INDIANAPOLIS – College professors always stress the importance of internships.
Maurice Drayton can attest to that for life in the NFL, too.
Drayton comes to the Colts from the college ranks. He will team up with Tom McMahon to assist with the special teams.
In 2013, Drayton was an intern with McMahon.
So when former Colts Assistant Special Teams Coach Brant Boyer took a head coordinating position with the Jets, McMahon knew who to ring.
Get to know Assistant Special Teams Coach Maurice Drayton:
Describe your journey to Indianapolis
"I was most recently the defensive coordinator/assistant head coach at The Citadel, in my second stint. Before that, I actually interned (with the Colts) in 2013. That's where I really got accustomed to the building and how Tom McMahon does things. They had to run me out (laughs). I would have stayed the whole time had they let me. In 2012, I was at Southern Mississippi with coach Ellis Johnson, who actually gave me my first full-time job in the profession. I also did an internship in Canada in 2013, in the Canadian Football League. Before Southern Miss, I was an assistant head coach/wide receivers and special teams coordinator at Coastal Carolina. That was really cool. Before that, I was at South Carolina State where I had defensive backs/special teams coordinator under a guy named Buddy Pough. Prior to that I was in Europe as a defensive coordinator in the European Football League. I was in high school for two seasons. I was a part time football coach, other time I spent as an administrator. I was in charge of three B's---buses, books and butts. We actually still had corporal punishment at the high school I was at---Goose Creek High School in South Carolina. Before that was my first stint at The Citadel, where I spent the longest amount of time. I coached in a myriad of roles, on offense, defense, special teams, etc. In between, I had stops in the Arena Football League. I've been exposed to this same game on a lot of different levels. It's been good for my maturation process."Most memorable moment in football
"(Long pause) They are all good moments. It's hard for me to differentiate one because I love the sport that much. All the moments are good for me. I kind of section it off. I went to two high schools—Canton McKinley, where we are going to play the Hall of Fame Game. One of my most memorable moments is of course playing against Massillon High School. If I go to the high school in South Carolina, where I finished up my senior year, it would have been against our rival, Stratford. In college, it's beating Furman. As a coach, it's coaching against and beating the University of South Carolina."When did you know you wanted to be a coach?
"Eight, nine, 10 years old. I was a little guy. My parents lived in Charleston, West Virginia. They wouldn't let me play football because the games in Little League there were on Sunday's and my dad is a minster and I had to go to church. I couldn't play until they moved the games until later and church was over with. By them not allowing me to play initially, it just fueled my fire. It's like telling a kid, 'Hey, you can't do that.' The kid wants to do it that much more. I was always a little guy, so people told me I couldn't play. So I said, 'Well if I can't play, I'm going to be a coach.'"Favorite part about coaching
"Just the strategy, trying to be one step ahead of the guy across from you. But also the relationships. The relationships that you have. I feel like I have friends all over."Describe your coaching style
"Hands-on. There's nothing too big or too small task wise. We are going to do it all. We are going to uncover every rock. Gritty. A grinder. Find a way to put that young man, or in this case, men, in the best situation to be successful."Who was your biggest influence growing up?
"My father. Without question. He's a Marine, turned itinerant minister, in AME Church. His teachings, his upbringings, do everything right, do everything to the best of your ability. A "Yes, sir. No, sir kind of deal."Favorite hobby
"Spending time with my family."Favorite food
"My mom's banana pudding. Has to be Mom's."Favorite movie
"I don't have one. I tell people the Five Heartbeats. But I don't have one."Favorite music/genre
"I like all types. All types. I'm talking country, blues, jazz, rap, hip/hop, hardcore, little bit of rock. I like music. If you check my phone, all types of music."Favorite quote
"Philippians 4:13: I can do all this through him who gives me strength."Favorite place you've traveled
"Probably Finland (coaching in Europe). We were in Moscow, played a game in Moscow at their Olympics facilities. We were located in Seinajoki, Finland. You played within the country of Finland. If you were part of the European Series, which is really Scandinavia, we had games against teams in Sweden, went to Russia. But while you're there, you are able to do a lot of traveling. I went to the Arctic Circle, which was cool. I went to Santa Claus' house. I know people are like, 'What do you mean?' There's an actual Santa Claus in the Arctic Circle and we went to his house. That was cool."Why Indianapolis?
"Because of the relationships. It goes back to the relationships that Tom and I formulated in '07 and was able to foster each year. And the relationships I made here in '13. It's so crazy. I got a phone call to go to another team before I actually had heard from this team. Things happened, Indy called and it wasn't even a question of where I would choose."Favorite Spot/Part about Indy/Colts
"The office." (He hasn't done much exploring since being hired).What do you want to see out of your units?
"We have to create the culture of full-court defense, half-court offense. If we develop that, it's all about drive starts and it's going to put us in the best possible situation to be successful for this team."Family
"Wife, two kids. My family is my driving force."
