‘Big Play Willie Gay’ Ready to Stand Out
June 24, 2009

In college, teammates called him “Big Play Willie Gay.” On the field at the University of Louisville, making big plays was his specialty. But just as Steelers cornerback cornerback William Gay can make a splash with his big plays on the field, he prefers to live a quieter, more reserved life off of it.

Take Gay’s response when asked what he likes to do with his free time during the season:

“When I’m all done with studying my playbook, I mostly just get on Comcast On-Demand and just rent a movie,” Gay said. “Every Tuesday I make it movie night at my house, just an On-Demand movie, sit back and watch a new-release movie.”

If kicking back with a good flick isn’t low-key enough, how about Gay’s offseason routine during his free time? When Gay heads back to Tallahassee, Fla. each winter, he takes on a life that makes even “movie night” seem wild.

“I go back home, and I’m kind of babysitting the whole time when I get back there,” Gay said. “I miss all my nieces and nephews during the season, so when I come back home I like to babysit, sit back and chill out.”

Gay is grateful for the way the Steelers’ coaches and veterans in the team’s defensive backfield took him under their wing after he arrived in Pittsburgh as a fifth-round draft choice in 2007.

The team’s longest tenured cornerbacks, Deshea Townsend and Ike Taylor, were as welcoming as anyone.

“From the first time I stepped in here, everyone did whatever they could to help me,” Gay said. “They never looked at me and said, ‘We’re not going to teach him.’ They just said, ‘Okay, they drafted you. We’re going to teach you all we know because later on it could happen with injuries or what have you, and you’ll have to get in there, so we better get you prepared right now.’

“So that’s what they did. They gave me everything they knew and passed along and taught me different things. It came true that people got hurt so I had to go in there. It worked out for the best, and I’m glad they did open their arms to me when I first got here.”

After two full seasons into his career, Gay said he has a full grasp of the Steelers’ complex defense designed by renowned coordinator Dick LeBeau. Gay admits he was a wide-eyed rookie in 2007, but by the middle of the 2008 season, he had shown himself adept enough that he was named the starter for four games when Townsend and Bryant McFadden were injured.

After registering 19 tackles and two passes defended as a rookie, Gay had 41 tackles, was credited with seven passes defended and intercepted a pass last year.

“I’m just more comfortable knowing I know the packages,” Gay said. “Learning the LeBeau defense is tough. I think you need at least two years to even learn it. So just learning the whole time for two years makes you a better defensive player. That’s how intricate this defense is, and why it’s so good.”

The 71-year-old LeBeau is the architect of that defense, having consistently placed the Steelers’ defense among the best in the league.

“I love to play for him,” Gay said. “Just watching him on the sideline, everybody just loves making plays for him.”

That LeBeau would become a teacher to Gay wasn’t something he predicted—at least knowingly. Gay had unwittingly been a disciple for years while at Louisville. He said the Cardinals patterned their defense after the Steelers.

“I didn’t know [LeBeau] by name,” Gay said. “I just knew that the Steelers defense, when I was in college at Louisville, that’s what we watched. We watched them on film there because we liked to disguise [coverages] and they were disguising. When I got picked here, that’s when I found out about Dick LeBeau.”

No doubt LeBeau and the Steelers chose Gay in the draft in part because of the “big-play” ability he showed in college. But befitting a man with such a low-key assortment of downtime activities, Gay shies away from the nickname he was once given.

“That’s just what they called me in college,” Gay said about “Big Play Willie Gay,” while forcing a sheepish laugh. “Just my teammates called me that. I haven’t earned that name in the pros yet.”

- Chris Adamski, Red Line Editorial

http://nflplayers.com/user/content.aspx ... 3,0,3537,n

Honestly, what is the difference between someone like Gay and say a Cortland Finnegan? I see no reason why Gay couldn't become a similar type of player.

A guy who isn't the biggest, fastest, strongest or have that high round pedigree but turns out to be a steal because of his smarts, instincts and confidence.

I am thrilled that we have a 5th round pick who not only makes the team but becomes a starter with potential. Colbert doesn't have many picks past round 2 do that although I suspect maybe Tomlin had his ear when they picked Gay.

Need more second day picks like this guy - a steal!