In newly created GM role, Yray hopes to boost FSU football recruiting
It made sense that it was the first question he was asked on Wednesday afternoon.
Darrick Yray is in his first few weeks as the general manager of personnel for the Florida State football program. He is, in fact, the first person in history with that official job title.
So, he was asked exactly what his duties are going to be for Mike Norvell's program.
"You know, general overview, to help and improve organization," he said. "And just help everyone stay on the same page. And just get the best player for Florida State to do so. As recruiting has evolved over the years, it's an everyday experience now. Every hour, it changes by the hour.
"So, the more we can improve communications, it will help everyone be more effective."
Essentially, his role is similar to a general manager of an NFL team: To help make the roster as good as it can possibly be by being good at evaluations — in both the high school ranks and the transfer portal.
Yray said he will have a prominent role in scouting potential players for Florida State, working "hand in hand" with the other members of the staff.
"We're making sure we get multiple eyes on any prospect, any person we're going to evaluate for Florida State," he said. "And just to make sure all opinions are heard."
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Yray first joined a college football staff at his alma mater, Fresno State. Don't worry, he says, he's always thought of Florida State as the true "FSU."
As a student, he went out for the Bulldogs' team as a walk-on and was quickly informed that he didn't have a future in the sport on the actual field.
But he might have one off of it.
So, he joined the staff.
He spent four years as an offensive assistant for Fresno State and three as the assistant director of football operations. It was during this stretch that he fell in love with being an evaluator.
"The biggest thing I enjoy is watching film," Yray said. "If it was up to me, I could lock myself in a room for 20 hours a day and I'm not kidding, just being able to watch film and evaluate players. That is the best part. That is the favorite part of the job for me.
"So, that's what initially attracted me to want to do that. ... I enjoy that part of the business."
And it would appear he's pretty good at it.
In about a decade’s time, he's gone from being a rejected walk-on at Fresno State to being the general manager for Florida State.
In between were seven years at Oregon State, where he most recently served as director of player personnel. He also served as director of recruiting operations, coordinator of on-campus recruiting and assistant director of player personnel for the Beavers.
Now, he's in Tallahassee.
Because, he says, he was offered a job that was too good to pass up.
"I'm ecstatic just to represent this place," Yray said. "I've always had an admiration for Florida State. It was just something I couldn't turn down. I'm excited to work with our staff. I think we have a great staff in place to do so.
"I'm excited."
He was asked multiple times, in multiple ways, about what his role will actually be at Florida State — how much will it be focused on the current roster, and how much will be focused on the portal and high school prospects.
Each time he was asked, the word he kept going back to was, "communication."
He said the best recruiters are the ones who do that the best. And he said he's never been around a staff that's as good at recruiting as the one Florida State currently has in place.
"Top-notch," Yray said. "Energetic. Very driven. Organized. I'm just very happy to be a part of it, and help be an aid in however I'm able to assist everyone here. Just to move things forward.
"As far as the daily involvement in recruiting, I have not been around a better staff in that function of open communication and those things."
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