MichaelGray

Michael Gray comes to Kentucky from Oregon State, where he has coached the defensive line for the last six years under head coaches Mike Riley and Dennis Erickson. OSU has gone to bowl games in three of the last four seasons, the most successful stretch in school history. Included were trips to the Oahu Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Insight.com Bowl. The 2000 team won the most games in OSU history, with an 11-1 record capped by a 41-9 thrashing of Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.

While at OSU, Gray coached defensive end DeLawrence Grant, a third-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2000; LaDairis Jackson, a free-agent signee with Seattle in 2001; and defensive tackle Eric Manning, a first-team All-Pac-10 selection in 2001 and 2002.

“Michael’s defensive lines at Oregon State have been outstanding,” Brooks said. “He has the ability to recruit, teach, and communicate. As a player, he was dedicated and hard-working, always a student of the game. I have followed him throughout his career and become more and more impressed.”

Gray and Brooks first met in 1981 when Gray signed with Oregon. A native of Baltimore, Md., Gray was a junior college All-American at West Hills College in Coalinga, Calif. He was a two-year letterman as a defensive tackle for Oregon in 1981-82.

Gray went on to an eight-year playing career in the Canadian Football League. He was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie in 1985 and played on three Grey Cup championship teams, 1985 with British Columbia, and 1988 and 1990 with Winnipeg. He was the defensive MVP of the ’88 championship game. He was a two-year pick on the CFL all-conference teams.

Following his playing career, Gray went into coaching immediately. He spent 1993-94 with British Columbia, coaching the defensive line as the squad captured the ’94 Grey Cup title, his fourth as either a player or coach. He broke into the collegiate ranks as the D-Line coach at Weber State in 1995. Gray rejoined Brooks as a defensive assistant coach in 1996 with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.

Gray and his wife, Susan, have a son, Parker.

“I’m coming to Kentucky because of Rich Brooks and Mitch Barnhart,” said Gray. “With those two, I know the kind of people I’ll be working with and I know that it will be a quality situation.

“Plus, it’s a chance to move closer to my family on the east coast and I’m excited about getting to coach in the Southeastern Conference.”

Gray Coaching and Professional Playing Experience

1985-86 British Columbia (CFL) Defensive Lineman, one Grey Cup championship1987-92 Winnipeg (CFL) Defensive Lineman, two Grey Cup championships1993-94 British Columbia (CFL) Assistant Coach, Defensive Line1995 Weber State Assistant Coach, Defensive Line1996 St. Louis Rams (NFL) Assistant Coach, Defensive Assistant1997-2002 Oregon State Assistant Coach, Defensive Line