Texas Football: 4 early candidates for Horns to replace co-DC Jeff Choate

Tony Gibson, NC State DC/LB coach

Fifth-year NC State Wolfpack defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Tony Gibson has arguably been one of the best DCs in the Power Five in the 2020s. In his four years at NC State, the Wolfpack have consistently fielded one of the best defensive units in the ACC.

NC State’s defense has emerged as a top-25 unit in the FBS in scoring defense and total defense in each of the last three seasons under Gibson. His unit’s success is a major contributing factor that helped head coach Dave Doeren’s NC State win at least eight games in each of the last three seasons.

Gibson has developed some of the best linebacker talent in the ACC in the 2020s. He’s developed and coached three All-ACC First-Team linebackers and two All-American selections at NC State, including 2023 All-ACC First-Teamer Payton Wilson.

For his efforts, producing a top-25 defensive unit in the FBS in the last three seasons at NC State, Gibson was nominated for the Broyles Award in 2021 and 2022.

Before he took the defensive coordinator job at NC State during the 2020 offseason, Gibson was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under head coach Dana Holgorsen with the West Virginia Mountaineers for over a half-decade. In his first two years at West Virginia, Gibson fielded top-30-ranked defenses in the FBS.

Gibson has over 25 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, including stops with the Michigan Wolverines, Arizona Wildcats, and Pitt Panthers, among other FBS programs.

Gibson would be an interesting hire for the Longhorns, given his proven track record as a high-level talent evaluator/recruiter and consistent developer of linebacker talent. He’s also emerged as one of the best defensive coordinators in the ACC in the 2020s while he’s fielded top units at NC State in the last few years.