Welcome Home, Jerry

by srr50 on Jan 17, 2011 4:53 PM CST in Texas Longhorns and Other Football

Jerry Gray one of the finest defensive back to ever wear the Burnt Orange and White is coming home.

Gray a two-time All-American in 1983-84, is returning as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach. Gray played in the NFL for 9 years, and has been an assistant coach for 14 years -- including 5 as a defensive coordinator.

Gray also spent two years as a defensive backs coach at SMU in the late 90's. His son Jeremy just finished his freshman year as a defensive back with the Ponies.

Gray, a unanimous All-American selection in 1984 is also a member of the Longhorn Hall of Honor. Gray is also a member of the Texas All-Time Team and All-Decade Team for the 1980’s.

Jerry Gray was one of 27 players off of the 1983 Texas Squad to eventually play in the NFL.

Gray was a top-ranked recruit coming out of Lubbock Estacado. Barry Switzer thought he could be an All-American Wishbone QB for the Sooners, but Gray felt right from the start that his future as a pro was as a defensive back.

Gray spent this past season as the defensive backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks where he helped former Longhorn Earl Thomas have an outstanding rookie season.

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Finally!!

by Checkmate on Jan 17, 2011 5:03 PM CST reply actions

Now, that is pretty cool.

Link to his foundation.

by Drew Dunlevie on Jan 17, 2011 5:17 PM CST reply actions

Welcome home Coach Gray!
let the teaching begin.

by DaHorns on Jan 17, 2011 5:18 PM CST reply actions

I love this hire!

Begs the question, however: how much playing time will Gideon get under the new coaching staff?

by Brian Combs on Jan 17, 2011 5:30 PM CST reply actions

That question is always begged.

by PatronSaint on Jan 17, 2011 5:39 PM CST reply actions

Just when I thought Johnnie Johnson was the best safety to ever play for UT, here came Jerry. Guy was unreal in an era when UT produced great DBs every year.

by 53 Veer Pass on Jan 17, 2011 5:42 PM CST reply actions

2x All-American; 4x Pro Bowler (1989 Pro Bowl MVP). Dammmnnnnnn!

by Mad Clapper on Jan 17, 2011 5:44 PM CST reply actions

Steve!

What about some history from your personal experience, friend?!

Man I was geeked to read this, then got to the end too too quickly.

sad face emoticon thing.

scags

by scagnetti on Jan 17, 2011 5:45 PM CST reply actions

Certainly makes it more obvious which of the recent hires could rise to HC if Mack retires in the next few years.

by texasengr on Jan 17, 2011 5:47 PM CST reply actions

Guess we don’t expect to have Diaz as DC for long.

by cornbread n flapjack on Jan 17, 2011 5:53 PM CST reply actions

Quick recruiting story:

As I posted, he was recruited by just about everyone, and OU was really pushing him to come to Norman and be a Wishbone QB.

By the time the last day before signing day came around, Jerry had decided to come to Texas — but OU wouldn’t give up. So Jerry had the assistant recruiting him for Texas meet him up at his high school gym. An assistant coach for Estacado was there along with another buddy of Jerry’s off of the footbal team. They locked themselves in the gym and played 2 on 2 basketball all day.

The UT coach said he could hardly walk afterwards, but it was worth it.

Just when I thought Johnnie Johnson was the best safety to ever play for UT, here came Jerry.

53 Veer — you were hardly alone. An associate of mine in the Athletics Department went to Los Angeles with the track team between Jerry’s sophomore and junior season. He had dinner with Johnnie and at one point said,

“You know Johnnie you were the best I have ever seen, and I thought it would be a long time before another would come along, but there is this guy..”

Johnson cut him off and said, “yeah, yeah I know. Jerry Gray from Lubbock.” He laughed and said, “didn’t take long to become a has been did it?”

by srr50 on Jan 17, 2011 6:15 PM CST reply actions

In a word…Awesome.

by Mr. Orange on Jan 17, 2011 6:49 PM CST reply actions

I’m sure we will see Jerry catching Bo Jackson from behind several times over the next few days. Good for Jerry. Good for Texas.

by g'69 on Jan 17, 2011 7:03 PM CST reply actions

Diaz’s chaperone? Please.

by tearaway20 on Jan 17, 2011 7:05 PM CST reply actions

ssr…more please! Thanks for those two great tidbits!

by Ricky on Jan 17, 2011 7:46 PM CST reply actions

Steve,

If you could pick a song for Jerry Gray’s highlight reel, what would it be? Maybe some Elton John?

by Bullet Tooth Tony on Jan 17, 2011 8:41 PM CST reply actions

It is impossible to feel anything but good about this hire.

by Flash on Jan 17, 2011 8:44 PM CST reply actions

Bullet Tooth Tony:

There is a special place in hell (or perhaps the Bronx) reserved just for you

by srr50 on Jan 17, 2011 9:01 PM CST reply actions

That Auburn game was my first as a student, at DKR and honestly the first as a Longhorn fan. Great memories. Welcome Back Mr. Gray!

by 2xhorn on Jan 17, 2011 9:37 PM CST reply actions

I still think his best play wasn’t the tackle of Bo but was the year before also against Auburn where he runs with the wideout step for step and then falls backward to make the interception.

Wasn’t he also the former player that Mackovich kicked out of a practice for trying to teach our DBs fundamentals? I understand why a defensive genius would not want an All-pro tutoring players on the finer points of DB play.

by stuckinmn on Jan 17, 2011 10:32 PM CST reply actions

This is another great hire in our frenzy of good hires the past few weeks — maybe the greatest of all. Now if Mack just lets these guys do their jobs and coach, I foresee lots of good things happening for the team next season.

by burnt orange outrage on Jan 18, 2011 12:04 AM CST reply actions