When Sean Payton was hired, the first coach he pursued for his staff was defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs, and the addition of the experienced coach immediately paid dividends as Gibbs melded a unit with five new starters into one of the NFL’s most improved defenses. New Orleans ranked 11th in the league in defense in 2006, including third vs. the pass by allowing just 178.4 yards per contest.

With the disciplined, aggressive approach that Gibbs instilled, the Saints surrendered 17 points or less in eight games and gave up 76 points fewer than it had the year before. New Orleans posted 38 sacks and had 10 players record over 50 tackles. The Saints finished second in the NFC in the fewest first downs allowed (262), led the conference in pass defense and ranked sixth in the league in third-down efficiency allowed (34.7).

Gibbs came to New Orleans after spending the previous four years as the linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys, where he served on the same staff as Payton from 2003-05. It was Gibbs’ first NFL assignment after accumulating 22 years of college coaching experience, including six as head coach at the University of Oklahoma.

During Gibbs’ tenure in Dallas, the linebackers were one of the club’s most productive position groups and led an aggressive, opportunistic defense. Each year under his direction, linebackers finished at the top of the club’s tackle charts and posted some of the best totals in franchise history. It was also with Dallas where Gibbs first worked with current Saints’ standouts Scott Fujita (2005) and Scott Shanle (2003-05).

In 2005, Gibbs played a key role in the Cowboys’ transition to a 3-4 defensive alignment. With young players and first-year starters filling key positions, the linebackers were the defense’s top playmakers. In his first year in Dallas after being acquired in a trade on the eve of the regular-season opener, Fujita had 58 tackles, a pair of sacks and two forced fumbles while starting the last eight games.

The Cowboys’ three starting linebackers finished 2004 ranked in the top six on the team in tackles. Dat Nguyen was the club leader with 135 stops and added a career-high three interceptions. In 2003, the linebacker corps led the Cowboys defensive charge with the top two tacklers on the squad. In Gibbs’ first season in Dallas, LB Dexter Coakley led the club with 173 stops, the second-highest total in club history.

Gibbs joined the Cowboys following consecutive one-year stints as the defensive coordinator at LSU (2001) and the University of Georgia (2000). During his lone season in Baton Rouge, the Tigers compiled a 10-3 record, took the SEC title and won the Nokia Sugar Bowl. LSU ranked 21st nationally against the run and led the SEC with 18 interceptions. In his year at Georgia, the Bulldogs ranked 19th in the nation in total defense and 12th in scoring defense by allowing just 18 points per game.

Gibbs spent 23 years at the University of Oklahoma as a player, assistant and head coach. During that time, the Sooners played in 16 bowl games and won three national titles. In his six seasons as the head coach (1989-94), Gibbs guided the Sooners to three bowl games and an overall record of 44-23-2. After taking over the program, he continued the school’s tradition of success, improving Oklahoma’s record each of his first three seasons and won bowl games in 1991 and 1993.

Gibbs began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 1975 and was promoted to linebackers coach three years later. In 1981, he was named defensive coordinator and Gibbs held that post until taking over as head coach in 1989. During his stretch as defensive coordinator, the Sooners captured the 1985 national title, and the defense led the nation three straight years (1985-87).

Gibbs was a linebacker at Oklahoma from 1972 to 1974, a span that saw the Sooners post a 32-1-1 overall mark and finish No. 1 in the nation in 1974 – with Gibbs recording 114 tackles as a starter. The Sooners ranked second in the nation in 1972 and finished third the following year. Before joining the coaching staff at Oklahoma, Gibbs went to training camp with the New England Patriots as a free agent in 1975.

He earned his undergraduate degree in marketing from Oklahoma in 1974 and his master’s degree in business from his alma mater in 1976. A native of Beaumont, Texas, Gibbs lettered in both football (linebacker) and baseball (shortstop) at Spring Branch (Texas) HS. He and his wife Jeanne, have two daughters, Whitley and Jordan.