Slated to open the season as the starter at strong-side linebacker … has proven that he can be a defensive force … will be counted on to be a solid contributor this season … also can play middle linebacker … has seven starts over his career … used extensively on special teams … hard-hitter … Athletic Directors’ Academic Honor Roll … bowl trips: 2007 Gator, 2008 Fiesta, 2008 Meineke, 2010 Gator.
2009 (r-Jr.): Played in nine games … saw action on more than 140 plays, including a season-high 39 plays at USF … used on 15 or more plays in three games … finished with 22 total tackles, including 13 unassisted stops …had a sack and three tackles for loss … finished with season-high seven tackles twice (UConn and USF) … had three tackles, including two unassisted tackles against Louisville … collected seven tackles, including a three-yard sack and two tackles for loss at USF … registered seven tackles, including five unassisted tackles and a tackle for loss against UConn … two tackles against Colorado … saw first significant time of the season at Auburn, finishing with three tackles, including two unassisted tackles.
2008 (r-So.): Played in 11 games and started six … earned the starting job for the Rutgers game when Reed Williams was forced to redshirt … sustained a high ankle sprain at Louisville and was forced to miss the final two games of the regular season … WVU Defensive Champion: Auburn, Connecticut … seventh-leading tackler on the team with 59 tackles, including 19 unassisted … also has 1.5 tackles for loss, an assisted sack, an interception returned 36 yards, a forced fumble and a pass breakup … season-high 16 tackles and a forced fumble against Auburn … nine tackles, including seven solo stops at Louisville … also had a 36-yard interception … nine tackles, including one for loss against Rutgers … eight tackles, including an assisted sack and a pass breakup against Syracuse … six tackles against Cincinnati … five tackles against Villanova … three tackles at Connecticut … had a tackle against North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
2007 (r-Fr.): Used mostly on special teams but did see limited time at the strong-side linebacker position … saw action on more than 60 plays on the season, including a season-high 16 on defense against Western Michigan … also used in 13 plays on defense against Connecticut … collected 13 tackles for the year … season-high five tackles against Western Michigan … three tackles, including two solo stops against Connecticut.
2006 (Fr.): Redshirted … won the Danny Van Etten Award from WVU coaches as the scout team player of the year on defense ... scout team champion: East Carolina, Mississippi State.
Prep: First team 4A all-state performer at Pittsburgh’s McKeesport High ... led Coach George Smith’s 14-2 Tigers to the PIAA and WPIAL championships ... all-WPIAL and all-Quad South ... conference defensive player of the year ... 92 tackles, 14 sacks, four forced fumbles as a senior ... Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 25 ... Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 ... Keystone second team all-WPIAL ... also played basketball … his AAU basketball team finished No. 16 in the nation.
Personal: Birthday is May 3 ... son of Anthony Gray and Shawn Leonard... one of five children … majoring in athletic coaching education.
