Jerry Gray Quotations

My advice to other parents is to talk to their kids. Talk to their teachers and see what they're saying and what they're doing in schools.

One thing I pride myself on his how hard our defense plays and how bad the players want to be the best in the league.

I don't think so. If you're a defensive coordinator and they want you, they're not going to give you permission to go somewhere else. ... So I'm pretty sure that means they're letting you go be a D coordinator elsewhere because they've got other plans here.

If something happened to one of those front-line guys, I'm not afraid to put them in because they know what we expect. A few years ago we had to go out and get the front line guys; London, Takeo and Jeff. Now we've drafted our next wave of guys. Those guys are learning from three of the best players in those positions right now.

He knows that if he was playing corner, these are the things he would be doing. Now he's got a younger guy that he can he help out and bring further along. It's like I have a coach on the field.

I talked to Marv and he pretty much gave me permission to go and seek another job somewhere else, so I have no problem with that. Would I like to be interviewed for the head coaching job? Yes. I know the players on offense and defense and I think I have their respect.

Our corners are fearless and you may run over them, but they're going to get you down,

I think players like to play that way,

Yeah, that's a lot of Aggies, ... but I don't know what I'd do without them.

Because if you trust that guy and he has the capabilities and puts in the work, he's going to trust you more and more. I always feel like the more suggestions I take from the players, the more film they'll watch. If they know it's an open-door policy, they'll use it.

I've been here five years and I know the guys so I don't have to re-evaluate anything, we would just have to take off and run from there. You don't want to take steps backward, you want to take steps forward, and that's what Mr. Wilson has been doing.

I've always felt like you want to do things to make the quarterback uncomfortable in there. But there's a line there between fooling him and fooling you. Mistakes are touchdowns, so you have to look at your people and decide what you can do, how much you can do.

The big thing about open-field tackling is you've got to have a belief that you can get it done, and they've got it. Those guys understand that the coaches are going to give them the right techniques and tools to get their job done. Then they can let their talent take care of the rest.

This is different . . . a little amazing. You've got to get to guys and try to find a job. It's a little humbling.

There were a lot of things that went on that you have to take into account. But if you have the No. 2-ranked defense two years in a row, that's not a fluke.

It's always like that. When you've got a guy that gets double-digit sacks and you're not on a winning team, it's hard for them to put you in the spotlight. But they're not talking about your team, so it's hard for him to get Pro Bowl recognition.

They can come at you in different ways. You've got a guy like Dunn who is small but has a lot of speed. Duckett is a big guy who can pound it between the tackles. And of course, you have to account for Vick. It's going to be a challenge for our defense to stop these guys. After last week, I think our guys will be ready to play better than they did in Tampa.

I learned a lot last year, and I'm still learning. Mike has given me a lot of responsibility. (General manager) Tom Donahoe let me go on the road to scout before the draft. He asked my opinions about players we needed. I really appreciate their faith in me.

Being a head coach in this league is something I've aspired to do ever since I became an assistant with the Titans (in 1997). I've always wanted to be the best at every level. I'm not getting impatient; I'm just determined. I believe I've got a lot to offer if I get that opportunity.

I don't know if it's happening more with the emphasis on downfield contact, but you notice the guys who can do it a little more. You watch the film and the guys who can make that matchup work really can help you.

He's got a cornerback mentality, and now he has to understand to play like a safety. I know that he wants to get into the action, but I always preach to him, 'This is your job right now.' ... He's adjusting.

Go talk to the referees. They have all the answers.

A guy with that kind of consistency, you put him with a winning team and he'd be talked about with the best D-ends in the league. I don't think Aaron knows how good he could be if he starts out (stronger) early.

The GM said, they're looking outside and that's the route they want to go. So I've got to go and get a job for myself.

And if you've got the guy with the demeanor and the talent, I think it's the move to make. The tough thing is finding that guy with the demeanor and the talent. Just one without the other isn't going to get it done.