MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia safeties coach Tony Gibson will be promoted to defensive coordinator, sources confirmed late Wednesday.
The 41-year-old Gibson, who returned to West Virginia last season after a serving on Rich Rodriguez’s staff from 2001-2007, was the leading candidate to land the job ever since Feb. 6, when MetroNews first reported former defensive coordinator Keith Patterson had left for Arizona State.
A school source remained unsure Wednesday about the timing of an official announcement.
Though Gibson has been a defensive coordinator at only one other stop—Division II West Virginia Tech, during the 1999 and 2000 seasons—he served as the secondary coordinator in 2011 at Pitt, where he worked alongside Patterson and shared the concepts that mimic WVU’s current 3-4 scheme.
That 2011 Panthers’ unit ranked third nationally in sacks (3.31 per game), 12th in tackles for loss, 35th in total defense (350.6 yards), 38th in scoring defense (22.8) and 51st in pass-efficiency defense.
Sources said head coach Dana Holgorsen and Gibson are continuing to interview candidates for the defensive line coaching position.
Having built a reputation as a top recruiter, Gibson is a West Virginia native who played his college ball at Glenville State.
He will become WVU’s fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons, though his promotion brings more elements of schematic continuity than previous staff changes.