Terriers' handyman

Hillsborough defensive end Moses McCray loves to tear things apart and put them back together again.

By JOE SMITH, Times Staff Writer
Published September 14, 2007

TAMPA - Hillsborough senior defensive end Moses McCray is the Terriers' resident Mr. Fix-it.

When the Florida State-commitment is not terrorizing opposing quarterbacks, McCray is tearing apart everything from computer hard drives to lawn-mower motors. Like his late father, Ralph a certified welder, the 6-foot-3, 270-pound senior loves "putting things back together again."

Just ask his mother, Vanessa. She remembers peeking at the driveway one afternoon four years ago, only to find her teenage son buried under the hood of her red Chevy Nova.

McCray had removed everything from the battery to the carburetor and tried to reassemble from scratch.

"There were only a couple extra parts left," McCray said with a grin. "I got the hang of it."

McCray's attention to detail translates to his pass-rushing technique. Since transferring from Middleton in the offseason, McCray has become more technically precise, focusing more on pursuit angles and pad levels.

Mix that with an explosive first step off the edge, and McCray is eying a second-straight double-digit sack season.

"He's as good as any of the guys we've ever had on our D-line," said Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia, in his 15th season with the Terriers. "He's so fast, so big, so strong. He's the total package."

McCray's contributions to the Terriers (three sacks) go beyond his work between the lines Friday nights. McCray said that, along with a few teammates, he fixed the team's broken bench in his favorite class: welding.

McCray said he gleaned his craftiness from his father, who died when Moses was just a few months old. While he doesn't remember much of Ralph, McCray loves looking at pictures of his dad, getting dirty in his old workshop.

"He was a great entrepreneur," said McCray, who has a 3.0 grade point average and 1200 SAT. "I liked that."

So when McCray's football days are done, he said, he will likely work toward a mechanical engineering job or open his own auto-body shop. Either way, he'll be working with his hands.

Just like his dad.

Joe Smith can be reached atjoesmith@sptimes.com or(813) 310-9024.

[Last modified September 13, 2007, 23:57:04]