Georgia Tech has appointed Blake Gideon, previously an assistant coach at Texas, as its new defensive coordinator.
The announcement was made on Friday, marking a significant addition to the team’s coaching staff. Gideon has spent the last four years in Texas, focusing on coaching safeties. He received a promotion to associate head coach for defense at his alma mater last year, demonstrating his rising profile in college football coaching circles. Gideon’s tenure at Texas included notable achievements, such as reaching the College Football Playoff twice, notably making it to the semifinals in the latest expanded 12-team format.

Under Gideon’s guidance, the Longhorns excelled defensively, leading the nation with 22 interceptions, while also boasting the best mark for yards allowed per pass attempt at 5.69. The Texas defense was notably effective, finishing second in the country with 31 takeaways, and ranking third in both total defense with an average of 283.4 yards per game and scoring defense, only allowing 15.3 points per game.

Prior to his role at Texas, Gideon held various coaching positions. In 2020, he coached nickel backs and served as special teams coordinator at Mississippi, and the previous year he was at Houston in the same capacity. His early career included coaching roles at Georgia State and Western Carolina as well.

Gideon’s coaching journey began in 2014 as a quality control assistant at Florida, followed by a position as a graduate assistant at Auburn in 2015. His diverse coaching experience and proven track record as a defensive coach are anticipated to bring a fresh perspective to Georgia Tech’s football program as they look to enhance their defensive strategies moving forward.