Joe Gillespie Bio

[cousin oliver]

Joe Gillespie arrived at TCU in December 2021 as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Gillespie previously spent seven seasons at Tulsa, including the final three as defensive coordinator. He was a high school football coach for 20 years in the state of Texas.
  
In 2020, Gillespie was named National Linebackers Coach of the Year by FootballScoop and was a finalist for Defensive Coordinator of the Year.
 
At Tulsa, Gillespie coached consensus All-America linebacker Zaven Collins, who won the 2020 Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lombardi Award. Collins was selected by the Arizona Cardinals as the 16th-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
 
Gillespie helped transition the Hurricane from a base 4-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment, and the defensive numbers improved dramatically. The Hurricane ended the 2018 regular season with the nation’s eighth-best pass defense and held opponents to more than 120 yards less in total offense than a year earlier.

Gillespie was a part of three bowl teams with the Hurricane, including the 2015 Independence Bowl, 2016 Miami Beach Bowl and 2020 Armed Forces Bowl.

Before coming to Tulsa, Gillespie served seven years (2008-14) as the athletic director and head football coach at Stephenville High School. His teams compiled a 72-23 record (.758), winning a 2012 state championship, three district titles while sharing one and advancing to the state playoffs seven times.

The 2012 Yellow Jackets went 13-1 en route to their Class 3A state title. A year later, in 2013, Stephenville was 12-2 and advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals. Gillespie’s 2014 team finished 9-4 and reached the state quarterfinal round.
 
In his first season, Gillespie led Stephenville to a 10-4 record and a quarterfinal appearance in the 2008 Class 4A state playoffs. His 2009 team recorded a 9-3 mark and was undefeated in District 7-4A. In 2010, the Yellow Jackets advanced to the Class 4A state quarterfinals. The 2011 team went 11-3 and again reached the Class 4A state quarterfinals.
 
Gillespie earned District Coach of the Year honors four times (2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013) and was the Big Country Coach of the Year on three occasions (2008, 2011 and 2012).
 
Among the many eventual college players Gillespie coached at Stephenville was NFL quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

Before becoming Stephenville's head coach in February 2008, Gillespie served 13 years as an assistant coach at the school. He coached under Art Briles for five years, Texas High School Hall of Honor inductee Mike Copeland for three seasons and Chad Morris for five years.
 
As an assistant coach, Gillespie helped lead Stephenville to state titles in 1998 and 1999. Gillespie coached linebackers and safeties under Morris and was the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach under Copeland.
 
A Stephenville native, Gillespie earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Angelo State in 1994.
 
Gillespie and his wife, Jodi, have three children: sons Josh and Jake, daughter Chelsea and son-in-law Tyler as well as grandson Emmerson and granddaughter Ayla.

Edited December 13, 2022 by cousin oliver

[southsideguy]

They said he had been to three bowls but they did not say if won any.

[UNTcrazy727]

20 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

They said he had been to three bowls but they did not say if won any.

Not sure why his bowl record as an assistant/DC matters, but Tulsa went 1-2. 

[southsideguy]

The two losses were at least close and not blowouts and against P-5 schools.  

[zenhuddy]

Like the story line here and or has good cred to me but wonder if TCU won’t counter offer him like they will Riley if he’s offered - like it but don’t see it happening but I’d like to be wrong ha. 

Consider this alternate/ Justin F gets Graham H as his OC with the thought he’s here 3yrs and gets a P5 gig again and Graham takes it over ? Not too far fetched. You would have to think Justin is on the phone calling guys and or Wren would say Graham did a great job here and would be welcomed again ! 
Just a little Tuesday morning rambling probably but it’s possible. 
 

[southsideguy]

I bet TCU would let Riley go so they could hire his close friend SL.

[UNTcrazy727]

7 minutes ago, zenhuddy said:

Like the story line here and or has good cred to me but wonder if TCU won’t counter offer him like they will Riley if he’s offered - like it but don’t see it happening but I’d like to be wrong ha. 

Consider this alternate/ Justin F gets Graham H as his OC with the thought he’s here 3yrs and gets a P5 gig again and Graham takes it over ? Not too far fetched. You would have to think Justin is on the phone calling guys and or Wren would say Graham did a great job here and would be welcomed again ! 
Just a little Tuesday morning rambling probably but it’s possible. 
 

Why would Graham Harrell leave a P5 job that pays more than us?

[MeanGreenTexan]

5 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

I bet TCU would let Riley go so they could hire his close friend SL.

Let him go?    It wouldn't matter what TCU thought.  If he wanted to take the HC job at UNT, and it is offered, he gone.

[southsideguy]

I thought oc;dc made between 500k-750k in the p-5 land.  besides that he may not have a job next year.

 

[zenhuddy]

1 hour ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

Why would Graham Harrell leave a P5 job that pays more than us?

Good question but I think he might be enticed at the opportunity and or getting back to TX and or I’m not ruling out we’d not match his wages - I think the “price of poker has went up in N Texas” - don’t be surprised if the new HC is making 2mil

Now there is always a chance we bring Graham in as the HC as long as he can secure a major DC coach too - Good Question and I’m just adding to the discussion as this rattles on down the road. Lots of left Graham off the list in the last week and I think he’s still in the running myself. JMO

[UNTcrazy727]

15 minutes ago, zenhuddy said:

Good question but I think he might be enticed at the opportunity and or getting back to TX and or I’m not ruling out we’d not match his wages - I think the “price of poker has went up in N Texas” - don’t be surprised if the new HC is making 2mil

Now there is always a chance we bring Graham in as the HC as long as he can secure a major DC coach too - Good Question and I’m just adding to the discussion as this rattles on down the road. Lots of left Graham off the list in the last week and I think he’s still in the running myself. JMO

Our new coach will probably make around $2.5 million. That doesn't mean we'll be able to offer assistants P5 money. Harrell makes $750K/year at WVU. There's no way we can match that. The highest I could see us going is around $500K. And that's pushing it. 

[DeepGreen]

38 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

Our new coach will probably make around $2.5 million. That doesn't mean we'll be able to offer assistants P5 money. Harrell makes $750K/year at WVU. There's no way we can match that. The highest I could see us going is around $500K. And that's pushing it. 

Not sure if it would matter much but West Virginia has a state income tax.

[greenminer]

SOURCE

[El Paso Eagle]

2 hours ago, zenhuddy said:

Like the story line here and or has good cred to me but wonder if TCU won’t counter offer him like they will Riley if he’s offered - like it but don’t see it happening but I’d like to be wrong ha. 

Could depend on his desire to be a HC.

 

[NTSU52]

4 hours ago, cousin oliver said:

He was a high school football coach for 20 years in the state of Texas.

no thanks