us going. Win or lose, we know they’ll be there next week. Best student section in the country, if you ask me.”
Still, he does find time to pick up a controller every now and then — and yes, he’s running Utah State on EA Sports’ College Football 25.
“Of course! Gotta rep the brand,” he said, laughing. “If Aggie Nation wants to play me… well, send the house on me and I might fold under pressure in the game. But on the field? I’m locked in. No folding out there.”
Away from football and golf, Iniguez keeps his roots close and his goals big. A proud son, brother, and teammate, he credits his family and mentors for keeping him grounded through the ups and downs of college football. Whether it was long days grinding at City College of San Francisco, helping New Mexico State to a championship game, or finding his place at Utah State, he’s leaned on the lessons they instilled in him to keep learning and be ready for whatever comes next, even if it’s in an alternate universe.
“In an alternate universe,” he said with a smile, “I’d probably be figuring out a cure for cancer and just trying to be one of the smartest people in the world. I really enjoy learning.”
The Pittsburg, California, native has already graduated with a sociology degree and is working toward a second bachelor’s in integrated studies. He sees coaching in his future, preferably as a defensive line coach, but for now, he’s focused on his final season in Logan, his teammates, and maybe squeezing in another round of golf.
And of course, proving a few more doubters wrong.
“I think we will surprise some people this year, they might underestimate our team, and sometimes underestimate guys like me,” he said. “But I just go to work, get the job done, and let people see for themselves what we’re about. That’s just how we are built.”
