Faulkner Head Football Coach Rob Gray announced his staff for the 2021 season Wednesday. The group consists of four returning assistant coaches as well as a quartet of new faces.

"I think we've got a bunch of good men, good husbands, and really good coaches. I feel really confident about their ability, the way they teach, and the way they inspire," Gray said of his staff. "We wanted good coaches, but most importantly, we wanted good people. The people make the place. We send them on the road and they make people want to be part of this place. I feel really good going into the season with the guys that have been selected."

RANDY RAGSDALE • Associate Head Coach and Player Development

Joining the staff as associate head coach is long-time Trinity Presbyterian front man Randy Ragsdale. Having gone 242-86 in 28 seasons at the Montgomery private school, Ragsdale will largely focus on player development in his role at Faulkner.

"I'm excited about his experience. He's got 40-plus years of coaching experience. It's not really the coaching for me, it's more people experience and the different types of kids he has interacted with throughout his coaching journey. It's not really Xs and Os as much as it is the man he is and the reputation he has," Gray said of Ragsdale.

For Ragsdale, the move comes as the next phase of a career spent investing in young people.

"The word that comes to mind that I've always thought of is relationships. You've got to make the intentional choice – and I believe you make it each day – to build a relationship. That's done one day at a time and one person and a time. That's led by God's Holy Spirit just putting it right where it's supposed to be," Ragsdale said. "That is the relationships that first start with myself. I'm under the authority of the Lord first but I'm also under the earthly authority of Coach Gray. I'm to be there to aid, assist, help, nurture, serve with him and then with his staff that he has put together and for us to build that one day at a time, one meal at a time, one meeting at a time and then to be able to take that and be able to discern and then go from there."

PAYTON WASDEN • Co-Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers

Payton Wasden returns for his third season as a full-time staffer and fourth season overall working with Faulkner's wide receivers. The 2021 campaign will see him add Co-Offensive Coordinator to his job duties.

"He is extremely loyal, a really good friend. He has a really, really high football IQ. He's a great coach. I think he's going to do a great job in his new role," Gray said of Wasden. "Most importantly, he has the backing of all the guys. He's going to be somebody they want to play hard for. They know where his discipline comes from: a place of love."

JORDAN CAGLE • Co-Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line

In his second full-time season and fourth campaign overall at Faulkner, Jordan Cagle takes over offensive line duties and will serve as co-offensive coordinator after having spent time with defensive backs, tight ends, fullbacks, and defensive line in previous years.

"It's a great move with him being an offensive line guru. We used him on defense and he was a really good defensive line coach for us. We got a lot of our schematics off of him," Gray said. "When we were preparing for a team, we would draw up a front and ask him how he would block it. The kids already know him and respect him. He's going to be a good get in that spot."

GARRETT LIBERTY • Quarterbacks

Taking over the quarterback coaching duties will be new hire Garrett Liberty. After a long, diverse professional career, Liberty lands at Faulkner having previously coached at Eagles Landing Christian Academy (Ga.), Riverdale High School (Ga.) and Appalachian State as both a student and graduate assistant. He also served as an assistant scout and worked with player personnel for the Edmonton Elks (formerly Eskimos) of the Canadian Football League and the Columbus Lions of the Arena League. Prior to beginning his career with football, Liberty also drove NASCAR for five seasons.

"It made sense to get him up here. All the connections that we have in our past, it felt right about getting him," Gray said of the hire. "He's a really intriguing guy. He has coached pretty much every position there is and I'm excited about him."


BLAINE MILLER • Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers

The defensive side of the ball will fall under the guidance of new Defensive Coordinator and linebackers coach Blaine Miller. Having spent the past two seasons as the defensive line coach at East Central Community College, Miller previously served as a Defensive Graduate Assistant for the University of Colorado, a Quality Control Assistant on defense for the University of Georgia, a Player Personnel Assistant and on-campus recruiting assistant for the University of Alabama, and an Offensive Assistant and Strength Coach at University of Alabama-Birmingham. Miller played collegiately at Grove City College in Pennsylvania where he earned his bachelor's degree in Biology and Exercise Science.

"We started together at UAB. We've had chances to work together. Nothing ever worked out. When this opportunity presented itself for me, Blaine was the first guy I reached out to defensively about coming and joining us," Gray said. "Everything fell into place. He was looking for a bigger role. He has had stops with Kirby Smart and Mel Tucker, big defensive minds. For him seeing every offensive formation in the SEC and then coming here, was a big deal. He is a high energy guy. The kids are going to really like him. I look forward to getting out there with him and interacting with him on a day-to-day basis."

CADRON DAVIS • Defensive Line

Serving alongside Miller on the defensive staff will be Cadron Davis. Prior to taking over the defensive line coaching duties at Faulkner, Davis served for four seasons at Southern Nazarene where he worked on the offensive side of the ball before taking over linebacker duties. His previous coaching stops include time as a defensive analyst at Abilene Christian. He served as Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Special Teams Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator, and linebackers coach at Independence Community College and Assistant Strength and Conditioning/Specialist Coach for Valdosta State. Davis's resume also includes a stop at Eastern Michigan University.

A native of Garland, Texas, he played collegiately at Ottawa University in Kansas where he received his bachelor's in Organizational Leadership.

"Big church of Christ guy," Gray said of Davis. "He has been places like Abilene Christian. His name kept circling back to me. It was big for me to get him. He understands it and knows how it operates. He is a person that is not too big for any job. Getting him to come here from Oklahoma was huge."