| ||||||||||
Wesley McGriff is in his second year on the University of Miami coaching staff as the Hurricanes' defensive backs coach.
The 40-year-old McGriff returns an experienced group in the secondary in 2008, with seven players with starting experience back. McGriff helped safety Kenny Phillips in his final season earn second team All-America honors. Phillips was the first round draft pick of the New York Giants. Miami ranked sixth in the Atlantic Coast in passing defense in 2007..
An extremely versatile coach, McGriff has mentored players on both sides of the ball during his 18-year career, including two stints as a defensive coordinator. Considered one of the Big 12's top recruiters, McGriff came to Miami in 2007 after a few weeks on the staff at Kansas State and four years at Baylor, where he served as recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach under Guy Morriss.
At Baylor, McGriff's defensive backs ranked 13th in pass efficiency in 2005. The 2005 Baylor defense allowed just 14 touchdowns through the air, its fewest since 1998, and recorded its most interceptions (16) since 1994 with McGriff's cornerbacks accounting for 11 interceptions.
Prior to his stint at Baylor, McGriff spent two seasons on Morriss' Kentucky staff, coaching the running backs during the 2001 season before returning to the defensive side of the ball as UK's cornerbacks coach in 2002. McGriff spent the 2000 campaign as the secondary coach at Eastern Kentucky, where he mentored Yeremiah Bell, a first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference pick who went on to be drafted by the Miami Dolphins. The 2000 Colonels ranked fourth nationally in total defense, fifth in scoring defense and ninth in passing yardage allowed and posted four shutouts during the season.
From 1995 through 1999, McGriff served as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Kentucky State, where his defenses posted numerous top-10 statistical rankings, including leading the nation in total defense in 1995 and pass yardage defense in 1997. In 1998, he was named the American Football Coaches Association's NCAA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year.
McGriff began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Savannah State, where he coached the Tigers' running backs in 1990 before moving into a full-time role as secondary coach in 1991-92. He then served as Savannah State's defensive coordinator in 1993-94, and he was the team's interim head coach for three months in spring 1993. He was Savannah State's head baseball coach from 1991-95, winning two conference championships and being named conference Coach of the Year twice.
A native of Tifton, Ga., McGriff played cornerback, running back and wide receiver for the Tift County High School state championship team. He played at South Carolina State for one year before transferring to Savannah State, where he started at outside linebacker for three seasons and was named the conference's 1989 Male Academic Athlete of the Year. He received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Savannah State in 1990 and graduated cum laude. In 1993, he earned a master's in public administration from Georgia Southern, where he graduated with distinction.
McGriff was born on January 23, 1968. He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1990 and was a member of the Army Reserves until 2001. He and his wife, Karen, have a son, Jaylen.
Personal Information
Full name: Wesley Keith McGriff
Birthdate: January 23, 1968
Hometown: Tifton, Georgia
Education: B.S. in criminal justice, Savannah State, 1990
Master's degree in public administration, Georgia Southern, 1993
Wife: Karen
Children: Son Jaylen
McGriff's Coaching Career
2007-presentUniversity of Miami (defensive backs)
2007Kansas State (defensive backs)
2003-2006Baylor (cornerbacks/recruiting coordinator)
2002Kentucky (cornerbacks)
2001Kentucky (running backs)
2000Eastern Kentucky (secondary)
1995-1999Kentucky State (asst. head coach, defensive coordinator, secondary)
1993-1994Savannah State (defensive coordinator)
1991-1992Savannah State (secondary)
1990Savannah State (graduate assistant)
Bowl Games as a Coach (1)
1997 Pioneer Bowl
Coaching Accomplishments
•Served as defensive coordinator at Kentucky State and Savannah State
•1998 American Football Coaches Association Division II Assistant Coach of
the Year
•His 1997 pass defense at eastern Kentucky led Division II, and in 1995 the
school led the nation in total defense
•Served a training camp internship with the New England Patriots in 2001
Honors as a Player
•Starter at outside linebacker for three seasons at Savannah State
•Named Conference's Male Academic Athlete of the Year in 1989
Prominent Players Coached
•Kenny Phillips (Miami) - New York Giants
•Artose Pinner (Kentucky) - Detroit Lions
•Cletius Hunt (Kentucky State) - Green Bay Packers
•Devin Wyann (Kentucky State) - New England Patriots
•Michael Mason (Kentucky State) -
San Francisco 49ers
 |
 |
|
