Tony Gibson

Hometown: Van, W.Va. Position: Assistant Head Coach/Safeties/Defensive Special Teams Alam Mater: Glenville State, 1994

Year in Coaching: 18th

Year at Arizona: First

Tony Gibson, who has built relationships with Rich Rodriguez both as a player and coach, joined the staff on Dec. 7, 2011 as assistant head coach charged with Arizona's safeties and as defensive special teams coordinator. He spent the 2011 season as secondary coach and pass defense coordinator under Todd Graham.

His position assignment in the UA's defensive backfield will involve working with safeties in the 3-3-5 system. He also will coordinate defensive special teams, spearheading the kickoff coverage and punt block/return units. Gibson coached on teams that played in eight bowl games.

Gibson served as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach at Michigan under Rodriguez from 2008-10, serving as special teams coordinator the final season.

He coached defensive backs under Rodriguez from 2001 to 2007 at West Virginia, and was recruiting coordinator his final season in Morgantown.

Gibson began his career at Glenville State under Rodriguez in 1996, coaching defensive backs, coached defensive backs and was special teams and recruiting coordinator at Cumberland University in Tennessee in 1997 and 1998, and was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at West Virginia Tech for two years (1999-00) before joining Rodriguez again at West Virginia.

Gibson graduated from Glenville State in 1994. He began his coaching career as head coach at Gilmer County High School in Glenville, W. Va., in 1995. He and his wife, Kerry, have two children, son Cody and daughter Ashton.