MEMPHIS, TN - On talk radio, all the talk is about Washington Redskins assistant coach Jerry Gray.
"Multiple sources," says Will Askew, host of The Sports Bar on 56WHBQ, "are reporting this guy's gonna get the job."
"I think Memphis is going to have very, very, very mixed emotions about this choice," says Askew's co-host, Jeff Weinberger.
Sources tell myEyewitnessNews.com that Gray met Tuesday, November 24, 2009, with athletic director R.C. Johnson, university president Shirley Raines and FedEx CEO Fred Smith. They say Gray is the odds on favorite to become the new head football coach.
"He's, of course, an assisant in the NFL," says Weinberger. "He was a great all-American defensive back at the University of Texas. And, it looks like they have a definite plan at the University of Memphis, whether you agree with it or not."
Gray, who's been in the NFL for the past two decades, reportedly has the edge over Larry Porter, a former Tigers running back who works as assistant head coach at LSU.
Callers to The Sports Bar on Tuesday evening were more familiar with Porter and his well-regarded recruiting skills.
"They gotta hire Larry Porter," says a caller named RJ. "I have nothing against Jerry Gray. But I Googled him. He's got a pretty good career but he hasn't been to a college in years, man!"
Coaching great Jackie Sherill, a regular on the show, gave listeners his opinion on the U of M coaching search and Gray's position as front-runner.
"What everybody has said that has been around him," says Sherill, "is that he's a very good technician and he coaches very well. He knows his x's and his o's and he's very polished."
Another caller named Robert raved about Gray's credentials.
"Number one," he says, "his football accumen is far greater than people are giving him credit for. He was a defensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills for a number of years. He was a Pro Bowl defensive back, which is no small feat, in the NFL for a number of years. And number two: I trust in Fred Smith."
FedEx CEO Fred Smith owns 10-percent of the Washington Redskins, Gray's current employer. Smith's son also works for the team and knows Gray's coaching style and personality.
"If that's the case," says a caller, "and Mr. Smith has put this guy's name out there, that would mean he has some financial support he's going to put toward the team."
Smith has another reason to care about the future of the Tigers football program. His youngest son Cannon is joining the team next year and will compete for the starting quarterback position.
The question now? Will Tigers fans be giving thanks on Thanksgiving if Jerry Gray is named new head coach?
"I think there are a lot of people out there," says Askew, "who would have been excited if you hired Larry Porter or a name that they knew. But since nobody's really familiar with this guy, I'm not sure how they're going to take it."
