New Defensive Coordinator Hire

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Auburn, Ala.--A former Auburn resident with coaching experience in the collegiate and NFL ranks has been named as the new defensive coordinator at Auburn, Coach Tommy Tuberville announced on Wednesday.

David Gibbs, who last coached with the NFL’s Denver Broncos, has been chosen to replace Gene Chizik, who left Auburn last month to become assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator at the University of Texas.

Chizik served as Auburn’s secondary coach and defensive coordinator the past three years.

Gibbs, who coached safeties for one season with the Broncos and the whole secondary for 2 1/2 seasons, has four years as a defensive coordinator at the collegiate level at the University of Minnesota.

Gibbs graduated from Auburn High School where he was an outstanding athlete while his father, Alex Gibbs, was an offensive line coach at Auburn University as an assistant to head coach Doug Barfield. Alex Gibbs moved on to the NFL and spent 10 seasons with the Denver Broncos where he developed a reputation as one of the nation’s top offensive line coaches. He is currently coaching for the Atlanta Falcons.

David Gibbs, who is 37, was believed to have a variety of coaching opportunities despite being fired by Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan during the 2004 season. Reports from Denver indicate there were coaching disagreements between Gibbs and defensive coordinator Larry Coyer.

Gibbs, who was in Auburn over the weekend, joined the Broncos staff for the 2001 season after spending four seasons as defensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota where he also worked as secondary coach