LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV football head coach Marcus Arroyo completed his 2021 staff with the announcement of longtime defensive assistant Clay Jennings as cornerbacks coach and former NFL player Larry Grant as defensive analyst.
 
A veteran of 16 years coaching in the Lone Star State alone, Jennings comes to Las Vegas after spending the last two seasons coaching the cornerbacks at North Texas. During first season in Denton, the Mean Green held opponents to 222.3 passing yards per game and only allowed 14 touchdown passes (tied for 10th-fewest nationally). He moved to UNT after spending the 2018 season as the defensive backs coach at Texas Tech. Prior to his arrival in Lubbock, he spent the 2017 season as the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Houston.
 
"We are fired up to welcome Coach Jennings to the staff," said Arroyo. "He is a veteran coach who brings to our program invaluable years of experience at both the Power 5 level and in the Mountain West conference. Coach Jennings' skill set and tenure is perfectly matched to the task of developing and preparing our young cornerbacks room for the upcoming season. In addition, his deep-rooted recruiting ties to Texas will strengthen our relationship with coaches and recruits in that important region as we venture toward another record-breaking class."


 
While in Lubbock in 2018, Red Raiders' defensive backs grabbed 11 of the team's 12 interceptions. In 2017 at Houston, the Cougars ranked among the top defenses in the country in regards to scoring and interceptions. Houston ended the year with 15 interceptions – 14 by the secondary alone – to rank 23rd nationally in the category.
 
Jennings, who was also on the Cougars' staff during the 2005-06 seasons, returned to Houston after spending the 2016 campaign at the University of Texas and then the two years prior to that at the University of Arkansas (2014-15). Before his time in the SEC, Jennings spent six seasons as the cornerbacks coach at TCU, a stretch that coincided with the Horned Frogs' perfect 13-0 record and Rose Bowl victory in 2010. TCU advanced to a bowl game in five of his six seasons in Fort Worth as the Horned Frogs regularly boasted one of the nation's top defenses.
 
Jennings' previous coaching stops include Baylor (2007), Louisiana-Lafayette (2003-04), Sam Houston State (2001-02), Southern Arkansas (2000), Morningside College (1999) and Morehouse College (1998).
 
Jennings has tutored numerous NFL draft picks and free-agent selections during his career, including Tevin Mitchel (Arkansas), Alan Turner (Arkansas), Jason Verrett (TCU), Kevin White (TCU), Greg McCoy (TCU), Malcolm Williams (TCU), Rafael Priest (TCU), C.C. Brown (Louisiana-Lafayette), Michael Adams (Louisiana-Lafayette), Antwain Spann (Louisiana-Lafayette), Keith Davis (Sam Houston State) and Jordan Babineaux (Southern Arkansas).
 
Jennings was a four-year letterwinner during his playing career at North Texas (1992-95) where he was part of the Mean Green's conference championship team in 1994. He earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from North Texas in 1997. He and his wife, Belinda, have two children.
 
Grant comes to UNLV after three years on the staff at his alma mater, City College of San Francisco. He most recently served as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator after working primarily with running backs in his first season with the Rams. In 2018 he served the Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. He began his coaching career in 2017 as head coach of Paso Robles High School.
 
"We are excited to welcome Coach Grant and his family to Las Vegas," said Arroyo. "After being under-recruited out of high school, he displayed the total commitment we seek from our players, as he worked tirelessly to become the junior college player of the year and eventually play in a Super Bowl. He emulates the mentality and perseverance we strive to identify in our players and recruits. Coach Grant brings familiarity with our defensive scheme and philosophy as he played under our defensive coordinator, Peter Hansen. He will also serve as an important role model and resource for our players with NFL aspirations."


 
A Bay Area native, Grant was named junior college national defensive player of the year while playing linebacker for CCSF. He set a NJCAA career record with 12 blocked kicks and was named a first team All-American as a sophomore. After transferring to Ohio State, Grant had the unusual honor of playing in four consecutive national championship games – two at CCSF and two at Ohio State. A seventh round draft choice by the hometown 49ers in 2008, he went on to appear in 68 NFL games from 2008-13 with San Francisco, the St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears.
 
Grant earned his bachelor's degree in African American studies from Ohio State in 2010 and he and his wife, Kristen, are the parents of three.
 
UNLV is currently in the second week of its spring practice. Season tickets for the 2021 season, which features six games at Allegiant Stadium, are now on sale. The Rebels will kick off their season hosting Eastern Washington on September 2 and Fiesta Bowl champion Iowa State comes to town September 18.
With lower bowl season tickets starting at just $125, follow this link to UNLVTickets.com or call (702) 739-FANS. For information on VVIP premium club seats or suites at Allegiant Stadium, contact the Rebel Athletic Fund's Premium Sales Division at premiumseating@unlv.edu.