Samford University Athletics

Following a 1-4 start, the Bulldogs finished 2001 with a 5-5 mark. Their only loss that year under Gray was on the road to No. 23 Eastern Kentucky. After having served as an assistant at Samford since 1994, first as running backs coach from 1994-98, and next as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator from 1999 through the first five games of 2001, Gray was named the 34th head coach in Samford football history following the 2001 season.

In 2003, Samford competed for the first time as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. Despite being picked eighth in the nine-team league in the preseason poll, Samford posted a 5-3 conference record, finishing tied for third. The team went 7-4 overall, giving Samford its first winning season since 1999. For his efforts, Gray was named the OVC's Coach of the Year his first year coaching in the league.

Last season, despite a slow start and young team with just five seniors, Samford improved throughout the season. The Bulldogs finished with a 5-6 overall record and a 4-4 mark in conference play. This was good for a fourth-place finish in the league. Following the season, safety Cortland Finnegan was named All-American for the second time in three seasons. He also became the first Samford player in 37 years to be drafted by the NFL, going to the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round.

Producing All-Americans have been a staple of Gray-coached teams. The 2002 squad included two All-Americans in wide receiver Aryvia Holmes and Finnegan. Holmes left his mark on every Samford receiving record and is currently on the staff coaching wide receivers. Finnegan finished second in the nation that year in kickoff returns. In 2003, Finnegan repeated as an All-American as well as the OVC's Defensive Player of the Year. Wide receiver Efrem Hill was the other All-American as well as a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which annually goes to the top player in I-AA football. Hill also was the OVC's Offensive Player of the

The 2004 season saw Hill again named All-American, while Hill, Finnegan and quarterback Ray Nelson were named All-Conference. After three years in the OVC, Gray coached teams have produced nine All-Conference performers, two Players of the Year and one Male Athlete of the Year. Both Hill and Finnegan are currently in the NFL. Hill is a member of the Carolina Panthers and Finnegan is with the Tennessee Titans.

Gray, however, will be the first to say that there is a long way to go to being satisfied. "The individual honors have brought a lot of attention to our football program," Gray said. "They are a testimony to the type of players we are attracting to our University. Yet, a conference championship is our goal each year we report. After three years in the league, we can see that the ring is not that far out of reach. I believe we are getting closer each year."

"With the current improvements being made in athletic facilities and those that are to come, we are steadily closing the gap in our conference. Samford University is a wonderful institution with an outstanding academic heritage. I believe we can accomplish great things on the football field without compromising our ideals and standards. This is evident by looking at the current NCAA academic numbers."

In the national NCAA Academic Progress Ratings (APR) released earlier this year, Samford's football program scored 992 out of a possible 1,000, ranking the Bulldogs first in the OVC, the state of Alabama and among Baptist universities.

"It's my desire that Saturdays at Seibert will be exciting," Gray said when named head coach in 2001. This has definitely been the case. Gray has coached 49 games at Samford. His teams have compiled a 24-25 overall record and a 12-12 conference mark. Offensive excitement has never been missing. His teams are averaging 28 points per game. They have been in the top 25 in the nation each year in passing while averaging 377 yards of total offense.

Gray's teams have taken advantage of opportunities when given them. The Bulldogs are scoring 81 percent of the time they are in the red zone. They have consistently finished in the top three each year in third-down conversions. His teams are also always one of the least penalized teams in the OVC.

The excitement is also evident by the numbers turning out to watch the Bulldogs play at Seibert. Since taking over, Gray's teams have played in front of two of the top three all-time home crowds in school history as well as six of the top ten. This has made for some memorable Saturdays at Seibert.

For Gray, priorities are simple: faith, family and football.

"The Lord has opened up so many doors," Gray said. "I'm doing what I always dreamed I would get to do, and I have no desire to do something else. This is a place that I believe in, and this is a position I have always wanted to occupy if the opportunity presented itself. I truly believe that the Lord has guided me to this job at this time.

"As the head football coach at Samford University there is much expected, not only of myself but also of our program. We have an obligation as someone in a leadership position to take advantage of the platform that the Lord has given us. I believe that we can promote His Kingdom even through the game of football. There is no reason why we shouldn't strive to excel on the football field while at the same time keeping the core values of Samford University at the forefront.

"This college football experience is so exciting for the student-athlete. It is a wonderful feeling to watch a young man mature not only as a player, but also as a student. Even more wonderful is to see that young man mature in his faith walk. When you can have a small part in someone developing into one day becoming a better husband, a better father or a better son, then that is a priceless reward. Football at a Christian University is an awesome tool to grow Godly men."

Gray's no-nonsense approach has been successful with the Bulldogs, instilling the responsibility and discipline associated with a family. As a byproduct, an enthusiasm and spirit of achievement through hard work has become contagious in the locker room.

"My goal is for our players to take pride in wearing the red and blue of Samford, and for them to work hard daily to be the best student-athletes they can be," Gray said. "As a coach, I need to help the players improve as individuals each day that they are out on that field. If we do that, then there is an opportunity to one day look up and see that we are conference champions or even better. I have seen it happen before and we can certainly experience that here. There is such a fine line these days between winning and losing on Saturdays. Our young men are beginning to understand that more and more."

Gray has a small-college background, playing and coaching for Division II Mississippi College. As a receiver for the Choctaws, he faced several in-state schools in the old Gulf South Conference, including OVC rival Jacksonville State, Troy State (now Troy University), Livingston (now West Alabama) and Florence (now North Alabama). As an assistant coach, he shared in Mississippi College's NCAA Division II national championship.

"Small-college athletics still belong to the kids," Gray said. "It's the purest form of athletics we have today. They play out of a sense of pride for their school and because they love the game.

"Hopefully, they're in college for the right reason: to get an education. At Samford, education has to be important to the athletes. Because of that, I believe this place offers the best of both worlds."

Fourteen running backs have gained more than 500 yards a season since Gray arrived at Samford, including Jason Ogletree in 2001, and 2000's tandem of Rashad Brewer and Kadell Wright. Jerome Russell, who gained 1,180 yards, became the school's all-time leading rusher in 1999. The list also includes Bulldog All-American Anthony Jordan, who signed with the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and played with the Birmingham Steeldogs in the af2 arena football league.

Jordan wasn't the first Gray-coached running back to join the professional ranks. Fred McAfee, a Division II All-American at Mississippi College who led the New Orleans Saints in rushing as a free-agent rookie in 1991 and was the captain of special teams for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, was one of Gray's pupils.

Gray spent five years coaching quarterbacks and running backs at Mississippi College before coming to Samford. The Choctaws made three appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs and compiled a 39-17-3 record. In addition to his football duties, Gray served two years as head tennis coach for the Choctaws.

Gray lettered for four seasons as a wide receiver at Mississippi College and received a B.S. in business in 1983. He earned his master's degree in school administration in 1991 from Mississippi College.

Gray began coaching in the high school ranks in Houston, Texas, serving for five years (1984-88) at Aldine Nimitz High School in Houston as an offensive coach. Nimitz appeared in the Texas state playoffs during his tenure. One of his players at Nimitz was former Texas A&M All-American and 1994 New York Jets first-round draft choice Aaron Glenn. Glenn currently is with the Houston Texans.

From Nimitz, Gray moved to Langham Creek High School in Houston, spending one season there before returning to the Choctaws.

Gray is married to the former Crystal Crosby of Shreveport, La. They have five children: Brittany (20), Briana (18), Austin (14), Payton (12) and Bailey (10).