Cougars’ Secondary Gets Defensive Perfection A Requirement With ‘Harsh’ Assistant Coach Bray
The man in charge of Washington State University’s defensive secondary has been positively identified as Craig Bray, a 45-year-old father of two.
It only seems as if Mike Ditka is patrolling the practice field during the football team’s two-a-day drills.
“Sometimes I may be a little too harsh,” Bray said Tuesday, after another high-decibel practice session, “but they learn as they’re around me and they know it’s nothing personal.”
Bray’s combative style, complete with well-aimed one-liners that would make Don Rickles proud, keeps players from taking anything for granted.
And when a player finally gets it right, the ensuing encouragement - no matter how reluctant or understated - is cherished all the more.
“You never know with Bray,” said sophomore cornerback LeJuan Gibbons, who has rebounded from a disappointing spring to become a leading candidate at left cornerback. “He keeps you on your toes mentally and physically - especially mentally - but that’s a good thing.”
Bray is in his second stint with the Cougars. He was part of Dennis Erickson’s WSU staff in 1987-88, but left for Idaho when the Vandals named fellow WSU assistant John L. Smith head coach.
Bray returned to WSU from Idaho in 1994 and is the Cougars’ most vocal assistant. Like any effective drill sergeant, Bray doesn’t believe in smiling on the job.
Sophomore cornerback Dee Moronkola has survived Bray’s best.
“When I came in, my freshman year, I did something wrong and he said, ‘Who in the hell gave you a scholarship?!”’ Moronkola said, recalling one of Bray’s more benign (and printable) barbs. “And I just looked at him and was like, ‘Well, you did.’ “He’s actually pretty cool.”
As Bray explains: “I come down hard on guys when they’re not focusing because we’re playing a position that is like no other position on the football field. When we make a mistake, when we break down, it costs our team huge plays, and a lot of times they’re six points.
“Any other position can make a mistake and there’s always somebody to back them up.”
Through four days of practices, Gibbons and freshman Jermaine Hunsaker are battling for the starting job at left corner, the only wide-open position in the secondary. Until recently, Hunsaker was considered the favorite. Now Gibbons is working with the starting unit, which includes Moronkola at right corner, Ray Jackson at free safety and Duane Stewart at strong safety.
“I’ve really been impressed with LeJuan’s effort and intensity, his skills,” Bray said. “He’s like a new guy.”
Gibbons feels like a new guy as well. In past years, injuries defined his WSU existence, starting with the hamstring problems that carried over from his days as a prep sprinter. In the spring, it was a calf injury that cramped his style.
“He was an extremely fast kid in high school - I think he ran a 10.4 electronic 100 meters,” Bray said, “and since he’s been here, I’ve never seen any indication that he has that kind of speed - until now.”
Giving Bray something to smile about. Until the next blown assignment, anyway.
Notes
Senior Bryant Thomas will require surgery after injuring the ring finger on his left hand during Tuesday’s morning workout. The injury will not keep Thomas, a backup strong safety, from continuing to practice… . Bray said Anthony Matthews, a first-year freshman from Wilson High in Tacoma, could make the Cougars’ twodeep roster. The 5-9, 160-pounder would be the fourth cornerback… . Junior-college transfer Earl Riley continues to miss practices as complications concerning his transcript are sorted out. Riley intercepted seven passes for Long Beach City College last year… . Backup safety Torry Hollimon has a shoulder injury that will keep him from suiting up for the Aug. 31 opener against UCLA… . Defensive linemen Delmar Morais (sore knee) and Gary Holmes (sore back) were held out of practices Tuesday… . This afternoon’s practice will be the Cougars’ first in full pads… . The team will scrimmage Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning.
, DataTimes