Staff Directory
Gray, Drew
Drew Gray
- Title:
- Nickels Coach
- Email:
Drew Gray enters his second season at Northwestern as the Wildcats' nickels coach in 2025.
Gray arrived in Evanston after two impactful seasons as a full-time assistant at Samford, where he served as the cornerbacks coach. During his tenure, Gray played a pivotal role in a historic 2022 campaign, helping lead the Bulldogs to an 11-2 record, an undefeated 8-0 mark in Southern Conference play and the program's first outright SoCon title. Samford advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1991, with Gray's secondary playing a key role in the team's defensive resurgence.
Before being promoted to a full-time position, Gray worked in various defensive roles at Samford. In the fall of 2021, he assisted with the defensive backs, and in the spring of 2021, he served as a defensive quality control coach, working closely with the linebackers. In that capacity, he led meetings and drills, prepared scouting reports, assisted in game planning, and coordinated the offensive scout team.
Before his time at Samford, Gray spent the 2019 season at Sioux Falls, where he coached defensive ends and mentored two all-conference selections. He also contributed as the assistant recruiting coordinator and coached special teams units.
A former standout player himself, Gray played at South Dakota, where he was a team captain and earned All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors twice. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from South Dakota in 2019.
Gray arrived in Evanston after two impactful seasons as a full-time assistant at Samford, where he served as the cornerbacks coach. During his tenure, Gray played a pivotal role in a historic 2022 campaign, helping lead the Bulldogs to an 11-2 record, an undefeated 8-0 mark in Southern Conference play and the program's first outright SoCon title. Samford advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1991, with Gray's secondary playing a key role in the team's defensive resurgence.
Before being promoted to a full-time position, Gray worked in various defensive roles at Samford. In the fall of 2021, he assisted with the defensive backs, and in the spring of 2021, he served as a defensive quality control coach, working closely with the linebackers. In that capacity, he led meetings and drills, prepared scouting reports, assisted in game planning, and coordinated the offensive scout team.
Before his time at Samford, Gray spent the 2019 season at Sioux Falls, where he coached defensive ends and mentored two all-conference selections. He also contributed as the assistant recruiting coordinator and coached special teams units.
A former standout player himself, Gray played at South Dakota, where he was a team captain and earned All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors twice. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from South Dakota in 2019.
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