NC State DC Tony Gibson ready to put puzzle together
NC State defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Tony Gibson is one of the best in the business.
Gibson was a candidate for the Frank Broyles Award for best assistant coach in college football last year. He was rewarded with a new contract that will pay him among the top defensive coordinators in the country.
Gibson’s 3-3-5 scheme will have some new personnel, especially in the back eight, but expectations remain the same. NCSU allowed just 20.8 points per game and 332.1 total yards a contest.
“I like what I see right now and we are getting great effort,” Gibson said. “I call these underwear practices, as they don’t mean a whole lot right now. It’s good to get out and communicate.”
Gibson said Friday will show more than just players looking good in uniforms, with the pads on. They’ll have a scrimmage in a couple of weeks, and the spring game is slated for April 6.
NC State will need to replace nose tackle C.J. Clark and defensive end Savion Jackson, linebackers Payton Wilson and Jaylon Scott, nickel Robert Kennedy, cornerback Shyheim Battle, and senior safety Devan Boykin tore his ACL last December, and will be TBD for fall camp.
The names might change this season, but as Gibson likes to say, “The standard is the standard.”
“Our standard on defense has been established since 2020,” Gibson said. “We took over and these kids know how to play and they know our expectations.
“We are going to play a certain way, or they are not going to play for us. They need to transfer and get out of here if they aren’t going to play hard, play physical and play fast.”
To help out the linebackers, redshirt junior safety Sean Brown has made the move. He said he’s up to 215 pounds now, and he had 66 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions last year.
“Sean is very smart and a physical player,” Gibson said. “We want to put him in the position to do what he does best — and that is tackle people. With the void of Payton and Jaylon Scott leaving, I thought it was time to move down in there. He’ll give us some experience in the box.”
In turn, Brown’s departure at safety along with Boykin’s injury, means some younger players will join senior Bishop Fitzgerald at safety this spring.
“We have Bishop and Terrente [Hinton] has moved to safety [from cornerback],” Gibson said. “We have Zack Myers doing a good job. Brody Barnhardt, Daemon Fagan, we got a lot of guys.”
The nickel position was solidified with the arrival of Villanova junior transfer Devon Marshall and Maryland redshirt freshman transfer Tamarcus Cooley, a former Wolfpack commit from Rolesville (N.C.) High. As luck would have it, the Wolfpack coaches had worked with the Villanova coaching staff in the past, and that helped in landing Marshall. The Wildcats coaches let Gibson know Marshall would do well for the Wolfpack.
“What I like about him [Marshall] is that he can play nickel or he can play corner,” Gibson said. “He did that on film. What was exciting for us when he went in the portal, was actually Villanova’s defensive staff was here last year for three, four days learning our scheme and learning our stuff.”
Sophomore cornerback Brandon Cisse and Maryland senior transfer Corey Coley will battle for the starting cornerback spot opposite senior star Aydan White.
Junior Brandon Cleveland got the start against Kansas State in the bowl loss, and he’s the odds-on favorite at nose tackle. Redshirt sophomores Nick Campbell and Davin Jackson are also in the mix.
“The nose and the other D-End spot are up for grabs,” Gibson said.
Auburn transfers Cam Riley, a linebacker, and safety Donovan Kaufman, will arrive for summer school and add new competition to the mix. Gibson can’t discuss them yet, but the competition will be fierce at several spots this spring.
“Corner is a competition right now but we got three guys we feel really good about,” Gibson said. “We have to find out who will be in that two deep.
“We have competition all over the place at safety, nickel. We have a lot of holes to fill. I feel like we’ve done a great job of recruiting our needs, and getting going in the portal for our needs.”
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