Desperados hire new OL/DL coach and director of player personnel
October 22, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Dallas Desperados News Release
The Dallas Desperados announced on Friday the hiring of Terry Gray as Offensive and Defensive Line coach and the Director of Player Personnel. Gray replaces former OL/DL coach Jon Norris, who became the Defensive Coordinator and Line Coach for the Austin Wranglers.
Terry and I grew up in this league together as coaches, and I fully believe in his ability to evaluate, recruit, motivate and teach the type of athletes we need to be successful, Head Coach Will McClay said. He is a football guy. When the position came open, Terry was my first choice. His attention to detail will help find a way to make each and every player better.
Gray comes to Dallas after spending the 2003-2004 Arena Football seasons as the southwest scout for the Philadelphia Soul. He brings four years of AFL coaching experience to Dallas, along with three years of coaching experience at the collegiate level.
Before moving to the Soul, Gray spent two seasons as the southwest area scout for the Grand Rapids Rampage. He saw his work payoff as the Rampage won ArenaBowl XV in 2001.
For the 1997 and 1998 AFL seasons, Gray served as the Houston Thunderbears FB/LB and OL/DL coach and Director of Player Personnel. In his first season with Houston, Gray coached Carlos Fowler, who was named Lineman of the Year.
He served as the tight ends coach at his alma mater, Baylor, in 1996. For the 1995 AFL season, Gray served as the Milwaukee Mustangs Assistant Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel. Following the AFL season, he returned to Cisco Junior College to coach the offensive line. He made his AFL coaching debut in 1994 as the Assistant Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel for the Fort Worth Cavalry. His first coaching stint was as a graduate assistant at Baylor, where he worked with the offensive line in 1993.
As a player, Gray boasts eight years of arena football and traditional football experience playing in the AFL, NFL and World League of American Football. After playing along the offensive line at Cisco Junior College in 1986 and 1987, he played guard at Baylor for two seasons - 1988-89. After graduating, he saw time at guard with the Los Angeles Rams in 1990. In 1991, he played guard for the Houston Oilers and the Raleigh-Durham Sky Hawks of the WLAF. He was part of the WLAF Sacramento Surge World Bowl championship team in 1992 while also playing with the Oilers following the World Leagues season. He made his last stop as a player for the AFLs Dallas Texans in 1993.
Gray earned an associates degree in applied arts from Cisco Junior College and a degree in education from Baylor University.
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