Former Wolfpack Coordinator Has Brutal Debut

Tony Gibson and his Marshall Thundering Herd were overmatched in the season opener.

Sep 8, 2018; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers defensive coordinator Tony Gibson yells from the sideline during the second quarter against the Youngstown State Penguins at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

NC State moved on from a familiar face this offseason. Longtime defensive coordinator Tony Gibson left the program to become a head coach for the first time in his lengthy coaching career. The Wolfpack moved on and hired former NFL linebacker coach DJ Eliot to replace him.

Gibson was a pivotal figure in much of the defensive success during NC State head coach Dave Doeren's tenure. He led some of the program's best defenses ever and coached elite talent like Isaiah Moore and Payton Wilson.

Now, Gibson coaches the Marshall Thundering Herd in West Virginia. The Sun Belt team had its season opener Saturday against an incredible daunting opponent: the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs.

Aug 30, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Puglisi (12) runs against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

What happened in the game?

The matchup was never going to be fair for Gibson and his new team. Georgia came out firing on all cylinders and thoroughly dominated the Thundering Herd 45-7 in front of an enormous crowd at Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA.

Junior quarterback Gunner Stockton led the Bulldogs with a solid 190 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. He also added 10 carries for 73 yards and another two touchdowns. Gibson's new defense struggled to contain the quarterback and wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who transferred in from USC.

The Herd was out-gained 488 to 207 yardage-wise and held the ball for a full nine minutes fewer than the Bulldogs. The team's lone touchdown came late in the fourth quarter courtesy of a 1-yard run from Joshon Barbie.

Aug 30, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Dwight Phillips Jr (20) runs against Marshall Thundering Herd defensive back Marvae Myers (3) at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Gibson's Thoughts

The coach's job was already going to be daunting after the majority of the 2024 roster departed before Gibson could even introduce himself. A matchup with Georgia was not an easy way to start. Nonetheless, the head coach took the blame for his team's efforts.

"I'll take this one on me and our staff," Gibson said. "We have to do a better job getting our guys better prepared. That was the first of many, and I promise, Herd Nation, that we will be better next week."

He spoke about some of the highlights for his team despite the unfortunate result.

"I thought our defense fought really well in the second quarter. Made some plays, had some opportunities to get off the field," Gibson said. "Unfortunately, we gave up two big runs to the quarterback (Gunner Stockton)."

Gibson and the Herd have a week to regroup before facing a Missouri State team coming off its own enormous loss, as the Bears fell 73-13 to USC on Saturday.

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