Florida is getting a long-time Frank Beamer assistant, one that Virginia Tech didn’t want to lose.
The Gators have hired a new defensive backs coach in Torrian Gray, who just completed his 10th season as the secondary coach with the Hokies, also serving as the passing game coordinator for the last three.
Sports Illustrated first broke the news on Wednesday evening.
Gray, a standout safety at Virginia Tech from 1992-96 before playing two seasons in the NFL, is returning home as he’s a Lakeland, Fla., native. He replaces Kirk Callahan, who was dismissed by the Gators in mid-January after just one season.
Aside from having overseen some stellar secondaries and elite defensive backs at Virginia Tech, Gray is also a respected recruiter.
Gray, who accepted a pay cut to remain on new coach Justin Fuente’s staff, was offered more to stay in Blacksburg before deciding to go to Gainesville.
“This wasn’t about dollars and cents or anything else,” Gray said in a statement released by Virginia Tech. “Virginia Tech made me a very generous offer to stay, but this was simply a career opportunity and a chance to return home to my Florida roots that my family couldn’t pass up.
“I can’t thank Coach Fuente enough for offering to do more to encourage me to stay, but Florida was one of the few opportunities that would even make me consider leaving Virginia Tech.”
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
