Faulkner Announces Gray as Seventh Coach in Program History

Football | Fri, May 14, 2021

Story by Faulkner University Athletics

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner University introduced Rob Gray Friday as the seventh head football coach in program history. Gray, a graduate of Collinsville High School, has served each of the last two seasons on the Faulkner football coaching staff under Tommy Wasden.

“We are very excited about what Rob can do for our football program. His two seasons at Faulkner have shown his passion for football, the student-athletes who work with him, and the mission of the university,” Faulkner Athletic Director Hal Wynn said. “Rob is well liked by his players and well respected among his peers. He is our seventh coach since we launched the program in 2006. It is my hope, he will be in this position for a very long time.”

Gray spent the 2019 campaign as the pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach before departing to work with Charles Henderson High School in the Fall of 2020. As Faulkner’s 2020 season moved to the spring semester of 2021, Gray returned to the program as associate head coach while also leading defensive backs.

“I’ve been blessed with an incredible opportunity to not only coach young men, but to teach them and mentor them as well,” Gray said. “I look forward to not only winning games, but seeing these young men win and succeed in life. My family and I are extremely excited and I can’t wait to get started.”

Gray, who played in 34 games as an outside linebacker and safety at Jacksonville State from 2009-2013, began his journey in coaching as a graduate assistant on Bill Clark’s staff at the University of Alabama-Birmingham from 2015-2017. He returned to Jacksonville State as a GA and outside linebackers coach in 2017 before serving as co-defensive coordinator and defensive back coach at Mobile Christian School from 2018-2019.

He has been married to the former Samantha Ockay since April 2016. The couple has a daughter, Scarlett (3), while also serving as the guardians of Gray’s younger brother, Jaydon McElrath (12).

The Eagles went 6-2 and finished second in the Appalachian Division of the Mid-South Conference during the 2020 season, which concluded April 10, 2021. The team is set to officially open the Rob Gray era Saturday, Sept. 4 when it hosts Southeastern University in the first football game played on the new turf of John Mark Stallings Field in Billy D. Hilyer Stadium.