Guilian Austin Gary (first name pronounced "Julian") (born June 5, 1980) is an American
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
coach and former player. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at the
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...
where he was a star
wide receiver. He was the first Maryland player lead the team in punt returning for four years, and the first since 1961 to lead the team in receiving for three years. Gary is most known for the last-minute
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
reception
Reception is a noun form of ''receiving'', or ''to receive'' something, such as art, experience, information, people, products, or vehicles. It may refer to:
Astrology
* Reception (astrology), when a planet is located in a sign ruled by another p ...
he made during the
2001 season which secured the
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
(ACC) championship for Maryland.
Early life
Gary was born in
Horseheads, New York
Horseheads is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 19,412 at the 2020 census. The name of the town is derived from the number of bleached horses' skulls once found there.
Horseheads is north of the city of Elmira ...
to parents Gregory and Brenda Gary. His father Gregory Gary Sr. played basketball at St. Bonaventure and was a part of the Bonnies '70 Final Four team. Brother Greg, played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
at . Guilian Gary attended
Horseheads High School, where he played
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
as a
wingback and
defensive back
In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
. As a senior in 1997, he recorded 24
reception
Reception is a noun form of ''receiving'', or ''to receive'' something, such as art, experience, information, people, products, or vehicles. It may refer to:
Astrology
* Reception (astrology), when a planet is located in a sign ruled by another p ...
s, 482 receiving yards, seven receiving
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
s, 95
carries, 948
rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
ing yards, and 14 rushing touchdowns. The ''
Star-Gazette
The ''Star-Gazette'' is the major newspaper for Elmira, New York. Based in Elmira, the publication is owned by Gannett.
History
The ''Star-Gazette'' was the first newspaper of the now massive Gannett conglomerate. It was founded as the weekly ' ...
'' named him a Co-Player of the Year. SuperPrep ranked him as the number-four college prospect in the state. His team captured consecutive Section 4 Class AA championships in his junior and senior years.
[Player Bio: Guilian Gary]
University of Maryland. Retrieved July 27, 2009. Gary, also was an All-American Lacrosse player at Horseheads.
College career
Gary attended the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
where he majored in family studies and played
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
for the
Maryland Terrapins
The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divis ...
. In 1998, he saw action as a true freshman in nine games as a receiver and on
special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
. He recorded no receptions, but led the team in
punt return
In gridiron football, a punt is a kick performed by dropping the ball from the hands and then kicking the ball before it hits the ground. The most common use of this tactic is to punt the ball downfield to the opposing team, usually on the final d ...
s with 12 for 99 yards. In 1999, he saw action in all 11 games including three
starts. He led the team in both receiving and punt returning. He made 24 receptions for 257 yards, 35 returns punts for 311 yards, and one
kickoff return
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in gridiron football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team". The receiving team is then entitled to ''return ...
for 84 yards. That sole kick return came against ninth-ranked
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
, and set up a touchdown on the subsequent possession. In 2000, he played in all 11 games, which included 10 starts. He again led the team in receiving and punt returning. Gary recorded 40 receptions, 568 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. Against Georgia Tech, he tied the school record for most touchdown receptions with three. That tied
Jermaine Lewis's performance against
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
in 1993 and
James Milling
James Thomas Milling, Jr. (born February 14, 1965) is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists ...
against
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
in 1986.
[ That season, he became the first Terrapin to lead the team in punt returns in three consecutive seasons,][ and he made it four the following year.][2001-2002 Final Statistics]
University of Maryland. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
Before the 2001 season, Maryland hired a new head coach, Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the Uni ...
, who engineered a first-year turnaround for the program. During summer training camp, Gary took an awkward hit and suffered a cervical spine injury
A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that causes temporary or permanent changes in its function. Symptoms may include loss of muscle function, sensation, or autonomic function in the parts of the body served by the spinal cor ...
. He was evacuated to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (also referred to simply as Shock Trauma) is a free-standing trauma hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and is part of the University of Maryland Medical Center. It was the first facility in the world to treat shock. ...
in Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
, but fully recovered. Against sixth-ranked Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
, Gary made a critical 18-yard reception to the Yellow Jackets' 46-yard line with 40 seconds left as part of a drive to push within field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
range. Nick Novak
Nicholas Ryan Novak (born August 21, 1981) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Maryland.
Novak has played for the Washington Redskins, A ...
later kicked the tying field goal, and in overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), ...
, kicked the game-winner. The win improved the Terps' record to 6–0 and secured bowl eligibility
Bowl eligibility in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level is the standard through which teams become available for selection to participate in postseason bowl games. When a team achieves this state, it is described as "bowl-eligible".
...
for Maryland for the first time since 1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
. Against Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, Gary recorded five receptions for 99 yards and a 53-yard touchdown. In the penultimate regular season game, 13th-ranked Maryland played Clemson at Byrd Stadium
SECU Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. It is the home of Maryland Terrapins football and men's lacrosse teams, which compete in the Big Ten Conference. The facility was ...
. Gary recorded five receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown, and the Terrapins won, 37–20, to ensure at least a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship with Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
.[Terrapins play like champs](_blank)
''The Washington Times'', November 11, 2001. The following week, Maryland played its last conference game against NC State
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university ...
. In the final minutes of regulation, with Maryland trailing, quarterback Shaun Hill
Shaun Christopher Hill (born January 9, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college fo ...
mounted a 61-yard drive. It culminated with an eight-yard pass to Gary in the corner of the end zone
The end zone is the scoring area on the field, according to gridiron-based codes of football. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field. ...
to win the game, 23–19, with 41 seconds remaining. The win secured the outright ACC championship.[Patrick Stevens]
Greetings from Raleigh
, ''The Washington Post'', November 24, 2007. Throughout the season, Gary was quarterback Shaun Hill
Shaun Christopher Hill (born January 9, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college fo ...
's preferred receiver, and led the balanced Maryland receiving corps. Gary recorded 49 receptions, 727 yards, and six touchdowns. He was the first Maryland player since Gary Collins in 1961 to lead the team in receptions in three consecutive seasons.[ Gary was named an All-ACC player, which made him the first Maryland receiver honored as such since 1995. About that championship-winning season, Gary said in 2009:]"Every day, we were told we were nothing. Every day, we were told we were picked to finish seventh in the conference for a reason. Really, we don't have a lot of fond football memories. My crapbook of newspaper clippingshas a thick coat of dust on it."
Gary also lettered
Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
in lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...
during the 2002 season and saw action in two games as a defensive midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for the Terrapins
Terrapins are one of several small species of turtle (order Testudines) living in fresh or brackish water. Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit and may not be closely related. Many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae.
The name " ...
.
Professional career
Gary was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
of the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) on April 24, 2002. He was involved in a fight with fellow receiver Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to:
Academics
* Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager
* Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
during training camp, a fight that was the first of three separate such incidents during Smith's NFL career. Gary was released by the Panthers on August 6, 2002.
He then served as the wide receivers coach
In American football, a position coach is a team official in charge of coaching a specific position group. Position coaches have more specialized duties than the head coach, assistant coach, and the Offensive coordinator, offensive and Defensive c ...
at Holy Cross in 2003. Under his guidance, Ari Confesor set a school record for all-purpose yards,[Confesor to play in I-AA All-Star Game]
'' The Crusader'', November 7, 2003. and recorded 90 receptions for 1,213 yards and nine touchdowns.[ The following season, Gary took the same position at Georgetown. In 2005, he was hired by ]Towson University
Towson University (TU or Towson) is a public university in Towson, Maryland. Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first training school for teachers, Towson University is a part of the University System of Maryland. Since its founding, the university h ...
to serve as the Towson Tigers
The Towson Tigers, formerly the ''Towson College Knights'', are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 19 Division I athletic teams (13 in women's sports, 6 in ...
wide receivers coach.[Guilian Gary]
, Towson University. Retrieved July 27, 2009. In 2009, Gordy Combs was fired as the Tigers' head coach and replaced by Rob Ambrose
Rob Ambrose (born July 30, 1970) is an American college football coach. From 2009 to 2022, he was head coach of the Towson Tigers football team of Towson University. Ambrose was formerly the offensive coordinator of the UConn Huskies before bein ...
. He chose to retain Gary and said, "I know Guilian was a very talented wide receiver at the University of Maryland and I’ve heard that he is extremely skilled as a wide receivers coach."Guilian Gary To Return As Tigers' Wide Receivers Coach
Towson University, January 1, 2009.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gary, Guilian
Players of American football from New York (state)
Maryland Terrapins football players
Maryland Terrapins men's lacrosse players
Carolina Panthers players
American football wide receivers
Holy Cross Crusaders football coaches
Georgetown Hoyas football coaches
Towson Tigers football coaches
1980 births
Living people
People from Horseheads, New York
Horseheads High School alumni