Brandon Deaderick and T’Darryl Grays join EMCC football coaching staff

SCOOBA – Retired National Football League defensive end Brandon Deaderick and former Southeastern Louisiana University defensive back T'Darryl Grays have been hired as assistant football coaches at East Mississippi Community College, as announced Friday by 13th-year EMCC head football coach Buddy Stephens.

A seven-year NFL veteran and former three-year starter for the University of Alabama, Deaderick will work with EMCC's defensive linemen after having spent the past two seasons working as a defensive quality control analyst at the University of Tennessee.  Grays, a Picayune native, will primarily coach the Lions' defensive backs after serving in the same capacity for the last three years at Mississippi Delta Community College.

"We welcome Brandon and T'Darryl on board and we look forward to having both of them do a fantastic job continuing to move our football program forward," Coach Stephens said.  "They are both excellent, young football coaches who will do a tremendous job teaching football and mentoring our young men."  

A seventh-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2010 NFL Draft, Deaderick recorded 62 total tackles, including 5.5 quarterback sacks, and forced three fumbles with one fumble recovery during his professional career.  He followed a three-year playing stint (2010-12) in New England with consecutive one-year stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2013), New Orleans Saints (2014), Houston Texans (2015) and Buffalo Bills (2016).

Following a standout prep career at Elizabethtown (Ky.) High School, Deaderick became a 31-game starter for the Alabama Crimson Tide while registering 83 career stops, including 13 tackles for loss with seven quarterback sacks.  He capped his successful college playing career in winning fashion as a senior starter on Coach Nick Saban's undefeated BCS National Championship team in 2009.

During Deaderick's two seasons on Coach Jeremy Pruitt's Tennessee staff, UT's defense played a key role in the team's turnaround that saw the Volunteers rebound from a 2-5 start a year ago to win their final five regular-season games before claiming a dramatic 23-22 comeback victory over Indiana in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.  

"It's a privilege to be able to coach with Buddy Stephens because he instills a winning attitude and emphasizes developing young men," Deaderick noted.  "I also look forward to learning from the two best coordinators in the NJCAA with Coach Cliff Collins on defense and Coach David Boykin on the offensive side of the ball.  It is very evident that there is a championship culture and a commitment to excellence here at EMCC, and I can't wait to be a part of it."

Grays was a three-year starter in the defensive secondary at Picayune Memorial High School.  As a cornerback, he helped lead Coach Dodd Lee's Maroon Tide teams to a three-year composite record of 30-6, including back-to-back Class 4A District 8 championships and consecutive third-round appearances in the state playoffs during his sophomore and junior seasons.  Grays capped his prep career by earning All-Region 8-4A honors as well as being named Class 4A All-State Second Team by the Mississippi Association of Coaches as a senior.

Following his standout prep career at Picayune, Grays recorded 24 career tackles, two pass breakups, a pair of forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 30 games played as a defensive back at Hammond-based Southeastern Louisiana.  He capped his collegiate playing career by helping the 2012 SLU Lions achieve a third-place Southland Conference finish with a 5-2 league record.

Most recently, Grays worked with a total of 15 MACJC All-State/North Division players during his three seasons at MDCC, including wide receiver/kick returner Lebarron Jones, who led the NJCAA in all-purpose yardage last season, and Mississippi State defensive back signee Kyle Cass.

"I'm very grateful and excited for this opportunity to be a part of Coach (Buddy) Stephens' championship culture here at East Mississippi Community College," Grays said.  "I'm also looking forward to working with (EMCC defensive coordinator) Coach (Cliff) Collins on the defensive side of the ball and being able to learn from him as much as possible.  I'm ready to get to work and help contribute to the Lions' continued football success."