After stellar high school football and track and field careers at Columbus West High School, Gatewood came to WVU as an offensive tackle. He spent two years on the bench before being thrust into action last-minute due to a teammate’s sickness before the 1975 Peach Bowl, which WVU won 13-10 over North Carolina State. He went on co-captain the 1977 football team and the 1979 track and field team. Gatewood set the school record in the shot put with a throw of 53 feet, 2 and one-half inches. He was able to compete that year, his fifth academic year, because he received a track scholarship and graduated with a B.S. in business administration.