Interesting Gibbs article

[quietfan 233]

Since no one has posted this article yet, I thought I would...

If all goes well--and this makes it sound like it should--CDG could follow in CAB footsteps as a relative unknown coordinator at first who proves to be a real genious. Just think, a couple of years ago one of the complaints about Tommy Tuberville was his poor decisions in hiring coordinators. If Gibbs lives up to this article, CTT may become known as one of the smartest coaches in football when it comes to hiring assistants.

[if nothing else, Gibbs and Borges both seem similar in that they bring a fresh new approach to traditionally old-fashioned SEC football.]

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/mobilereg...04327287060.xml

Gibbs brings NFL flavor to Tigers

Sunday, March 06, 2005

By EVAN WOODBERY

Sports Reporter

AUBURN -- Even among the smallest defensive backs, David Gibbs sometimes gets lost in the crowd.

Short of stature and soft-spoken in meetings with reporters, Auburn's new defensive coordinator hardly embodies the stereotype of a boisterous coach.

But on the field with his players, away from cameras and notepads, Gibbs isn't afraid to be loud and in your face.

"He's a player's coach and he's going to be out there fighting for you on the field and pulling for you, but if you're not doing something that you should be doing, he's going to let you know," said Auburn senior safety Will Herring.

Gibbs was hired in February to replace Gene Chizik, who left to become co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Texas. He's spent the last month hurriedly preparing to implement his defense. He'll spend this month trying to teach it to players during spring practice.

Saturday's first scrimmage left Gibbs believing there was still plenty of work to be done.

"We've got guys who can run," he said. "They can be as fast as they want to be, but if we're not sound, and we don't know exactly where to fit, then that's when problems occur."

While Chizik was a career college coach, Gibbs spent the last four seasons with the NFL's Denver Broncos. He was fired in the middle of the 2004 season after a still-unrevealed disagreement with head coach Mike Shanahan.

The return to Auburn was a smooth fit for Gibbs, since his dad (veteran pro and college coach Alex Gibbs) coached under Pat Dye in the early 1980s and David spent most of his childhood in Auburn and attended Auburn High.

"It was very natural for me," Gibbs said. "I grew up an Auburn fan and rooted for Auburn football as far back as I can remember."

Auburn's defensive schemes aren't expected to change drastically under the new coach, as Auburn will continue to run a 4-3 defense. The terminology has also remained essentially the same in order to ease the transition.

But Gibbs will bring some new wrinkles based on his NFL background. Head coach Tommy Tuberville said that was one of the reasons he decided to bring him in as coordinator.

"He has a lot of knowledge about college and the pro ranks," Tuberville said. "I was very interested in getting someone who runs the 4-3 package like we run."

Tuberville also said he was sold on Gibbs' description of "situation football," which he defined as a defense that has the built-in flexibility to adjust quickly on a play-to-play basis.

"I don't think (situation football) has gotten down to college as much as it probably will in the next few years," Tuberville said. "Hopefully, he can take us to another level so we have better matchups than we did last year in certain games."

Like Chizik, Gibbs coaches defensive backs, a position he played at Colorado. But while Chizik preferred zone sets, Gibbs is much more likely to switch to man-to-man.

"Coming from the NFL, they play a lot more man-to-man," Herring said. "The corners are going to be asked to play man a lot more, whereas coach Chizik liked to play zone as much as he could, provided we could stop the run."

Gibbs said his secondary would be flexible enough to respond to any game situation.

"You could have six or seven defensive backs on the field," he said. "It's just a matter of who you are going against and what their strengths are and what your strengths are. If our linebackers are better than our DBs, we might never go to nickel."

[jared52 4,354]

Short of stature...

That brings back some memories...

[maryland tiger 616]

Coach Tubbs learned his lesson when he hired Nall as the offensive coordinator. He will not make the same mistake twice. I don't care which assistant coach leaves the staff Auburn will hire a good replacement. In life you live and learn. I think Coach has learned his lesson and he will be the head coach for a long time because of what he went through 2 years ago.

[quietfan 233]

Short of stature...

That brings back some memories...

149771[/snapback]

Gee, thanks...I hadn't even thought of those memories until you mentioned 'em. Hope my just-eaten lunch stays down!