Official: Jerry Gray DOES replace Akina

From the University:





Austin -- Former Texas great Jerry Gray, a 23-year veteran of the NFL as a player and coach, has returned to his alma mater to join the Longhorns staff as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach, head coach Mack Brown announced Monday. Gray spent nine seasons as a player in the league and 14 years as an assistant coach, including five as a defensive coordinator.

"This is truly an exciting opportunity for me and my family," Gray said. "Not very many guys get the chance to come back and coach where they played and to do that at a place that is as special as Texas. It's just an unbelievable opportunity. I've enjoyed getting to know Coach Brown, and I've been so proud watching everything they've been accomplishing since he took over, and to have a chance to be a part of that is a dream come true."

The arrival of Gray gives Texas three members of the coaching staff who played for the Longhorns, including Co-Offensive Coordinator Major Applewhite and Defensive Ends Coach Oscar Giles.

"We're excited to bring back one of our own in Jerry Gray," Brown said. "He is a member of the Texas High School Hall of Fame, the Longhorn Hall of Honor and is one of the great defensive backs and players to come out of The University of Texas and this state. He went on to be a Pro Bowl player for many years in the NFL and then to becoming one of the league's best defensive coaches.

"Jerry brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our program having spent 14 years coaching in the NFL, including five as a defensive coordinator, and helping develop our own Earl Thomas this past year in Seattle. We've all had a chance to get to know Jerry over the years on his visits back to Austin and really look forward to him joining our staff. I know our guys will be excited to move forward with such a great Longhorn."

A four-year letterman at defensive back from 1981-84, Gray is one of only seven Longhorns to earn two-time consensus All-America honors, as he did in 1983 and 1984. He earned unanimous honors as a senior and is still one of only 20 players in UT history to accomplish that feat. He was also a two-time Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1983-84. Inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1996, Gray is also a member of the Texas All-Time Team and All-Decade Team for the 1980’s.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back on campus and working with the guys," Gray said. "I enjoy the teaching part of the game and am excited to be able to pass down to the young guys everything I've learned being in the NFL for a long time as a player and coach. The things I like to focus on are technique and helping them better understand the game. Effort and the mental part of the game is the difference in the great players in the NFL, and I think I can help them see that. If they understand what to do and why they're doing it, they'll develop as a player and play faster for our defense. When you're dealing with young people, it's important to understand that they all learn differently. I've always prided myself in being a players' coach and working with each individual. I need to be smart about how I coach each of these young guys and prepare them to be the best player they can be."

Gray finished his career ranked second on the UT career interceptions list and still stands third with 16, just one behind record holders Noble Doss and Nathan Vasher. He is also tied with Vasher and three others for second on the single-season interceptions list after pulling in seven in 1984. He shared that record until S Earl Thomas set a mark with eight in 2009. Gray also finished his career fourth on the career fumble recoveries list and still stands eighth with six recoveries.

"Believe me, I've been around this game for a while, and I've looked around in college and the NFL, and you're not going to find a more respected guy than Coach Brown," Gray said. "When this opportunity came up, I talked to a lot of guys around the league and in the college game about it and they all said to take it. They said that because of the respect everyone has for Coach Brown. He's a guy everyone wants to coach with like Coach (Bill) Walsh was in the NFL, and Coach (Mike) Holmgren and (Bill) Belichick are in the NFL. Everyone is looking at what he does and how he does it at Texas. Coach Brown sets the standard."

Gray spent last season as defensive backs coach with the Seattle Seahawks, where he helped Thomas make an immediate impact as a rook in the NFL. During the regular season, Thomas started all 16 games, ranking ninth in the league and second among rookies in interceptions with five. He was also fifth on the team with 76 tackles.

Gray joined the Seahawks after serving in the same capacity for the Washington Redskins for four seasons from 2006-09. In 2009, The Redskins ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in total defense, passing defense and fewest passing TDs allowed. The secondary was led by veterans Carlos Rogers, Fred Smoot and DeAngelo Hall, along with LaRon Landry. Rogers led the team with 12 passes defended, while Hall had four INTs, Landry was fourth on the team in tackles with 90 and Smoot added six passes defended.

In 2008, the Washington defense also ranked in the top 10 in both total defense and passing defense. Rogers had a team-high 24 passes defensed with two INTs and 56 tackles. Hall finished the season with two INTs in just seven games as a Redskin after being acquired midseason and had assumed a starting cornerback position by season's end. Landry was fourth on the team in tackles also that year with 65 and had two INTs with 11 passes defended, while Sean Springs added seven passes defended and an INT.

In 2007, the Redskins’ secondary was diminished by the loss of Rogers to injured reserve following Week 8, but still managed to hold opponents to 214.0 passing yards per game. Springs and Smoot combined for 129 tackles (114 solo), five interceptions and 29 passes defensed, while Landry was second on the team with 95 tackles. Sean Taylor led the team with five INTs and had nine passes defended.

Gray spent five years in Buffalo as the Bills defensive coordinator from 2001-05. In 2004, Gray led a defense that finished second in the NFL in total defense and in the top five in the league in fewest touchdowns allowed (29), yards allowed per game (264.2), passing yards allowed per game (164.0), sacks registered (45) and led the league with 39 turnovers forced.

He orchestrated a major defensive turnaround in 2003 when his unit finished the year ranked second in the NFL in total defense (second against the pass, eighth against the run). His defense also ranked fifth overall in points allowed in 2003.

Prior to joining the Bills in 2001, Gray spent the previous four seasons as an assistant with the Tennessee Titans, including the last two as defensive backs coach. He helped Tennessee finish as the NFL’s No. 1-ranked pass defense and total defense in 2000, and also guided CB Samari Rolle and S Blaine Bishop to All-Pro selections.

Gray originally started with the Titans as the defensive assistant/quality control coach in 1997 before being elevated to the defensive backs position. He broke into the coaching ranks in 1995 as the defensive backs coach at Southern Methodist.

A nine-year veteran of the NFL, Gray was a first-round pick (21st overall) in the 1985 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. During his career, he played with the Rams (1985-91), Houston Oilers (1992), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993). He was a four-time Pro Bowler at cornerback (1986-89) with the Rams, and finished with 28 career interceptions. He posted a season-high eight interceptions in 1986, just his second year in the NFL. He was also named the NFL’s Defensive Back of the Year in 1989 and earned MVP honors in the 1990 Pro Bowl.

A native of Lubbock, Texas, Gray earned a bachelor's of science degree in speech communications from UT. He lettered in football, basketball and track at Estacado High in Lubbock, was inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame in 1995 and recently named to the All-Time Texas High School team.

Gray and his wife, Sherry, have two sons, Jeremy and Jayden. Jeremy just finished his redshirt freshman season as a defensive back at SMU.

 

Welcome back!

 

How amazing is it that our DB coach is a FORMER NFL DC?

 

And Mack comes through yet again.

 

One of my all time favorite Horns.

 

HUGE!

 

Ok, NOW I will chime and say that I'm pumped. I got goosebumps reading that.

There just aren't a lot of guys out there that are just flat-out phenomenal athletes or performers on the field that can then turn around and be great coaches - lots of theories why and I've always felt like one reason was that most of the greats just "have" it. They do what they do and it's hard to put into words how they do it or show people how to duplicate it.

From all we've seen so far, Jerry Gray is a big-time exception to that rule. Quite possibly the best DB I've ever seen at Texas and really brings a great track record in.

 

the days of being half assed and soft are over. we've upgraded our whole staff

 

Welcome back, Jed! Of all my old teammates, he was one of my favorites because of the way he carried himself on and off the field.

 

I had to pinch myself to believe that Jerry Gray was returning to The University. Countless times Jerry had been rumored to be returning to UT to coach. Of all the great hires of late, this hire is the best. I did not think I would live to see this day. What DB would not like to play for coach Gray???

 

Allsome!!!

 

Now for the top DB recruits all over the nation, cue up the video of Jerry running down Auburn's All-Everything Bo Jackson from behind leaving crushed on the field. Nuff f-g said! Glam sland hire indeed, the bases are clear!

 

So Gray ranks third in interceptions on UT's all time list. I wonder where he ranks on the "concussions caused" list? I'm guessing fourth behind Tommy Nobis, Johnnie Johnson and Richard Peavy, though Earl and Ricky caused a few bearing down on lightweight defensive backs who didn't have enough sense to get out of the way.

 

Some sites are saying this may have been in the works for a while. This could lead one to think that the Akina departure was a mutual decision. Regardless, it couldn't have turned out any better for us.

 

Anyone know when the next badass coaching hire press conference is scheduled?

 

My day has been made.. Hook'em Coach Gray.
Welcome back.

 

In my opinion, there is one major difference between pro and college coaching. College coaching is a year around job with recruiting.

Has Jerry Gray ever recruited? While recruiting to Texas is easier than most schools it is still a sales mentality. You either have it or you don't.

Does Coach Gray have any recruiting experience?

X's and O's and getting the best out of his players, I see no issues, but can he recruit of does he have any experience?

 

Another great hire!!

 

I've developed a lot of faith in Mack and his hiring processes. He seems to think it very important to not only to interview prospective coaches, but also to generally interview people who would be in position to know the coach. I imagine there's been a thorough look at "transferable skills" and a pretty competent projection.

 

I think it becomes a lot easier to have faith in the hiring process when you remember that just because Mack didn't have a press conference or leak information to the media, it doesn't mean something isn't in the works.

 

Great hire.
Welcome home!

 

Even if there is some polishing needed for him in the recruiting spectrum I think we have more than enough tutors for him to pick it up.

PASS.

 

Jerry: "Hello Mr Recruit. What? Yes, I was the man in college on probably the best D Texas ever had. Yes, I was a ProBowler. Yes, I know more about playing DB at all levels than 99.9% of the people in this country. Yes, I can show you how to do the same."

Gee, how in the world will Jerry Gray recruit anyone? That resume, along with Mack charming the mommas will be unstoppable!
:

 

I've always had faith in MB that he would hire the right peeps all along. When this whole hiring process started about a month ago, I knew the right people would show up.

I'm as excited as ever. One more to go ! Hopefully it's done soon !

 

Kick arse!