SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The 18-second clip shared on Notre Dame football’s social media accounts showed sophomore-to-be cornerback Christian Gray breaking up four passes and intercepting another during the first six spring practices.
The caption indicated that Gray “has been all over the field this spring.” With the Irish losing starting cornerback Benjamin Morrison to a shoulder injury and reserve cornerback Clarence Lewis to the transfer portal in the last 10 days, Gray’s field coverage has been true in more ways than one.
“I’m just going out doing God’s work,” Gray said Wednesday after Notre Dame’s seventh spring practice and first since a weeklong Easter break. “I know what I’m capable of and everything. I know people can tell me I’m doing great. I just really focus on progression and growing more and sharing the glory of God and what he’s done for me.
“These gifts, I’m going to share it out to the fans, my teammates and the whole world to be honest.”
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Gray entered spring practice battling with junior-to-be Jaden Mickey for a starting cornerback role opposite of Morrison. The competition is likely to continue into the fall and could very well result in a rotation between the two. But first, Gray wants to do this spring what he didn’t as an early enrollee last year: finish it healthy.
Gray’s spring was cut short in 2023 due to a knee injury.
“It’s been pretty great, pretty fun,” Gray said. “A lot of learning lessons, a lot of great moments with my team, my brothers and with the wideouts. I can say this spring is going really great.”
The 6-foot, 188-pound Gray and 6-0, 178-pound Mickey continue to work closely together under defensive backs coach Mike Mickens, though they’ve been separated to opposite sides of the field following Morrison’s injury. Gray has been playing more to the boundary side of the field, which is where Morrison was practicing. Mickey’s stayed primarily to the wide side of the field.
“In boundary, everything is much quicker,” Gray said. “You gotta react. You gotta get on your feet every time. With field, it’s more space. You can be slow, patient. You understand what routes are coming and route concepts. It’s not a lot to field, but it’s a lot to process.”
Though Mickey is known for his competitive trash talk, that doesn’t apply to the competition with Gray.
“It’s all love,” Gray said. “We love each other at the end of the day. Even though it’s a competition, we’re still growing as brothers. We got even closer than ever. It’s just me and Mick always working. Me and Mick in the film room with coach Mickens. It’s actually really cool.”
Both Gray and Mickey totaled 11 tackles, one interception and two pass breakups last season. The only statistical difference came from Mickey returning his interception 43 yards for a touchdown against Pittsburgh. Gray’s interception also came in the 58-7 victory over Pitt.
Gray, who arrived at Notre Dame ranked by Rivals as the No. 12 cornerback and No. 93 overall prospect in the 2023 class, played in 12 of Notre Dame’s 13 games and registered more defensive snaps (198) than any Irish freshman last season. He played 124 more defensive snaps than the next highest freshman, linebacker Drayk Bowen. Gray played 55 fewer defensive snaps than Mickey.
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Starting in December, Gray turned a greater focus to improving his upper body strength while continuing to work on his footwork and speed. His explosiveness has already rated well as he currently sits atop Notre Dame’s player rankings for his numbers on the jump pad. Gray also said he weights seven pounds more (195 currently) than his weight listed on the ND roster.
Since Morrison had surgery on his right shoulder on March 25, he continues to attend practices and give Gray and other cornerbacks feedback.
“It’s great having him in my ear,” Gray said. “On the sidelines listening to him, he’s like, ‘Hey, Christian, you know what you got, man.’ He just gives me reassurance like, ‘You got it. You know what you’re doing bro. Just keep going. Stay to your leverage. This is the play. I’m repeating the play to you.’ He’s just teaching me to grow every time and help me to be great.”
Maybe Morrison is just repaying Gray for letting him use Gray’s electric bike. But Gray insists he doesn’t ask for anything in return. It’s part of the brotherly love at the cornerback position that Lewis, who left the team late last week to prepare for a graduate transfer, helped instill during his four seasons with the Irish.
When Lewis informed his teammates of his decision, Gray called him immediately to check in on his video game partner. The two liked to play Call of Duty’s Warzone together.
“Learning from C-Lew and being with him, he showed me how to really be open to the team,” Gray said. “These are your brothers. That man showed me how to open up to everybody. You don’t gotta keep secrets with us. This is like a true brotherhood that’s going to stay together forever. That’s what I learned from C.”
With seven practices remaining before the Blue-Gold Game scrimmage on April 20, Gray will continue to be tested by Notre Dame’s enhanced receiving corps. Transfers Kris Mitchell (FIU) and Jayden Harrison (Marshall) particularly impressed Gray already.
“Those new receivers are actually fast,” Gray said. “They’re fast, fast, fast actually. When I guarded Kris Mitchell, Jayden Harrison, I’m like, ‘OK, wow. I’ve never seen this before.’”
That should help Gray and his fellow cornerbacks be prepared for some of the talented wide receivers they’ll play against this fall. But while Gray is complimentary of those receivers off the field, he’s pushing himself to want to shut them down at every opportunity.
That can lead to more pass breakups, more interceptions and more highlight reels.
“I used to have trouble with having a dominant mindset,” Gray said. “ Like, ‘I’m going to dominate this person. I’m going to dominate this person.’ I used to have trouble with that.
“I’m using it right now. I have to be more consistent to it instead of just doing it in this moment and this moment. No, be consistent every time, because that’s going to make me a great player.
“Everyone keeps telling me, ‘You got everything.’ But I don’t have that mindset, not consistently on a daily basis, but I need it every time.”
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