Tionne Gray Embraces Competition, National Title Goals After Transferring to Notre Dame
Tionne Gray was the icing on the cake for Notre Dame’s Transfer Portal class and it appears it’s the perfect match.
The St. Louis native had a clear vision when he entered the portal. Get closer to home, find a bigger role and compete for a National Championship.
Check. Check. And check.
“I wanted to go and earn a bigger role,” stated Gray. “But I still wanted to compete for a National Championship. I wanted to come closer to home. Notre Dame is one of the most prepared teams to go back to the Natty.
“I wanted to come here to be a part of that run, but also just the coaches and the strong traditions they have here. Oregon has a pretty high standard, but it’s a high standard here too.”
Choosing Oregon out of high school showed Gray has never shied away from competition. That hasn’t changed in South Bend. If anything, it’s intensified.
“The standard here is to be undefeated,” said Gray. “That’s what we want to accomplish. Plus, I wanted to come and compete against hefty competition. Coming here, it’s a loaded D-line room, a lot of guys have experience, so we’ll push each other, compete and have fun.”
The transition has been smooth. Gray may not have known fellow St. Louis native Christian Gray or Missouri product Aneyas Williams before arriving, but that didn’t last long.
“Me and Aneyas, our lockers are right by each other,” Gray said. “Me and Christian, we’ve got study hall together, so I’m always joking with him. Christian, our high schools played each other. I’m always throwing jokes at him.”
The adjustment to Notre Dame hasn't just been about learning a new program, it’s also been about culture.
Gray quickly learned how player-driven the Notre Dame program is. Defensive lineman Sean Sevillano Jr. helped show him the ropes during workouts, but one early moment made a lasting impression.
“The whole team itself, this is a real player-led team,” explained Gray. “There was one time when I was five minutes late and there were like six or seven dudes talking to me about it. That really showed me this is a real player-led team. Man, they really want to get back to a natty.”
Another major factor in Gray’s decision was defensive line coach Charlie Partridge.
Partridge’s résumé speaks loudly, but one name in particular resonated with Gray.
“He played a huge role in it,” Gray said of Partridge. “Just talking to my family, my uncles, we wanted to make sure it was the right school, but also the right coaches.
“One of the main players he’s worked with is DeForest Buckner. We have a similar body frame. I know I’m a little heavier, but we have a similar body frame and he coached him. He’s a great player. That’s who I aspire to be.”
At 6-foot-6 and 335 pounds, Gray already has the frame. Now, he wants to fine-tune it.
“I plan to drop down to 315-320,” stated Gray. “Just be more mobile and just feel better when I’m playing. That’s something I wanted. They didn’t encourage it. I told them what I wanted to do and we set up a meal plan and everything.”
While Gray prides himself on stopping the run, he knows the next step in his evolution is as a pass rusher.
“I pride myself on stopping the run first,” Gray stated. “The main thing I want to work on is my pass rush. Get some finesse moves into my bag.”
National Championship aspirations aren’t new to Gray. After experiencing a College Football Playoff run last season, he understands how the intensity shifts when the stakes rise.
“Once the playoffs came, everything is worth more,” said Gray. “Let’s go dominate. I really showed myself when I played freely how dominant I can really be.
“I would play freely, but sometimes I’d be a little hesitant. I made sure I stayed in my gap, controlled my gap, but I also just realized just how big I am. Now go and dominate and I’m going to make the play.”
And if that domination comes, Notre Dame may have found more than just the icing on the cake, it may have landed a centerpiece.
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