Bio

Emmanuel McCray heads into his third season as Gulf Coast’s offensive line coach after helping lead a unit that blocked the way for one of the most potent offenses in the country.

He sent four offensive linemen to NCAA FBS schools: Jaekwon Bouldin (Purdue), Daz Galloway (ULM), Zerian Hudson (Troy) and Greg Nunnery (Southern Miss). They were part of 18 Bulldogs who went on to the Next Level, including OL Joe Bradford (Nicholls State).

The 2023 Gulf Coast squad tied Copiah-Lincoln and Jones for the South Division crown. The offense was third-highest scoring team in the country (38.4 ppg) and ranked fifth in total offense (445.8 ypg). The Bulldogs ranked third in rushing offense (235.6 ypg), scoring 22 touchdowns by air (eighth in NJCAA) and 26 on the ground (fourth). Eli Anderson threw for five touchdowns in a game twice, tied for second-most in school history. Jay Dupree caught four in one game, tied for the most ever, and three in another, tied for third.

In 2022, the Bulldogs tied with Jones for the South championship and earned the top seed because they won the regular-season matchup. Pat McQuaide led the country in passing yards (2,730), yards per game (273.0) and touchdowns (24). He also had the second-highest marks in school history in passing yards (2,730), total offense (2,839), completion percentage (64.5) and TD passes (24). His four touchdowns against East Mississippi tied for the fourth-most in a game in MGCCC history. Cam Thomas set a record for the longest run from scrimmage in school history with a 99-yard scamper against EMCC, and Keymari Odum’s 61 catchers were the third most in a season. Odum led the NCAA with 61 catches and 93.9 receiving yards per game and tied for second in TD catches (10).

The former Ole Miss lineman spent a brief stint with a pair of NFL teams before returning to his alma mater as an offensive graduate assistant for two seasons under head coaches Hugh Freeze and Matt Luke. He mentored first-round pick Laremy Tunsil, who was a first-rounder in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Rebels set SEC records in passing and total offense during his time there. Ole Miss finished in the top 10 nationally in scoring, total offense and passing yards. 

McCray left there to become offensive line coach at Itawamba. The offense averaged more than 400 yards per game, including 176 on the ground at nearly 6 yards per attempt. Seven of his players signed with four-year schools.

After two seasons at Fulton, he left to become offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Coahoma. He helped turn the Tigers program around, going 7-7 in two seasons, including 3-2 in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. To put that in perspective, Coahoma had gone 4-59 the previous seven years.

McCray played in 38 games at Ole Miss, starting 17 at left tackle and 20 overall. He was a captain his junior and senior seasons, helping lead the Rebels to two of the most prolific offensive seasons in school history under Freeze. Ole Miss won the BBVA Compass Bowl and Music City Bowl his last two years, and played in the Medal of Honor Bowl, a post-season All-Star game, following his senior season. 

He took care of business off the field, too, earning Academic All-SEC honors as a junior while making the SEC Academic Honor Roll two years. McCray earned the Birmingham Chapter of the Alumni Club’s leadership award as a senior.

McCray graduated from Forest Hill High School, where he was a first-team All-State selection. He has a bachelor’s in exercise science from Ole Miss, as well as a master’s in integrated marketing communication. 

McCray and his wife Mercedes have two sons, Kingston, 3, and Ki’Yir, 1.