Two weeks after the news broke that former Texas Longhorns assistant Blake Gideon was set to leave his role as the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and return to Austin to work under new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, the school made that decision official on Friday with Gideon set to serve as the team’s defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach, the role previously occupied by Duane Akina and Terry Joseph.
“It’s awesome getting Blake back,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said in a statement released by the school. “He did great things for us during his four years here and gained more valuable experience as a coordinator last year. He’s tremendous coach, teacher, and developer of men, and a great staff member. Blake and Will (Muschamp) have an incredible relationship going back to his playing days here, so having them together will make for a seamless transition on defense. He also knows and recruited or coached so many of our players currently on our roster, which is a big plus. And of course, he understands the passion, passion and rich tradition of Texas Football both as a player and coach. We’re fired up to have him back, and we know Longhorn Nation is excited, as well.”
A Leander product, Gideon spent his first three seasons playing safety for Muschamp at Texas before becoming a four-year starter after Muschamp left to become the head coach at Florida. After Gideon spent two seasons in the NFL, Muschamp hired him as a defensive quality control assistant with the Gators in the final year of his tenure in Gainesville, then Gideon joined Muschamp at Auburn the following year as a graduate assistant.
Gideon went on to coach at Western Carolina, Georgia State, Houston, and Ole Miss before making his first. return to Austin as the safeties coach from 2021 to 2024, working in tandem with defensive pass game coordinator Terry Joseph.
During Gideon’s season in Atlanta, Georgia Tech ranked 58th in defensive SP+, ranking 10th in the ACC in scoring defense at 25 points per game, ninth in passing yards allowed per game, and 15th in rushing yards allowed per game.