Jerry Gray Titans DC Frontrunner, Per Report
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Feb 9, 2011 3:49 PM CST
in Texas Longhorns Football
Email
Print[Update]: Jerry Gray reportedly told an audience at a Longhorn Foundation luncheon today that he is staying at Texas and will not be going to Tennessee. Recruitocosm is also reporting that Gray has been telling people around the program that he is staying, a report that coincides with what Chip Brown has been hearing at Orangebloods all week. --GoBR--
It all started on Monday, when Kirk Bohls broke the story that new Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak could target new Texas defensive backs coach Jerry Gray for the open defensive coordinator position in Nashville.
Consider Gray targeted.
Tuesday, Bobby Burton over at Hookem.com, who is based out of Nashville, no less, reported that Gray had indeed been contacted by Munchak and news emerged later in the day that the Titans had notified Texas of their intentions to speak with Gray.
Now in Day 3 of the saga, TitanInsider is reporting that the job is Gray's for the taking, with the Titans having gone as far as to offer him what is believed to be a three-year contract worth $1 million per, more than twice the salary that Gray would make as the defensive backs coach at Texas. Gray is scheduled to make $425,000 in 2011.
As of this post, there are no new developments on Wednesday afternoon, with Kirk Bohls tweeting minutes ago that things are "still the status quo." And that status quo is basically that Gray appears ready to interview for the job, confirmed further by the absence of any statement from Gray and/or the university that he's willing to stay in Austin and not pursue this opportunity.
As Bohls went on to mention in his tweet, the next 24 hours will be a critical period, as Gray either will or will not decide to interview for the job and if he does interview -- and, once again, that appears to be the case -- then a decision on whether or not he will extend his brief stay in Austin or leave for the Titans should be quickly forthcoming following the interview.
Will the money end up mattering to Gray? Would he pass up the opportunity to finally coach at his alma mater, something he's wanted for years? How much does he want to be an NFL DC again? All these are questions that will ultimately decide Gray's immediate future.
Even if Gray stays, consider this the end of innocence between Texas fans and the new DB coach:
For Texas fans, the euphoria of hiring Gray after the painful departure of the loved and respected Duane Akina replaced the practical considerations of how easy it was going to be to keep him in place. Before Gray has even really gotten settled into his new office on the 40 Acres, roughly three weeks into his job, there's an NFL team that has apparently come calling...If this is a false alarm, the lesson from this story for Texas fans is that Gray may well have to turn down several of these opportunities if he's going to remain a Longhorn position coach for more than a year or two.
Oh yeah, and how happy are you about Jeff Fisher getting fired now, 'Horn fans?
81 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
How disapponting
$1 million per is big boy money, hard to turn that down.
I''m waiting for the obligatory
‘A man has to think of himself and his family, we wish him the best’ comments. Life is tough. You could starve on half a mil a year here or choke on a mil in Tennessee.
We have a 12th man and he's Bryan Harsin
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Feb 10, 2011 8:36 AM CST up reply actions
Me too
but I eat better than they do :)
We have a 12th man and he's Bryan Harsin
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Feb 10, 2011 12:39 PM CST up reply actions
Real question
Texas easily has more money than the Titans. Why not spend it?
'09: 8th in offense, 88th in defense. 7-6 (4-4)
'10: 7th in offense, 41st in defense. Division Champions. 10-4. (6-3)
'11: Conference Champions?
Tomahawk Nation: Nole-Holds-Barred Analysis of FSU Sports!
Follow Tomahawk Nation's Twitter feed!
There's been some talk about giving him a raise.
My guess is that the money is really secondary to Gray. The more important factor I think is how much he wants to be an NFL DC again. Or do his aspirations lie more with advancing as a coach at Texas?
Follow me on Twitter: @GhostofBigRoy
www.burntorangenation.com
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Feb 9, 2011 3:59 PM CST up reply actions
Texas easily has more money than the Titans.
Is this clear?
Greg Davis haikus; a lot like his offenses; always go sideways.
by pleaseplaykindle on Feb 9, 2011 4:34 PM CST up reply actions
I also don’t see Texas paying a DB coach much more than half a million.
What I could see happening is someone telling Jerry Gray that we’ll make it up to him when he ascends to HC here.
Greg Davis haikus; a lot like his offenses; always go sideways.
by pleaseplaykindle on Feb 9, 2011 5:07 PM CST up reply actions
Don't think Texas can give Gray a raise...
Well, obviously they can. But I don’t think they should.
That would probably mean giving Gray more money than the coordinators, which is a bad idea. It would send mixed messages about who’s really in charge of the defense and could create some hard feelings on the staff.
I’m sure Gray is going to be a great DBs coach if he does stay, but if I’m Mack, I’d encourage him to take the Titans gig. In my opinion, no matter how great of an opportunity it is, an assistant flirting with another job after less than a month at the one you just gave him is the kind of start that is tough to overcome.
by Blatant Homerism on Feb 9, 2011 8:43 PM CST up reply actions
more than 1M for a DB coach?
they won’t pay him more than Diaz but they can promise him the DC position when Diaz leaves to be a HC in a few years.
Honestly, I'd rather keep Gray than Diaz
Even if it meant making Gray the DC.
Just Harsin around.
by burntorangehorn on Feb 9, 2011 10:34 PM CST up reply actions
I don't understand...
…where all the love for Gray comes from. I don’t totally understand the Diaz hire but he at least has experience and some success coaching and recruiting the college ranks. And he’s not interviewing for another job.
This has to be a joke.
Where are the cameras?
"I live in the tower with Coach Brown." -Bevo
by run Bevo run on Feb 10, 2011 12:28 PM CST up reply actions
You don't understand football then..nt
by vy til i die on Feb 10, 2011 12:37 PM CST up reply actions
Seriously?
Gray was a Longhorn legend. He was loved in Austin … and still is. He has been a successful pro coach who is willing to bring his love for the Longhorns back to the college level. Need more?
Watch out, I bite.
by EddieTheAlbinoSquirrel on Feb 10, 2011 8:35 PM CST up reply actions
Basically he is in the top players who ever played here.
Below is part of his bio from texassports, but I want to tell you personally he was an incredible pleasure to watch as a player. One of the best tacklers I’ve ever seen period, plus a leader in interceptions and fumbles recovered. The ‘83 defense was one of the best Texas ever had. It was just a quirk of a flubbed punt that they didn’t win a MNC.
Once against OU he was on the pitch back and 6 or 8 times – as many as they ran it – Gray nailed him at or behind the LOS. That became my image of what I wanted the Texas D to do to OU forevermore.
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.
And on top of that, he was DC for a very good Buffalo defense
And had a reputation as one of the absolute best secondary coaches in the NFL. I think that he’s definitely the most overqualified coach Texas has.
Just Harsin around.
by burntorangehorn on Feb 10, 2011 10:15 PM CST up reply actions
I know all of that.
I attended the University when Jerry played and, yes, he was awesome. But that doesn’t make him more qualified to recruit and coach college kids, especially as a DC, than Diaz, the guy Mack actually picked to do the job. He may someday prove to be an outstanding college coach. But even he has acknowledged that there will be a learning curve for him from dealing with professional football players for the past 24 years (established talents whose only job is to play football) and college kids where the staff has limited access and the kids have other “distractions”. And, though his cred should be especially high in Texas, he’s unproven as a recruiter and the responsibilities that come with that.
Just saying. I believe he was available to Mack as a DC, if Mack thought Jerry was the way to go right now…but he didn’t. I didn’t mean there shouldn’t be a lot of love for Jerry the player because, obviously, he’s earned that. I just don’t understand why it translates to Jerry the coach who has never coached college ball. Of course I also think the jury is still out on Major the coach but love for Major the player is virtually universal.
This may all be moot today anyway, but...
This statement is not exactly accurate:
I just don’t understand why it translates to Jerry the coach who has never coached college ball.
Gray’s first coaching job was as a DB’s coach for SMU in ‘95-’96 before going to the Titans through 2000. So, I expect he got his feet wet, although recruiting in the post-Death Penalty years for SMU was probably tough.
I personally think Gray has earned the benefit of the doubt and I don’t think there would be any problemo recruiting.
I also think Major is a fine coach now – and will be shown to be a great coach in the future. You may disagree however much you want, but I simply feel I see this clearly and have no ambivalence whatsoever.
I think Gray is fine on money...
He left the NFL to come home, I hope he stays but if he goes he knows that he’s burnt this bridge with Mack and probably Applewhite assuming he becomes HC in 10 years; and not to mention any chance Gray remotely had of taking over as HC here in the future too.
Why would he leave a position...........
with a pro team to return to Austin only to go back to another pro team.
If Tenn. has an income tax he wouldn’t be makeing that much more and he doesn’t know if the Titans will play next year or not.
My gut says he stays but my gut has been known to be wrong.
Big difference btw college DB job and NFL DC job.
Follow me on Twitter: @GhostofBigRoy
www.burntorangenation.com
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Feb 9, 2011 4:03 PM CST up reply actions
Yep
And a cool million a year doesn’t hurt either. A lot of people would give up a “dream job” for a lot less incentive than that. And state income taxes won’t gobble that much of the Tennesse/Texas delta. OTOH, the potential for a lockout has to be weighing heavily on any decision, so who knows?
Huh?
If Tenn. has an income tax he wouldn’t be makeing that much more
Let’s assume it is CA, with nearly a 10% state income tax. So, $1,000,0000 becomes $900,000, more than twice the amount he would clear at UT prior to federal taxes.
2010/11 Final BCS* Standings
1. Auburn 14-0
2. TCU 13-0
*Wasn't this system designed to prevent this from happening?
by Mulliganville on Feb 9, 2011 4:58 PM CST up reply actions
How does this make Diaz feel?
His D-Backs coach is being courted by an NFL team for a D-Coordinator job, so he must feel he’s on a short leash.
Pressure is good.
Diaz better perform, that’s for sure.
Add to that,
Diaz probably is aware many fans felt he didn’t have enough experience for this position.
"Only angry people win football games." --DKR
General preference for cleaner language
But I don’t believe we have a hard-and-fast rule about what you can can’t say on the comments. Perhaps at least keep it out of the actual title of your post next time, if you don’t mind.
Please don’t take this as a scolding or anything; I took your “can I say that on here?” as an honest question, but if it was meant as a joke I apologize.
I should add
Obviously we do have some hard and fast rules; but I meant they don’t necessarily have to do with 4-letter (or in this case 14-letter) words
Not in my opinion
The guy is making $500K more a year and is a defensive coordinator over just a DB’s coach.
He should prolly already be our defensive coordinator….Jerry will always be a Texas Longhorn IMO.
That said – PLEASE DONT GO!!
Bud Adams
I am sorry but a million dollars is not enough money to even be in the same room with that man.
Gray already decided that he wants to be a coach at Texas and not in the NFL when he left Seattle. IF he were to leave for this Tenn. job I would see no reason to ever consider him for a job at Texas again. He is currently on a fastrack at Texas since we all know Coach Doom will get a HC gig within a few years – IF our defense plays like it should. Is money really the motivator for Gray or not? We will find out shortly.
I sure hope that he stays. I liked the idea of succession planning with him to be our DC in a few years. I sure hope he likes us.
But when he left for Texas...
He didn’t leave a job paying a million dollars, getting full control over a defense (Munchak is an offense guy), in a rebuilding situation with a friend that he’d previously worked with and respects , in a city he’s previously lived and worked in.
In my opinion, it’s too good of an opportunity to pass up. The only way I could see him turning it down is if he’s really excited about the recruiting and player development opportunities that coaching college football present.
If he accepts, I wish him the best and would welcome him back to Texas any day.
Is it really just money?
Let’s take out the money.
He has to decide if he wants to be a NFL DC at Tenn. vs. DB coach at Texas with the inside track to being the Texas DC in a few years. At that time he will be making some serious cash and may even work up to being HC.
He seems very smart and I would imagine he made some serius $$ in his days as a player as well as in his coaching career. IF money is the motivator, he should go. But if it is not the motivator, and he already came here to work at his dream job, can money really so quickly change all that? He was a DC once already at Buffalo and then ended up back as a DB coach.
Mack said that when he gets the call to interview a guy it means they already interviewed and are gone. So, I am not optimistic here and I will be somewhat dissapointed if money has that much shine to it for him. He should have plenty of money, so how can it be so important at this point.
No, not just money
It’s a better career move, unless his end-goal is to be the head coach at Texas. Even then, we’d probably hire Major over him anyway.
big picture
I don’t think UT planned on Gray being a DB coach for long.
::Insert overly optimistic, logic-defying comment to trick myself (and you) into believing the best-case scenario is the likeliest::
Truth is, we’re in deep doo-doo with this one. The best-case scenario is Gray turns down the job because he really want to be here. Second best is he loses out on the job to someone else. But that would just mean we have just a year until more jobs pop up that he’s a candidate for. We all knew he took a lesser job than he was qualified for. Hopefully this will be a lesson for Mack Brown. Maybe getting a guy with less experience and expertise is worth it if you can’t afford another demoralizing staff departure.
On the bright side, at least all those LOI’s have been signed. The timing could have been a lot worse.
His Choice
The statement should be: Would he pass up the opportunity to finally ever coach at his alma mater, something he’s wanted for years?
I agree with this being the most important factor.
If he’s like Applewhite, he’ll stay because he wants to be here. It sure sounds like he jumped at his first real opportunity to come back to the 40.
However, money is money and he’s also receiving a promotion back to a position he once had in the NFL. He’ll even get to coach a former longhorn in Michael Griffin! He’ll also get to work with friends.
If he was an NFL DC, would he have come back to the 40 as a DB coach? No.
I think he leaves….despite how painful it would be to do so.
"Football's so important in Texas. On the West Coast, it's a social. On the East Coast, it's a culture. Here, it's a religion."
-- Major Applewhite
Of course I'm also setting up myself for the disappointment when he leaves.
I’m hoping he stays. He sold me on his speech of being back.
"Football's so important in Texas. On the West Coast, it's a social. On the East Coast, it's a culture. Here, it's a religion."
-- Major Applewhite
Mack
You only burn Mack once. Regardless of the rationale of more money and better title, If Jerry makes this jump he is a dead man to Mack Brown. He will no longer exist. Jerry has to ask himself; when Mack steps down who will have the most influence in the new hire? If Jerry takes the Titan’s job will it also reinforce why Mack was reluctant to hire Jerry in the past?
Willie Mack Garza needs to be Mack’s first call should Jerry decide to interview with the Titans.
The big question is what does Jerry use to make this decision, his heart or his brain? If it’s his heart, Jerry stays at Texas. if Jerry uses his brain, he’s a Titan. 3 years, 3 million dollars is very difficult to say no to.
by billfromlaketravis on Feb 9, 2011 6:10 PM CST reply actions
uhh..
I don’t see how we can keep Gray if all these are true. Only thing going for UT is Austin > Nashville. Maybe cut Mack’s salary by 500K and give it to Gray. :]
Gray made a decision and should live with it
He knew when he took the Texas DB job that (a) he was over-qualified, and (b) that he would have other opportunities to make more money elsewhere in the short-term.
If he is willing to leave this fast at his first offer he had no business coming back to Texas in the first place. I actually think this rumor is nothing but that—Tenn. trying to get a shot at Gray. It doesn’t mean Gray didn’t say, ‘wow, thanks, I’m flattered but I already have my dream job."
If he does leave he made a mistake and wasn’t true to himself when he said that Texas was his dream job. And, it will be a “dream” that he better never have again. No sane person at Texas would ever trust him again to commit and actually be committed. If he even interviews for the job he should just leave now.
I think he stays.
This should have been one of the possibilities when he took the job.
Next: Mack > Bud Adams (of course, warm dog shit > Bud Adams)
Texas, imho, has a greater chances of bowls and possible MNC than present Titans. Bonuses come with such possibilities, so his salary here could be more.
UT handles the communications in this; Gray is staff now. So he just can’t pop up and say ‘No.’ Plus, it wouldn’t surprise me if Mack gave him some rope to see where this went…Mack himself needs to be secure in his staff for the short term.
Last, I would think Gray’s family is tired of moving. His oldest son is at SMU (a sophomore football player) and that is just up the road a few hours.
Trying to find info elsewhere
One random poster said that he already turned it down but that Mack is not in town so that is why there has been no official word. I sure hope that is true.
his son
one of his sons is/was going to play at UT I think as a walk-on as well.
Another way of looking at it if you're Gray
is to ask who you’re hitching your star to. Mack isn’t going anywhere, and he’s demonstrated time and again that, whether for good or ill, he rewards those who are loyal to him. Munchak is there because Bud Adams still has to pay off Jeff Fisher. As a result, Munchak may be on a particularly short leash. If Tennessee has a bad season due to no fault of Gray (but rather due to troubles at, say, QB), Gray could find himself in a “higher ranking,” but less secure situation overall.
March 4, 2011
Is the less secure situation right now, anything past that is irrelevant.
"I live in the tower with Coach Brown." -Bevo
That's a good point about Tenn. How many OL are head coaches?
This is a rather strange move by Tenn. and I wouldn’t touch Tenn. with a 10 foot pole. They don’t even have a QB and now they have an OL calling the shots. I think Tenn. has disaster written all over it.
Everything about Jerry Gray leading up to this development was about how much he likes to teach. How could have more fun at his job than to teach raw, but elite high school talent. And, he knows that at Texas he has the opportunity to make more money because it isn’t like he maxed out his potential.
He took this job at Texas despite being clearly ‘over-qualified’ because it was a chance to come home and to givie back to his alma mater and young guys on the rise. If he leave for the first NFL offer it would pretty much go against everything he had been saying up to now.
Since when are offensive linemen
not capable of being a head coach? Andy Reid was a former OL. Last I checked he was one of the better head coaches in the NFL. Les Miles was a former OL and regardless of your opinion of him he is a national championship head coach. Phil Fulmer, Joe Tiller, Dick Tomey, VINCE LOMBARDI. All offensive linemen who went on to become successful head coaches. Offensive linemen are among the smartest and toughest men on the field and that translates well into becoming a head coach.
"I want to be remembered as the guy who gave his all whenever he was on the field."
-Walter Payton
Bellichick was a center during a different era.
Follow me on Twitter: @GhostofBigRoy
www.burntorangenation.com
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Feb 10, 2011 8:54 AM CST up reply actions
Madden was certain a lump in there.
Where else would he have played?
It's a business
He’s been in the coaching ranks of the NFL for something like 14 years and knows the drill. He probably determined that he’d had his “shot” in the NFL, however he chose to define it, and his career had lost momentum…and that the upside in starting over at his alma mater was worth a temporary pay decrease (and satisfied a genuine affection that he has for the University).
He now has to determine if the Titans “experiment” with Munchak represents a real change in fortunes for him in the NFL or if he can leverage it into one. My guess is that he knows more about the Titans organization, and about the NFL than he does about Mack Brown’s Texas program and college football. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing for Texas at this point.
A chance to coach for the Tennessee Titans as DC, Work with Munchak and Mathews and Nashville > Austin.
He’s taking the job.
I'm freakin' out man!
This is killing me. Mack is the man bringing in these elite coaches, but this carousel is driving me crazy.
So let's plan on him leaving
Who is next? We never had to think about this because his hiring was announced at the same time that we heard Akina was gone. If we are going to keep our rep as DB U at this late stage of hiring and firing, who is on deck?
Probably Willie Mack Garza or Van Malone.
Follow me on Twitter: @GhostofBigRoy
www.burntorangenation.com
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Feb 10, 2011 8:54 AM CST up reply actions
WMG
I read that he recently packed his bags in the middle of the night and left Tenn for USC. Why would he now want to do that again and come here?
Texas alum.
Follow me on Twitter: @GhostofBigRoy
www.burntorangenation.com
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Feb 10, 2011 11:54 AM CST up reply actions
Bobby Jack Wright
He coaches D at ou right now. I think he’s a really good coach but his real forte right now is recruiting the state of Texas for ou. He’s one of the big reasons they continue to get top TX talent to go to the evil empire. Don’t know if there is still bad blood between him and the UT program but it’d be nice to get him off of their staff somehow.
Gray's failure to come out and say he isn't interested going
Is making me think that he is giving Mack time to find his replacement so the announcement will be a “Gray is gone, but the good news is _ is here”.
If Gray does bolt on us like this I will lose all respect for him. He should have never come here if he was going to jump ship at an NFL DC gig. This was way too obvious of a possibility and I would be very surprised if he would not be breaking a promise to Mack. Mack would have never hired him without discussing his commitment.
That's what we do.
Have you lost all respect for Chizik, Muschamp, and every other coach that’s left Texas for a promotion? We are a springboard for assistant coaches, and I am sure Mack encourages all our coaches to leave when a better opportunity arises. Just because his offer coming sooner than Muschamp’s shouldn’t matter all that much. The same could be said that Texas could be breaking a promise if Mack tells him that he shouldn’t take it, or he’d be burning bridges.
It’s all about Gray’s goals. He has to know he’ll most likely never be head coach at Texas. Does he have aspirations to be the head coach anywhere? If so, he should take this job.
The difference is that all those other coaches
spent time on the sideline as a coach, even if it was just one season. Gray has barely even let the ink dry on his contract and is entertaining the idea of leaving already. I am all for people getting promotions and doing what is best for them, but this is hard to stomach because he has not done anything at UT yet, with the exception of helping with recruiting and even that is a stretch because guys like Major are the ones that really did all the leg work to keep this recruting class together.
A gun rack... a gun rack. I don't even own *a* gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack. What am I gonna do... with a gun rack?
by HornsRiverine on Feb 10, 2011 12:36 PM CST up reply actions
When will I ever learn to not let these rumors keep me awake at night
OCD makes me a good lawyer, but also makes me a troubled Longhorn fan. Back to work.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
