Redskins: Lost amid disappointment, Torrian Gray an excellent hire

After another mediocre season, fans have been adamant, calling for the heads of countless Redskins coaches.

Lost amid all this disappointment, however, is the stellar performance of several assistants, one of whom being defensive backs coach Torrian Gray.

When Washington brought in coach Gray in February of 2017, the hire was met with a relatively positive reaction. Gray had built an esteemed reputation for himself at Virginia Tech University, where he helped coach dominant players like Kam Chancellor and Brandon Flowers. He also coached former Redskins’ safety Kyshoen Jarrett and current Redskins’ cornerback Kendall Fuller.

Gray’s familiarity with Fuller and Jarrett, who still works out with the team from time to time, was an immediate plus, and as his tenure carried on, his impact grew more and more relevant. Joshua Holsey thrived under Gray’s teachings early in the offseason, and it was his work that helped get Holsey onto the 53-man roster. Fish Smithson, another promising UFA, flashed in preseason, using Gray’s teachings, and he would eventually be elevated onto the active roster.

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Gray’s hand print seeps deeper than the mere roster hopefuls, however. Under his presence, young players saw their production skyrocket and their speed of development take a dramatic turn upward.

Rookie Montae Nicholson immediately thrived in the Redskins’ defense with Gray coaching him along, and young players like Kendall Fuller and Quinton Dunbar both had breakout seasons in Gray’s first year with the team. Fuller displayed incredible improvement at the slot corner position, tying the team lead with four interceptions on the year.

Dunbar, meanwhile, broke free of his ‘former wide receiver’ label this year, showing that he can be not only a competent cornerback, but a dominant one in this league, using his length, hands, and experience as a wide receiver to beat them at their own game.

With Dunbar so far ahead in his transition from wide receiver to cornerback, and with Fabian Moreau stirring excitement among team officials, the team feels comfortable moving on from Bashaud Breeland. The move will not only save them cap room, but it will also allow them to move on to younger players with more upside.

Next: Grading the Redskins wide receivers on their 2017 play

Washington can thank Gray for this. The 43-year old has the Redskins’ Flight Marshals on the rise, and while D.J. Swearinger’s leadership has been a pleasant acquisition, the impact of Gray cannot be overstated. Coaching matters in the NFL. It’s coaching that sets teams apart. And with continued help from Torrian Gray, the Redskins can expect their secondary to set themselves apart from other units in the years to come.

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