Gray Ready for New Challenge with Gators

Defensive backs coach Torrian Gray played at Virginia Tech and with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings prior to becoming a coach. (Photo: Tim Casey)

Gray Ready for New Challenge with Gators

Thursday, February 25, 2016 | Football, Scott Carter

Former Virginia Tech assistant has solid reputation as a defensive backs coach

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Torrian Gray had a good job at his alma mater.

As a member of Frank Beamer's Virginia Tech staff for 10 seasons, Gray was retained when Beamer, a Hokies icon who was celebrated across Virginia earlier this month on Frank Beamer Day, retired after 29 seasons and was replaced by Justin Fuente.

Gray had developed a reputation as one of the country's top secondary coaches. He coached five All-Americans and 10 NFL draft picks over the past decade.
He really hadn't thought much of leaving until an opportunity to return home showed up on his doorstep.

"I always felt at Virginia Tech I had a great job as the defensive backs coach,'' Gray said. "I loved working for Coach Beamer and [defensive coordinator Bud] Foster."

A Lakeland native, Gray starred at Lakeland Kathleen High prior to Virginia Tech, and he later played two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before a knee injury cut his career short.

"To have a chance to come here, I was ecstatic about that,'' said Gray, who turns 42 on March 18. "It was exciting to have that opportunity."

Gray has been on the go since accepting an offer from Florida head coach Jim McElwain to replace Kirk Callahan as the Gators' defensive backs coach. In Between recruiting for the 2017 class, studying film of his new players, and getting his family relocated to Florida, Gray met with the Florida media contingent for the first time on Thursday afternoon.

He is impressed with the talent Florida returns in the secondary. Cornerbacks Jalen Tabor, Quincy Wilson and safety Marcus Maye highlight the group, and key reserves Marcell Harris, Nick Washington and Duke Dawson expect to be leaned on more following the departures of three starters: cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, nickel Brian Poole and safety Keanu Neal.

Still, Gray will enter the start of spring practice March 9 with a specific task in mind.

"I've been very impressed with the top-end talent we have,'' he said. "We've got to develop some depth, though. It's pretty impressive, the guys we do have coming back. I'm pretty excited to start working with those guys."

Early enrollee Chauncey Gardner could help in that regard.

While his first career move in a decade has forced Gray to make changes – he said the Florida defensive scheme is different than the mostly man-to-man coverage Hokies mainstay Foster preferred – one aspect of the Florida job will be familiar.

The Gators have adopted DBU as a mantra in recent years. Virginia Tech also uses that moniker.

"I think you've got three or four schools that call themselves DBU, maybe more,'' he said. "We think we're DBU here at the University of Florida and we're going to roll with that."

Gray's impact at UF during his short time has been on the recruiting trail, where he has made inroads around the state. Gray said he spot recruited Florida during his time at Virginia Tech and prefers rangy and athletic defensive backs.

"Those are guys I try to recruit,'' he said. "But I don't want to pass up a good player just because he's not tall. Obviously, we want fast guys. You want guys with a football IQ."

Gray has already sensed at least one benefit of coaching at Florida.

The Gators are in the Southeastern Conference. That's a long way from Maine, where Gray began his coaching career 16 years ago.

"I believe [to] kids, the University of Florida being and in the SEC, that brings a certain reputation with it,'' he said. "Having a Gator logo on, I believe helps from a recruiting standpoint. There seems to be an aura with a lot of the student-athletes about the SEC. It will be fun to see if that works in our favor now."

Fuente, who took over from Beamer after a successful stint at Memphis State, recently told the Newport News (Va.) Daily Press that Gray was a coach he would have liked to have kept but understood his departure.

"Torrian was very open with me in his aspirations,'' Fuente said. "I'm just happy for Torrian more than anything. It's something -- he was yearning for more responsibility, a chance to go back close to home, and I think he should be celebrated for his time here and the job he did here."

Gray's mission is simple in Year 1.

"We all would like to do better than last year,'' he said. "It took a great opportunity like the University of Florida, to come back home, to really entertain [leaving Virginia Tech]. That's kind of what happened."