March 3, 2008

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OXFORD, Ohio - Jay Graham, a former Tennessee Vols star and a six-year veteran of the National Football League, has been named running backs coach at Miami University, Head Coach Shane Montgomery announced today.

He comes to the RedHawks from the University of Tennessee-Martin, where he served one year as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Under Graham's tutelage, Skyhawk running backs averaged nearly five yards per carry in 2007.

"Jay's experience as a college and professional player will have a great influence on our young corps of running backs", said Montgomery. "His involvement with a number of different offensive systems will be a great asset to our coaching staff."

Graham came to Tennessee-Martin from the University of San Diego where he was the running backs coach and co-special teams coordinator. He spent the 2006 season as a running backs coach at Chattanooga. In 2005, he returned to his alma mater as an offensive graduate assistant.

Graham rushed for 2,609 yards in his career (1993-96) ranking sixth on the Vols all-time rushing list. He is second on the all-time carries list with 540 and he scored 25 touchdowns in his four-year career as a Volunteer. Graham had season best totals in 1995 when he rushed for 1,438 yards on 272 carries putting him second in both categories in Vols school history. He tallied a career-best 211 yards against Vanderbilt. He also holds the single-season record for the most 100-yard rushing games with 10.

Graham was a third-round draft pick in 1997 by the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. In his first season, he put up career numbers when he played in 13 games, rushed for 299 yards on 81 carries, and scored two touchdowns. Graham spent six seasons in the NFL for three different organizations --- Baltimore Ravens (1997-2000) Seattle Seahawks (2001) and the Green Bay Packers (2002). He played in the Canadian Football League in 2003 for the Montreal Alouettes.

In 2004, Graham returned to the University of Tennessee to finish his undergraduate degree in psychology. He is currently working toward his master's degree in sports management.

Graham attended Concord High School in Concord, N.C., where he was a USA Today All-American football player in 1992. He is married to the former Kelly Craig. They are the parents of a daughters, Nia and Denae and son, Jayson.