UF hiring Virginia Tech's Gray as defensive backs coach

UPDATE (2:18 P.M.): Virginia Tech has sent out a school release confirming that Torrian Gray will join Florida as its new defensive backs coach.

"This wasn't about dollar and cents or anything else," Gray said via the release. "Virginia Tech made me a very generous offer to stay, but this was simply a career opportunity and chance to return home to my Florida roots that my family couldn't pass up.

"I can't thank Coach Fuente enough for offering to do more to encourage me to stay, but Florida was one of the few opportunities that would even make me consider leaving Virginia Tech."

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The Gators have reportedly found their new replacement at defensive backs coach for the recently dismissed Kirk Callahan.

Virginia Tech secondary coach/passing game coordinator Torrian Gray will leave to coach defensive backs at Florida, Sports Illustrated reported Wednesday night.

The 41-year-old Gray, a Bartow, Fla., native, is an apparent upgrade from Callahan both as a recruiter and experience-wise. He’s been on Virginia Tech’s staff since 2006 coaching the secondary and before that served as the Chicago Bears’ assistant DBs coach from 2004-05, UConn’s DBs coach from 2002-03 and Maine’s DBs coach from 2000-01. Before that, he was a former Hokies player from 1992-96 and later played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1997-99.

Per The Roanoke Times, Gray was set to make $260,000 in 2016 with Virginia Tech. Callahan made $300,000 at UF in 2015.

Gray has coached a handful of talented defensive backs who have gone on to do big things at the next level, including Kam Chancellor, Kendall Fuller, Kyle Fuller, Jayron Hosley, Brandon Flowers and others.