VIDEO: Joe Ray Interview 

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Clowney has announced the promotion of Offensive Quality Control Assistant Joe Ray to be the Eagles' next Offensive Line Coach.

"He has done a great job and has earned it," Clowney said. "He was my first hire as a GA and has come through and worked through the system. He's a three-time All-American and that's translating to his coaching.  He's going to be just as good a coach as he was a player."

Ray takes over for Jay Guillermo who leaves for a position on Tony Elliot's staff at the University of Virginia. 

The former Lenoir-Rhyne Bear has spent the last two years at C-N as a graduate assistant coach before moving up to the program's offensive quality control assistant.  In both roles, he assisted with Carson-Newman's offensive line, first under consensus All-American center Kevin Day and later under Guillermo. 

"It means everything," Ray said. "I've learned a lot from both Jay and Kevin Day. It's been wonderful being exposed to a variety of ideas by both of them. I definitely want to bring the same intensity and mentality to the room that I brought to the field as a player. It's been a blessing to work with the guys we have this spring."

Ray helped Lenoir-Rhyne to a trio of South Atlantic Conference titles in his time in Hickory as a player.  He was a three-time All-American and three-time winner of the SAC's Jacobs Blocking trophy.

The Bears averaged 386 yards rushing per game with Ray on the offensive line.  The 416.2 yards rushing per game that L-R put up in Ray's junior season registers as an NCAA Division II record.

Fans can follow Ray on Twitter at @Coach_Ray_