Friday, December 4, 2015

1976 Profile: John Ray

Linebacker Coach
"John Ray's varied coaching career includes experience at every level of the game- high school, college and professional.
A native of South Bend, Indiana, Ray has been closely associated with Notre Dame, as a student and football center for one year (1944) and for five seasons as an assistant coach. When his college education was interrupted by Army Service in World War II, Ray transferred from Notre Dame to Olivet College, where he received his B.A. degree in 1950.
Upon graduation, Ray immediately accepted a job as assistant football coach at Sturgis (Michigan) High School and, two years later, a head coaching position at Three Rivers (Michigan) High. Named to the University of Detroit staff in 1955, Ray served as an assistant for four seasons before becoming head coach at John Carroll University in Cleveland. His five-year record of 29-6 included three undefeated seasons and a string of six national defensive marks.
Ray left to join Ara Parseghian at Notre Dame, helping assemble the Irish's 1966 National Championship squad. He was Irish defensive coordinator for five seasons and assistant head coach, as well, for two. In December 1968, Ray was chosen head football coach at the University of Kentucky. He rebuilt the Wildcats' sagging football fortunes and , in the process, scored major upsets over Mississippi and Kansas State.
Ray became the Bills linebacker coach in 1973."

-Buffalo Bills 1976 Yearbook

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