a method and apparatus of processing sheet media such as document sheets to be duplex scanned or media sheets on which two sided printing is to take place includes automatic positioning of an active sheet guide gate and drag clutch by the rotation of a transport roller with which the active gate and drag clutch is frictionally engaged . the transport roller may comprise one or more coaxial rollers in an assembly positioned in the media path and is rotatable in different directions such that the leading edge of a moving media sheet is moved through one or the other of two nips defined between the transport roller assembly and associated upper and lower pinch rollers . the direction of rotation of the transport roller assembly can be reversed before the sheet leaves the nip to thus re - position the sheet guide gate and re - route the sheet back in a desired path to a scanner or printer for further sheet processing .