Chase Gibson joined the EKU coaching staff as the linebackers coach on Jan. 7, 2016.
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In his first season, Gibson helped guide a defense that allowed fewer passing yards than any EKU team since 2009 and fewer passing touchdowns (12) than any Colonel defense since 2005 (9). Under his guidance, linebacker Jeffrey Canady totaled 17 tackles in a game on two occasions, tied for the 18th most by an FCS player in 2016. Canady also finished seventh in the nation with 11.2 tackles per game.
Eastern was 16th nationally in 2016 with three defensive touchdowns, including a 54-yard interception return by linebacker Corey Glass.
On Oct. 22, Eastern Kentucky’s defense held No. 2 Jacksonville State without an offensive touchdown, the first time a defense had done that to the Gamecocks since 2012. The Colonels also held JSU to 106 yards below their offensive average.
Gibson had worked under Butch Jones since the 2012 season at Cincinnati. He spent that season as a graduate assistant working with the linebackers. He joined Jones at Tennessee in 2013, serving the same role his first season. In 2014 and 2015, Gibson was the quality control/assistant secondary coach. He helped UT to a 9-4 record in 2015 and a second place finish in the Southeastern Conference East Division with a 5-3 mark. It was Tennessee's first winning record in SEC play since 2007.
Gibson also coached for two seasons (2010 & 2011) in the Ohio Valley Conference at Tennessee-Martin. He coached linebackers and oversaw strength and conditioning with the Skyhawks.
The Pikeville, Kentucky native was a tight end at Marshall University before a career-ending knee injury. He earned a bachelor's in secondary education in 2007.
“Chase is an outstanding coach and mentor who is from the Eastern part of Kentucky,” Head Coach Mark Elder said. “He has tremendous experience coaching at the high school level, in the OVC, at Cincinnati and at Tennessee. He is a tough, hard-nosed coach who will have our linebackers playing physical and fast.”
Gibson and his wife Kylee have one son – Caiden.
Chase Gibson Year-By-Year
| Year |
School |
Position |
Notes |
| 2007 |
Pike County Central HS |
Defensive Coord./Linebackers |
|
| 2008 |
George Rogers Clark HS |
Defensive Backs Coach |
|
| 2009 |
George Rogers Clark HS |
Linebackers Coach |
|
| 2010 |
Tennessee-Martin |
Defensive Graduate Assistant/Strength Coach |
|
| 2011 |
Tennessee-Martin |
Linebackers Coach |
|
| 2012 |
Cincinnati |
Graduate Assistant - Linebackers |
Big East Champs, Won Belk Bowl |
| 2013 |
Tennessee |
Defensive Graduate Assistant - Linebackers |
|
| 2014 |
Tennessee |
Quality Control/Assistant Secondary Coach |
won TaxSlayer Bowl |
| 2015 |
Tennessee |
Quality Control/Assistant Secondary Coach |
won Outback Bowl |
| 2016 |
Eastern Kentucky |
Linebackers Coach |
|
| 2017 |
Eastern Kentucky |
Linebackers Coach |
|
