Redskins hire Gray

ANT7088 · Post by **ANT7088** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:15 am

Former Buffalo defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, who interviewed for the Texans' head coaching job that went to Gary Kubiak, is going to coach Washington's defensive backs.

Gray, who was interested in becoming Kubiak's defensive coordinator, will be reunited with Gregg Williams, Redskins assistant head coach/defense.

Gray coached defensive backs at Tennessee when Williams was the coordinator.

When Williams was hired as Buffalo's head coach, he hired Gray as defensive coordinator, a position he had for five years.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3621596.html

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:54 am

Great news! This is definitely not only a good replacement, perhaps even an upgrade.

9th YEAR IN NFL/5th WITH BILLS

COACHING EXPERIENCE: Enters his fifth season as the Bills defensive coordinator with the majority of the defensive starting lineup returning…over last two years, Gray has molded the Bills into one of the most powerful attacking defenses in the League…in ’04, his defense finished in the top five in the NFL in 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…Gray orchestrated a major defensive turnaround in 2003 when his defense finished the year ranked second in the NFL in total defense (second against the pass, eight against the run)…his defense also ranked fifth overall in points allowed in 2003…joined the Bills as defensive coordinator on February 7, 2001…prior to that spent the previous four seasons as an assistant at the Tennessee Titans, including the last two as defensive backs coach…helped Tennessee finish as the NFL’s #1 ranked pass defense and total defense in 2000 and also guided two All-Pro starters at each position in the Titans secondary…originally started with the Titans as the defensive assistant/quality control coach in 1997 before being elevated to the defensive backs position…broke into the coaching ranks in 1995 as the defensive backs coach at Southern Methodist University.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Played nine seasons in the NFL earning All-Pro honors four times…played with the Los Angeles Rams (1985-91), Houston Oilers (1992) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993) before retiring…was a four-time Pro Bowler at cornerback (1986-89) with the Rams…finished with 28 career interceptions during his nine seasons in the NFL…posted a season-high eight interceptions in 1986, just his second year in the NFL…also named the NFL's Defensive-Back-of-the-Year in 1989 and earned MVP honors in the 1990 Pro Bowl.

Coaching History

2001- Buffalo Bills
(Defensive Coordinator)

2001- Buffalo Bills
(Defensive Coordinator)

1997-98 Tennessee Titans
(Defensive Assistant/Quality Control)

1995-96 SMU
(Defensive Backs)

PERSONAL: A native of Lubbock, TX, Gray holds a bachelor of science degree in speech communications from the University of Texas…he was a two-time consensus All-America and two-time Southwest Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year as a safety at Texas in 1983 and ’84…was a 1st round pick in 1985 (21st overall) of the Los Angeles Rams…a member of the University of Texas’ All-Time Team and All-Decade Team for the 1980’s…lettered in football, basketball and track at Estacado High in Lubbock…was inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame in 1995 and was recently named to the All-Time Texas High School team…he and his wife, Sherry, have one son (Jeremy).

http://www.buffalobills.com/team/coach.jsp?coach_id=18

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:05 am

It'll be interesting to see how long he sticks around. I'd give him 1 maybe 2 years. This is definately an upgrade.

skins81 · Post by **skins81** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:08 am

Well Dewayne Walker will probably take the UCLA job, so this makes sense. He has a history working with WIlliams, so nice job Snyder.

redskingush · Post by **redskingush** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:18 am

They are setting up Gregg Williams assistants for the future, at least I see things that way.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:35 am

redskingush wrote:They are setting up Gregg Williams assistants for the future, at least I see things that way.

Welcome the new defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins ...

... in 2009.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:38 am

Awesome. I love it. Our staff just keeps getting better and better. :rock:

skinsRin · Post by **skinsRin** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:45 am

So, it seems like all our coaches could and should be head coaches. I guess we have the dream team of coaches, I just hope they can rub their talent on the players.

floridaskinsfan · Post by **floridaskinsfan** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:03 am

I like this hiring but how many new coaches do we need. To many hands in the pot....I am still optimistic that good talented coaches are the key and will really help the organization. What happens after 1-2 years? Is this the pathway for the future? In two years will we see Greg Williams as HC, Gray as DC and Al Saunders as OC? That would still be a great coaching staff.

EA7649 · Post by **EA7649** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:04 am

redskingush wrote:They are setting up Gregg Williams assistants for the future, at least I see things that way.

Yeah I realized that this is a good situation created by Dan Snyder

GibbsLombardi · Post by **GibbsLombardi** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:44 am

While we added the best OC in the league and a head coaching candidate to coach dbs, Dallas just picked up a guy to run their offense who was so bad, he was fired early in the season from the worst team in football. (Palmer from Houston)

hkHog · Post by **hkHog** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:09 pm

floridaskinsfan wrote:I like this hiring but how many new coaches do we need. To many hands in the pot....I am still optimistic that good talented coaches are the key and will really help the organization. What happens after 1-2 years? Is this the pathway for the future? In two years will we see Greg Williams as HC, Gray as DC and Al Saunders as OC? That would still be a great coaching staff.

At first I thought this was a problem. However, Williams has a lot of experience with this guy and we are losing our secondary coach anyway so this is perfect. Both guys will already be on the same page and its not like we're just adding another coach, rather we're replacing one.

On offense I was worried until Musgrave got a new job. He was too high profile a guy to still have around with Saunders. Also, he was the only West Coast guy on the staff so right away that streamlined things a bit. All the rest of the guys come from the same foundation so it should be easier for them to gel.

So we still have the same number of offensive coaches around. What's more, because Musgrove's assistant took over as the QB coach we still have continuity there which is good. Now we just have to see how Saunders can integrate with Buges, Breaux, etc... That is the big question. If we had not lost Musgrave and the existing d-backs' coach I would be quite worried about having too many cooks but our coaching staff is still the same size as it was last year and we replaced two high profile guys (obviously, they got offered really good jobs) with two other amazing coaches.

The only thing that remains to be seen is whether Saunders can integrate well with the other guys on offense. I am sure he will take a lot of input over the summer but once camp starts he will have complete control. Hopefully, Jack Burns will retire too.

AZHog · Post by **AZHog** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:17 pm

Another great hire for the Skins.

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:49 pm

The best coaching staff in the NFL.

The Hogster · Post by **The Hogster** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:54 pm

I hope this guy can turn Carlos Rogers into a Pro Bowl Corner. I can't wait to see what Rogers can do being healthy, more experience, and in better shape because he's not injured.

That guy was knicked up all year beginning with a stress fracture in his foot last summer.

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:00 pm

JPM36 wrote:The best coaching staff in the NFL.

Great avatar! Someone has been busy embellishing this site with new avatars! Congratulations!

On the topic: As long as the people working together get along, I do not mind the number of cooks. Our defense and offense, each, can almost produce enough high caliber coaches to have its own team! :shock:

We will be criticised for this of course. Do I care? Not one bit! :twisted:

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:09 pm

redskingush wrote:They are setting up Gregg Williams assistants for the future, at least I see things that way.

It sure appears that way.

Wait a minute... organizing and building a team and coaching staff for now AND the future? :shock:

I don't think this has happened since Gibbs was here the first time.

gay4pacman · Post by **gay4pacman** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:26 pm

i love it keep making things happen danny boy

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:26 pm

Jake wrote:
redskingush wrote:They are setting up Gregg Williams assistants for the future, at least I see things that way.

It sure appears that way.

Wait a minute... organizing and building a team and coaching staff for now AND the future? I don't think this has happened since Gibbs was here the first time.

Scary isn't it?

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:53 pm

Chris Luva Luva wrote:
Jake wrote:
redskingush wrote:They are setting up Gregg Williams assistants for the future, at least I see things that way.

It sure appears that way.

Wait a minute... organizing and building a team and coaching staff for now AND the future? I don't think this has happened since Gibbs was here the first time.

Scary isn't it?

Tell me about. It'll be more scary for other teams when they have to play us in 06.

rick301 · Post by **rick301** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:01 pm

floridaskinsfan wrote:I like this hiring but how many new coaches do we need. To many hands in the pot....I am still optimistic that good talented coaches are the key and will really help the organization. What happens after 1-2 years? Is this the pathway for the future? In two years will we see Greg Williams as HC, Gray as DC and Al Saunders as OC? That would still be a great coaching staff.

... and Gibbs as GM?

This is a dynasty in its early formation! With a staff like this, we should see at least a decade of constantly being in the playoffs and to the SB at least 2-3 times if not more!

UK Skins Fan · Post by **UK Skins Fan** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:53 pm

The cliche of the year will be "it's a coach's league".

It's all about communication, teaching, and creating the right organisational culture, from top to bottom. All of this is a direct result of Joe Gibbs' return. Can anybody imagine coaches of this calibre coming to work for Spurrier?

This is the best coaching staff that we've had since the last time we had the best staff in the league! I'm looking forward to seeing the results next season. $\:D/$

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:04 pm

Redskin in Canada wrote:
JPM36 wrote:The best coaching staff in the NFL.

Great avatar! Someone has been busy embellishing this site with new avatars! Congratulations!

On the topic: As long as the people working together get along, I do not mind the number of cooks. Our defense and offense, each, can almost produce enough high caliber coaches to have its own team!

We will be criticised for this of course. Do I care? Not one bit!

Thanks man. All props must go to NC43Hog for my avatar. I absolutely love it. He did a great job.

dougrm3 · Post by **dougrm3** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:40 pm

What a nice change from the Spurrier days. Other than Marvin Lewis (Who is doing great in Cincinnati) we would add coaches that noone wanted. Nice change!

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:07 pm

We have no fewer than four former head coaches on our staff right now.
That could be a double edged blade if there's another run on new HC's next year...but for now, it's a dream team.
Holy cow !

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