TCU defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie utilizes schemes, lessons from Stephenville in College Football Playoff

FORT WORTH – Joe Gillespie spent the first 21 years of his coaching life in the high school ranks in the state of Texas, so it was no surprise that the TCU defensive coordinator watched the 2022 national championship game in the THSCA hotel near the Riverwalk at the American Football Coaches Association Convention in San Antonio. 

His viewpoint figures to be much different on Monday night when Gillespie stands on the sideline with his Horned Frogs defense in Los Angeles in the College Football Playoff finale against Georgia in Los Angeles. And he knows plenty of eyes back in Texas, and in Charlotte at this year’s AFCA Convention, will be fixated on a defense he’s tinkered with since matching wits with Art Briles and Chad Morris led units at practice in Stephenville over a decade ago.