Georgia Tech to hire Texas assistant as defensive coordinator

Gideon will take over the role left vacant by Tyler Santucci, who was hired Tuesday by the Baltimore Ravens to be their linebackers coach.

Gideon, the associate head coach and safeties coach at Texas in 2024, was hired by Texas in 2021 as the team’s safeties coach. He previously spent one season as special-teams coordinator at Ole Miss and before that, he was the special-teams coordinator and nickel-backs coach at Houston for one season.

Before Houston, Gideon was cornerbacks coach at Georgia State in 2018. He spent the previous two seasons on staff as the defensive backs coach and defensive passing-game coordinator at Western Carolina.

An All-Big 12 defensive back at Texas from 2008-11, Gideon signed a free-agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals following the 2012 NFL draft. He was signed to the Denver Broncos practice squad in October 2012 and trained with the club until retiring in May 2013.

Gideon was a four-year starter at safety and two-time team captain at Texas, where he played under coach Mack Brown and defensive coordinators Will Muschamp and Manny Diaz. He started 52 games during his career at safety with the Longhorns, which represents the second-most consecutive starts on school record.

A four-time honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection, Gideon made 276 tackles (166 solo), 10 interceptions, broke up 20 passes, recorded two sacks and eight tackled for loss, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and blocked a punt for his career. As a senior in 2011, he was named to the Thorpe Award watch list.

Gideon will be the fourth defensive coordinator in three seasons for Tech. Santucci replaced Kevin Sherrer who took over the role in October 2023 after former defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker was reassigned to safeties coach.