MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Tony Gibson spent his first season as West Virginia’s defensive coordinator working under what was essentially a patchwork contract.
The factors behind his $350,000 salary, which ranked lowest among defensive coordinators in the Big 12, were a convergence of trial and timing. Gibson hadn’t overseen a defense since 2000 (at D-II West Virginia Tech) and had never been a coordinator at the FBS level, so the administration was justifiably cautious. Additionally, the late-breaking exit of Keith Patterson to Arizona State in February meant few dollars were left unallocated for the forthcoming budget year.
So Gibson, the Boone County native, agreed to be patient while tackling his dream job at a salary not only below market value, but below two other coaches on his own defensive staff.
After signing a new three-year contract, he’s undervalued no more.
A source confirmed to MetroNews on Saturday the agreement represents “really good money” for Gibson, perhaps good enough to rank him among the nation’s elite assistants. Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was the Big 12’s best-paid assistant this season at $850,000, which was believed to rank eighth nationally.
If doubling Gibson’s salary after just one encouraging year sounds extravagant, consider that some schools put out feelers to Gibson’s agent within the past two weeks—attracted by West Virginia’s defense shaving 10 points and 74 yards off the per-game averages of the previous two seasons. Some schools were interested in pursuing Gibson as a coordinator, while the source said at least a couple of small-conference programs were seeking a head coach.
That was leverage enough to expedite negotiations with athletics director Oliver Luck while finally affording Dana Holgorsen some much-needed continuity on the defensive side.
“Oliver made things right,” the source said. “He was in a bind (for salaries) last spring, but after the season that the defense had, Oliver did what he promised. He did it right.”
Holgorsen reportedly told the team last Tuesday about Gibson’s new contract, which MetroNews has requested under the Freedom of Information Act. The agreement is light on incentives and structured more toward guaranteed base pay, the source claimed.
Gibson hopes to bring back two defensive assistants with expiring contracts, safeties/special-teams coordinator Joe DeForest and cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell, the source said. Ultimately, that will be Holgorsen’s call.