Guilian Gary
Encyclopedia
Guilian Austin Gary (born June 5, 1980) is an American football
coach and former player. He currently serves as the wide receivers coach
for the Tigers
football team at Towson University
. He played college football
at the University of Maryland, College Park
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
reception
he made during the 2001 season
which secured the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) championship for Maryland.
to parents Gregory and Brenda Gary. He has a brother, Greg, who played college baseball
at . Guilian Gary attended Horseheads High School
, where he played football
as a wingback
and defensive back
. As a senior in 1997, he recorded 24 reception
s, 482 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdown
s, 95 carries
, 948 rush
ing yards, and 14 rushing touchdowns. The Star-Gazette
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.
where he majored in family studies and played football
for the Maryland Terrapins
. In 1998, he saw action as a true freshman in nine games as a receiver and on special teams. He recorded no receptions, but led the team in punt returns 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 for 84 yards. That sole kick return came against ninth-ranked , 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
in 1993 and James Milling
against 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.
Before the 2001 season
, Maryland hired a new head coach, Ralph Friedgen
, who engineered a first-year turnaround for the program. During summer training camp, Gary took an awkward hit and suffered a cervical spine injury. He was evacuated to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center
in Baltimore
, but fully recovered. Against sixth-ranked Georgia Tech
, 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 range. Nick Novak
later kicked the tying field goal, and in overtime
, kicked the game-winner. The win improved the Terps' record to 6–0 and secured bowl eligibility for Maryland for the first time since 1991
. Against Virginia
, 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
. 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
. The following week, Maryland played its last conference game against . In the final minutes of regulation, with Maryland trailing, quarterback Shaun Hill
mounted a 61-yard drive. It culminated with an eight-yard pass to Gary in the corner of the end zone
to win the game, 23–19, with 41 seconds remaining. The win secured the outright ACC championship. Throughout the season, Gary was quarterback Shaun Hill
'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:
Gary also lettered in lacrosse
during the 2002 season and saw action in two games as a defensive midfielder for the Terrapins.
of the National Football League
(NFL). He attended training camp, but left after being involved in a fight with fellow receiver Steve Smith, who has a history of physical altercations with teammates.
He then served as the wide receivers coach
at Holy Cross
in 2003. Under his guidance, Ari Confesor set a school record for all-purpose yards, 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
to serve as the Towson Tigers
wide receivers coach. In 2009, Gordy Combs was fired as the Tigers' head coach and replaced by Rob Ambrose
. 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."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player. He currently serves as the wide receivers coach
Wide receivers coach
A wide receivers coach is a coach in charge of the wide receivers in gridiron football. The wide receivers coach typically operates under a team's offensive coordinator. This coach also typically resides in the coach's box on gameday, often accompanied by or in place of the offensive coordinator....
for the Tigers
Towson Tigers
The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 20 Division I athletic teams The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson...
football team at Towson University
Towson University
Towson University, often referred to as TU or simply Towson for short, is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
where he was a star wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. 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
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian 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.-Description:...
reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
he made during the 2001 season
2001 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2001 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in its 49th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Terps closed the regular season with a record of 10–1, with its only loss coming to Florida State. The Terps won the ACC Championship and were granted a Bowl...
which secured the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) championship for Maryland.
Early life
Gary was born in Horseheads, New YorkHorseheads (town), New York
Horseheads is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 19,561 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the number of bleached horses' skulls found there....
to parents Gregory and Brenda Gary. He has a brother, Greg, who played college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
at . Guilian Gary attended Horseheads High School
Horseheads High School
Horseheads High School is a public institution for secondary education in the rural town of Horseheads, New York. The current principal is Karen Donahue, and the current assistant principals are Dan Busek and Michael McCawley.The communities of the Town and Village of Horseheads, Big Flats, Elmira...
, where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
as a wingback
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. As a senior in 1997, he recorded 24 reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s, 482 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian 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.-Description:...
s, 95 carries
Carry (American football)
In American football, a carry is a statistical term equivalent to a single rushing play. The term is typically used in reference to "yards per carry," meaning yards per attempt rushing the ball. Any offensive player who performs a carry is known as a ballcarrier, regardless of position....
, 948 rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
ing yards, and 14 rushing touchdowns. The Star-Gazette
Star-Gazette
The Star-Gazette is the major newspaper for Elmira, New York. Based in Elmira, the publication is owned by the Gannett Corporation.-History:...
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.
College career
Gary attended the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
where he majored in family studies and played football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Maryland Terrapins
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. In 1998, he saw action as a true freshman in nine games as a receiver and on special teams. He recorded no receptions, but led the team in punt returns with 12 for 99 yards. In 1999, he saw action in all 11 games including three starts
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
. 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 for 84 yards. That sole kick return came against ninth-ranked , 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
Jermaine Lewis
Jermaine Edward Lewis is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, who he played for until 2001...
's performance against West Virginia
1993 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 1993 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the regular season with a 11–0 and won the school's first Big East Conference championship. The team traveled to the , where they lost to the Florida Gators, 41–7. WVU finished the season 11–1.-Schedule:-season:The 1993 season began with...
in 1993 and James Milling
James Milling
James Thomas Milling, Jr. is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played three seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.-References:...
against 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.
Before the 2001 season
2001 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2001 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in its 49th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Terps closed the regular season with a record of 10–1, with its only loss coming to Florida State. The Terps won the ACC Championship and were granted a Bowl...
, Maryland hired a new head coach, Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Harry Friedgen is an American football coach. He was the head coach at the University of Maryland from 2001 to 2010. Friedgen was previously an offensive coordinator at Maryland, Georgia Tech, and in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers...
, who engineered a first-year turnaround for the program. During summer training camp, Gary took an awkward hit and suffered a cervical spine injury. He was evacuated to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center 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
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, but fully recovered. Against sixth-ranked Georgia Tech
2001 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2001 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2001-2002. The team's coach was George O'Leary, who would leave the school before the bowl game to accept the head coaching job at the University of Notre Dame...
, 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 range. Nick Novak
Nick Novak
Nicholas Ryan "Nick" Novak is an American football placekicker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
later kicked the tying field goal, and in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
, kicked the game-winner. The win improved the Terps' record to 6–0 and secured bowl eligibility for Maryland for the first time since 1991
1990 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1990 Maryland Terrapins football team represented University of Maryland in the 1990 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Terrapins offense scored 237 points while the defense allowed 284 points...
. Against Virginia
2001 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2001 Virginia Cavaliers football team representative the University of Virginia in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's coach was coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Schedule :...
, Gary recorded five receptions for 99 yards and a 53-yard touchdown. In the penultimate regular season game, 13th-ranked Maryland played Clemson
2001 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2001 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A college football during the 2001 season. Clemson competed as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference ....
at Byrd Stadium
Byrd Stadium
Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium , is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. It is the home of the Maryland Terrapins football and lacrosse teams, which compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. 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
2001 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2001 Florida State Seminoles football team represented the Florida State University in the college football season of 2001. The team was coached by Bobby Bowden and played their home games in Doak Campbell Stadium.-Schedule:...
. The following week, Maryland played its last conference game against . In the final minutes of regulation, with Maryland trailing, quarterback Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
mounted a 61-yard drive. It culminated with an eight-yard pass to Gary in the corner of the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. 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. Throughout the season, Gary was quarterback Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill
Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
'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 [scrapbook of newspaper clippings] has a thick coat of dust on it."
Gary also lettered in lacrosse
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
during the 2002 season and saw action in two games as a defensive midfielder for the Terrapins.
Professional career
In 2002, Gary was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He attended training camp, but left after being involved in a fight with fellow receiver Steve Smith, who has a history of physical altercations with teammates.
He then served as the wide receivers coach
Wide receivers coach
A wide receivers coach is a coach in charge of the wide receivers in gridiron football. The wide receivers coach typically operates under a team's offensive coordinator. This coach also typically resides in the coach's box on gameday, often accompanied by or in place of the offensive coordinator....
at Holy Cross
Holy Cross Crusaders
The Holy Cross Crusaders are the athletic teams representing the College of the Holy Cross. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Patriot League. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Atlantic Hockey Association and women's golf in the Big South Conference...
in 2003. Under his guidance, Ari Confesor set a school record for all-purpose yards, and recorded 90 receptions for 1,213 yards and nine touchdowns. The following season, Gary took the same position at Georgetown
Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown's nickname is The Hoyas, but its mascot is "Jack the Bulldog." Various breeds of dogs have been used by the sports teams as mascots since the early 1900s. Several notable bull terriers like Sergeant Stubby and "Hoya" were used at football games in the 1920s, as was a Great Dane in the...
. In 2005, he was hired by Towson University
Towson University
Towson University, often referred to as TU or simply Towson for short, is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S...
to serve as the Towson Tigers
Towson Tigers
The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 20 Division I athletic teams The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson...
wide receivers coach. In 2009, Gordy Combs was fired as the Tigers' head coach and replaced by Rob Ambrose
Rob Ambrose
-References:...
. 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."