ABILENE, Texas - Opportunity. When McMurry defensive line coach Barris Grant was selected as one of the participants in the 2010 Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship, the word “opportunity” escaped his mouth several times in describing his upcoming adventure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Grant will join the Bucs during the last week in July when players report for training camp and will stay two weeks under the direction of head coach Raheem Morris.

“I want to thank God for the opportunity and I’m extremely excited to work for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization and for coach Morris,” Grant said. “It will be a great opportunity to learn and partner with an NFL organization, and when I come back to McMurry it will help as I will be able to have a new perspective when training our players.”

Grant will enter his second season as defensive line coach for McMurry University in 2010. His connection with Morris runs deep as the two played on the same Pop Warner team in New Jersey as kids and later played on the same high school football team at Irvington High School in Irvington, N.J.

In its 29th year, the minority coaching fellowship has produced several alumni that are currently employed as coaches with NFL teams including three current head coaches and one former head coach. Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears, Marvin Lewis if the Cincinnati Bengals, and Morris of the Bucs all went through the program while former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs head coach and current ESPN NFL analyst Herman Edwards also broke in through the fellowship.

Grant said that he is not focusing on his next job, but rather, he said he wants to use the fellowship to help McMurry’s football program.

“The coaching profession is about building bonds with other coaches. I’m not looking for an NFL job, I’m looking at this as an opportunity to become a better coach,” Grant said. “The NFL is the highest level of football; and having the opportunity to learn at that level will in turn make me a better coach at the NCAA Division III level. It’s a dream of high school and college players to play in the NFL. Hopefully I can pass on the blessing of this fellowship by helping facilitate that dream to our players.”

Grant will return to coach a defensive line in 2010 that boasts all-conference returnee Josh McKinnis as well as key players including Ricky Jiminez, Nick Hernandez and Corey Hall.

McMurry’s football program will enter into its second season under head coach Hal Mumme beginning August 11 when players report for fall camp. McMurry’s first game on the road with Bacone College is Sept. 4.

-Courtesy McMurry University Sports Information Department