NC State DC Tony Gibson to become Marshall head coach, per report

NC State is in the market for a new defensive coordinator. 

Tony Gibson, who had been in Raleigh since the 2019 campaign, is set to be named Marshall’s next head coach, FootballScoop.com reported Saturday night. Current Thundering Herd coach Charles Huff is the top candidate for the job at Southern Miss, On3’s Pete Nakos reported earlier this week.

Gibson served as the Pack’s defensive play-caller since the 2020 season as he also coached NC State’s linebackers during his entire tenure under coach Dave Doeren. 

It will be Gibson’s first time as a head coach since he began coaching career leading Gilmer County (W.Va.) High School for one season in 1995. 

Gibson was under contract at NC State through the 2026 season after he received a two-year extension prior to the 2024 season to make $1.5 million a season, according to documents obtained by TheWolfpacker.com via an open records request. He was inside the top-20 highest-paid assistant coaches in the country, according to the USA Today Coaches database.

A three-time nominee for the Broyles Award, Gibson was the architect of the Wolfpack’s stout defenses over the last five seasons. And as the Pack’s linebackers coach, Gibson helped mold stars Drake Thomas, Isaiah Moore and Payton Wilson — all three of which went onto play in the NFL. 

Wilson, the Wolfpack’s most prolific linebacker in recent history, earned the Butkus and Bednarik Awards during the 2023 season under Gibson’s tutelage. The Hillsborough, N.C., native was selected in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in this past year’s NFL Draft. 

In addition to the crop of linebackers that eventually became professionals, Gibson has also developed some of the Wolfpack’s emerging stars on defense, including redshirt junior Caden Fordham. 

The Ponte Vedra, Fla., native was on pace for a career-best season as the Pack’s MIKE linebacker this fall with 49 total tackles before he went down with a season-ending knee injury after the first six games. 

“I love coach Gibson,” Fordham said last November. “He’s my type of guy. The way he coaches the game, he makes it very easy for me to learn. I think he’s been very, very big for me. How he approaches me when he’s trying to coach me and teach me things is the way I like to be approached, so I think that helps a lot.” 

While Gibson was able to mentor some of the best linebackers to come through NC State’s program over the last five seasons, his ability to scheme a 3-3-5 defense helped create one of the top units in the ACC, despite a relative down season in 2024. 

The Pack defense ranked 13th as a total unit in the ACC this past season, which included being 15th in the league in scoring defense (29.2), ninth against the run (140.8) and eighth against the pass (138.7).

Entering the 2024 campaign, NC State was 10th in FBS in tackles for a loss, while the Pack had the highest stuff rate of any team (26.6%) during Gibson’s time as the Wolfpack’s defensive coordinator. 

Since the start of the 2021 season, the Wolfpack’s defense has ranked second nationally in interceptions with 59 picks among those four seasons combined. NC State added eight of those this season, led by senior safety Bishop Fitzgerald’s three interceptions. 

In addition to NC State’s ability to fly through the secondary to rack up interceptions, the Wolfpack has had a knack of forcing fumbles. Senior defensive end Davin Vann led the nation with six of his own this past fall as Gibson helped emphasize the importance of getting after the football in the backfield. 

Gibson’s defense also ranked inside the top-30 in tackles for a loss this past season, 27th nationally with 81 total (6.8 per game). 

During the 2022 season, NC State held each of its opponents under 30 points or less, which marked the first time in program history since 1980 that the Pack accomplished that feat. The Wolfpack was the only power conference team to record that stat during the entire 2022 campaign. 

NC State also led the ACC in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense during the 2022 season, while it was second in third-down conversion defense, first downs allowed, run defense and total defense. 

The Pack’s 2021 unit, meanwhile, was second in the ACC in scoring defense (19.7), third in total defense (331.6 yards), third in run defense (124 yards) and passing yards allowed (207.6). It also led the conference in interceptions with 15, which was 14th in all of FBS. 

Before Gibson arrived in Raleigh, he spent seven seasons at West Virginia where he worked his way from safeties to defensive coordinator/linebackers and later added associate head coach by the end of his tenure in Morgantown, W.Va. 

The coaching veteran also spent time at Arizona (2012), Pittsburgh (2011), Michigan (2008-10), West Virginia (2001-07), West Virginia Tech (1999-00), Cumberland University (1997-98) and his alma mater, Glenville State (1996), to work his way through the coaching ladder.