Eric Gibson

Eric Gibson is in his fourth year as the Defensive Coordinator at SWOSU in 2017 and he will coach the Bulldog defensive line this season. Gibson also serves as the Bulldogs recruiting coordinator.
 
In three seasons with Gibson coordinating the Bulldogs defense, Gibson has had several players earn postseason recognition, including: Seven All-Great American Conference selections, four All-Region honorees, two All-Americans, two Cliff Harris Award finalists, one GAC Defensive Player of the Year and one Academic All-American.
 
The 2016 season saw SWOSU safety Conner Bays set a new single-season NCAA Division II era school record with 128 tackles, which also gave him the new school record for career tackles with 295. For his efforts, Bays earned an Honorable Mention All-America selection by the Don Hansen Gazette and was named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award.
 
His second season at SWOSU was a breakthrough for the football program as the Bulldogs won their final six games to finish the regular season second place in the Great American Conference at 8-3. SWOSU was then invited to the 2015 Live United Texarkana Bowl, the program’s first postseason game as a member of NCAA Division II. The Bulldogs defense was led by First Team All-GAC cornerback Trevon Hartfield, who set a new single-season school and conference record with 25 passes defended (five interceptions, 20 pass breakups) before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals.
 
In his first year with the Bulldogs, Gibson had a defense anchored by 2014 GAC Defensive Player of the Year Devin Benton, who also earned All-America honors from four outlets and was named a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year and Cliff Harris Small College Defensive Player of the Year awards.
 
Gibson came to SWOSU after four successful seasons in the junior college ranks of Kansas and Texas. He spent the 2013 season as the Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at Fort Scott Community College after two years at Garden City Community College and one at Blinn College.
 
He led a defense at Fort Scott CC last season that had eight players sign with four-year colleges, including three NCAA Division I signees, and the Greyhounds had one player earn First Team All-Kansas Jayhawk Conference honors. Prior to his year at Fort Scott, he spent two years on the other side of Kansas, serving as the Special Teams Coordinator, Linebackers Coach and Video Coordinator for Garden City CC.
 
While at Garden City, Gibson helped the Broncbusters to a 7-4 record in 2012 and a No. 20 final National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national ranking after they defeated No. 7 Copiah-Lincoln in the 2012 Mississippi Bowl. While working at Garden City, Gibson was also a member of the KJCCC Coaching Staff of the Year in 2012 and he coached six players to all-conference status and one All-American return specialist – Tyreek Hill. Additionally, he guided three special team players that earned conference or national player of the week awards during his two seasons.
 
The first full-time collegiate job for Gibson came at Blinn College, where he served as the Linebackers Coach and Video Coordinator for the 2010 season under head coach Brad Franchione. Gibson had four linebackers earn All-SWJCFC, including the SWJCFC Defensive Player of the Year and NJCAA All-American Princeton Jackson. The Buccaneers went on to finish the season ranked No. 10 in the national NJCAA poll after defeating No. 4 Arizona Western in the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl.
 
Gibson spent six seasons coaching high school football in Oklahoma at Putnam City HS and El Reno HS prior to returning to the college ranks. He was the defensive coordinator for his final three seasons with the Pirates, helping the school to two OSSAA quarterfinal appearances and he coached two players that earned Linebacker of the Year Awards for District 6A-2 (2008 & 2009) and he had 14 players earn postseason accolades during his five seasons.
 
Gibson started his coaching career at his alma mater, Central Oklahoma, where he served as a graduate assistant in 2002-03, assisting with the linebackers and defensive line. He had various recruiting and administrative duties while with the Bronchos and he was a member of the coaching staff in 2003 as UCO advanced to the NCAA Division II playoff quarterfinals.
 
A native of Ashland, Kan., Gibson holds two degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education in 2000 and a master’s degree of Adult Education in 2003. He and his wife, Jennifer, were married in 2016 and they reside in Weatherford. 


THE GIBSON FILE
 
Coaching Career
2014 – Present: Southwestern Oklahoma State (Defensive Coordinator)
 
2013: Fort Scott Community College (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2011-12: Garden City Community College (Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers/Video Coordinator)
2010: Blinn College (Linebackers/Video Coordinator)
2005-10: Putnam City HS (Assistant Football Coach/Defensive Coordinator)
2004: El Reno HS (Assistant Football/Assistant JH Baseball)
2002-03: Central Oklahoma (Graduate Assistant)
 
Education
University of Central Oklahoma
   Bachelors of Arts, Social Studies Education, 2000
   Masters of Education, Adult Education, 2003