Blake Gideon, a former All-Conference safety for Texas (2008–11) and Longhorns assistant coach from 2021–24, is returning to the Forty Acres as defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach, head coach Steve Sarkisian announced Friday. Sarkisian praised the hire, noting Gideon’s deep understanding of Texas Football’s tradition and his strong relationship with defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. After departing Austin, Gideon spent the 2025 season as defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, where his unit helped the Yellow Jackets to a 9–4 finish and a top-25 ranking, highlighted by standout performances from All-ACC defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg and linebacker Kyle Efford. Before his stint in Atlanta, Gideon earned national acclaim at Texas as Football Scoop’s Defensive Backs Coach of the Year in 2024, when the Longhorns ranked among the nation’s top defenses and reached their second straight College Football Playoff semifinal.
“It’s awesome getting Blake back,” Sarkisian said. “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.”
Gideon’s coaching résumé spans roles at Ole Miss, Houston, Georgia State, and Western Carolina, where he developed multiple award-winning special teams and defensive units. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Florida and Auburn after a brief NFL stint with the Cardinals and Broncos. As a Longhorn, Gideon started all 52 games at safety—the second-longest streak in program history—and captained the team twice, helping Texas to BCS Championship and Big 12 titles under Mack Brown. A four-time All-Big 12 honoree, he finished his career with 276 tackles and 10 interceptions before graduating in 2011 with a degree in kinesiology. A Leander native, Gideon and his wife Mary Catherine have three children: Barrett, Brooks, and Catherine.
