Eddie Gran

Last updated

Eddie Gran
Current position
TitleSpecial assistant to the head coach
Team Kentucky
Biographical details
Born (1965-07-21) July 21, 1965 (age 59)
Escondido, California
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1987–1988 Cal Lutheran (WR)
1989 Southeast Missouri State (GA)
1989 East Carolina (GA)
1990–1991 Miami (FL) (GA)
1992–1993 Cincinnati (WR)
1994 Idaho State (WR)
1995–1998 Ole Miss (ST/RB)
1999–2008 Auburn (ST/RB)
2009 Tennessee (ST/RB)
2010–2012 Florida State (AHC/OC/RB)
2013–2015Cincinnati (OC/RB)
2016–2020 Kentucky (OC/RB)
2021–present Kentucky (Special Asst. To HC)

Eddie Earl Gran (born July 21, 1965) is an American football coach who is currently the special assistant to the head coach at Kentucky. Before that, he was the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Kentucky. He has been a running backs coach since 1995 and has previously coached at schools like Ole Miss, Tennessee, Auburn, and Florida State.

Contents

Coaching career

Gran started his coaching career at his alma mater, Cal Lutheran as their wide receivers coach. He was a graduate assistant for three teams after that, including Miami (FL). In 1992, he was hired as the WR coach at Cincinnati and was hired at Idaho State for the same position in 1994. From 1995 to 2009, he was the special teams coordinator for Ole Miss from ‘95-‘98, Auburn from ‘99-‘08, and Tennessee in 2009. [1] With Auburn, he coached first round picks Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams.

In 2010, he got his first offensive coordinating opportunity at Florida State. [2] While he was there, he coached future NFL 1st-round picks Christian Ponder, EJ Manuel, and Kelvin Benjamin along with future Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman.

In 2013, he left to join Cincinnati and reunite with former Auburn boss Tommy Tuberville as their offensive coordinator. [3]

In 2016, he left Cincinnati to rejoin the SEC at Kentucky. [4] In 2018, the team went 10-3 and beat Florida for the first time 1986. The offense was led by running back Benny Snell, who rushed for 1,449 yards and 16 touchdowns. Snell would break the Kentucky career rushing yards record in the 2019 Citrus Bowl against Penn State. In 2019, both of his quarterbacks were injured very early into the year, so he experimented with putting wide receiver Lynn Bowden at quarterback. Bowden finished the season as the team leader in rushing yards (1,468), receiving yards (348), passing yards (403), and total touchdowns (17). He would also win the Paul Hornung Award, an award given to the most versatile player in college football each year. Kentucky finished with an 8–5 record and a bowl win against Virginia Tech.

On December 6, 2020, Gran was fired from his post at Kentucky. [5] On September 17, 2021, Gran was rehired by Kentucky as a special assistant to the head coach. [6]

References

  1. Goldberg, Charles. "Eddie Gran once coached 'em, now will face Auburn this weekend at Tennessee". AL.com.
  2. Champion, Matthew. "Coach Gran is the Man: Previewing FSU's Jack-Of-All-Trades Coach". Bleacher Report.
  3. "Tuberville Names Eddie Gran Offensive Coordinator". Go Bearcats.
  4. Smith, Jennifer. "UK football hires Cincinnati's Eddie Gran to be assistant head coach of the offense". Kentucky.com.
  5. Roush, Nick (December 6, 2020). "Stoops on Gran and Hinshaw: "This was the way to move forward"". Kentucky Sports Radio. Archived from the original on December 6, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  6. Moore, Josh (September 17, 2021). "Eddie Gran returning to Kentucky football as a 'special assistant' to Mark Stoops". KentuckySports. Retrieved September 18, 2021.