Notre Dame CB Christian Gray Soaking Up Wisdom, Primed for Big Sophomore Campaign
Christian Gray has never lacked confidence or even words to say, so hearing that his transition to field corner has been smooth is hardly a shock.
The 6-foot, 187-pounder played in 12 games (198 snaps) as a true freshman last fall and is now locked in a battle with junior Jaden Mickey to start opposite Benjamin Morrison.
And he’s hit the ground running.
“At first, it wasn’t nerve-wracking, but it was like ‘OK, I’m at a different position and I gotta learn,’” stated Gray. “Being over there has been fun. That’s where the most action is. I like it over there. When I got here, I was at field (cornerback) first, and then I got back to boundary, so I was like, ‘same old thing, just gotta go out there and ball.’”
Gray would still be considered a young player, yet 2023 was extremely valuable to his development as he not only cracked into the rotation but also experienced Al Golden’s defense and game planning, which will be beneficial as he looks to take on a prominent role.
“If you actually commit to it and study it, you can understand it,” said Gray. “If you don’t lock in, if you don’t study the plays, then you won’t know what to do. You won’t know what your teammates are supposed to do or what their job is. When we have meetings with Coach (Mike) Mickens and all the safeties and nickels are in there. You know everybody’s job, so it’s just pretty amazing.”
The St. Louis native also is humble. Gray knows the experiences of last year will only go so far and he’s been dialed in on the mental side of the game even more over the last eight month, which also includes taking words from his mother to heart.
“I wanted to improve mentally,” explained Gray. “I keep trying to tell myself what Coach (Marcus) Freeman tells us in team meetings: ‘Reload’. I try to change that into ‘Surrender to God’. My mom always tells me, ‘Surrender to God, always give Him everything’.
“When you surrender to God, that means you’re going to be able to go far, till the end of the play. You’re trusting in Him to have your back, to have your future and everything. When [Coach Freeman] is saying, ‘Reload, I’m always saying ‘Surrender to God.’”
Some players don’t take the initiative to put in the extra work. Gray did and Mickens noticed, but also appreciates the drive from his rising sophomore.
“He wants to be the best, so he just grows his game every time he comes out,” stated Mickens. “He tries to look at film study, gets better on the field every single time. He’s working at it.”
Now, the example in the room of hard work paying off is Morrison. The preseason All-American enters the year as one of the country's top cornerbacks and Gray has made sure to soak in everything he can from Morrison.
“I talk to Ben about a lot of things,” Gray said. “He’s the leader. He’s the guy, so I try to talk to him about a lot of things. I learn a lot from him. He just gives me wisdom. Straight wisdom. I’m blessed that he’s my teammate.”
Morrison isn’t the only one Gray turns to, as he’s open to advice or thoughts from many coaches and teammates as he looks to build on last fall.
“I’m still a sophomore and 19 years old,” said Gray. “I want to have more wisdom so that I can help the young ones and to better myself and my future.
“What I take to the field is ‘One play, one life’ or ‘Win the interval.’ I took it to heart.”
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