Football Assistant Coaches Joseph Gillespie
Jermial Ashley
Carlton Buckels
Defensive Line Coach
Safeties Coach
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Joseph Gillespie is in his second season as defensive coordinator at The University of Tulsa in 2020 . In his sixth year at Tulsa, Gillespie continues to coach linebackers for the Golden Hurricane . Gillespie was promoted to defensive coordinator on January 3, 2019, following the retirement of Bill Young . Gillespie oversaw a unit last year that had two players — cornerback Reggie Robinson II and defensive end Trevis Gipson — selected in the top five rounds of the NFL draft . Gillespie came to Tulsa in January 2015 following 20 years as a high school football coach in the state of Texas . Gillespie helped transition the Hurricane from a base 4-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment in 2018 as Tulsa’s defensive numbers emphatically improved . Tulsa ended the 2018 regular season with the nation’s 8th best pass defense, while allowing opponents 120+ yards less in total offense than a year earlier . The defensive unit continued to show improvement last season, cutting opponents total yardage to under 400 yards per game . He has been a part of two bowl teams with the Hurricane, including the 2015 Camping World Independence Bowl and the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl . Before coming to Tulsa, Gillespie spent seven years (2008-14) as the athletic director and head football coach at Stephenville (Texas) High School . His teams compiled a .758 winning percentage with an overall 72-23 record, while winning the district championship three times, sharing the district crown once, advancing to the state playoffs seven times and winning one state championship . Gillespie earned District Coach of the Year honors four times (2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013) and was the Big Country Coach of the Year for three seasons (2008, 2011 and 2012) . Before becoming the Stephenville 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 two state titles, coming 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 University in 1994 . Gillespie and his wife, Jodi, have three children: sons Josh and Jake, daughter Chelsea and son-in-law, Tyler, and grandson Emmerson .
Jermial Ashley is in his sixth season as the Golden Hurricane defensive line coach . He joined the Tulsa coaching staff on January 12, 2015 . Last year, Ashley tutored a front line that helped the Tulsa defense hold opponents to under 200 yards rushing per game, continuing a consistent move up from previous seasons . End Trevis Gipson ranked among the top-7 in the American Athletic Conference for sacks and tackles for lost yardage, while earning first-team all-conference accolades . Gipson went on to perform in the Senior Bowl and received an invitation to the NFL Draft Combine . He was selected in the 5th round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears as the 155th overall selection . In 2018, Ashley helped the Tulsa defense transition from a base 4-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment, thus improving Tulsa’s defensive numbers . The Hurricane finished the 2018 season with the nation’s 8th best pass defense, while allowing opponents 120+ yards less in total offense than a year earlier . Ashley’s second year with the Hurricane saw the defensive unit production improve significantly in 2016 as Tulsa held its opponents to 10 points and 110 .1 yards fewer than in his first season . He has been a part of two bowl teams with the Hurricane, including the 2015 Camping World Independence Bowl and the 2016 Miami Beach Bowl . Before coming to Tulsa, Ashley spent two seasons (2013-14) coaching the defensive line at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas . In his first season, the Cardinal defense led the Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) for total defense, rushing defense, scoring defense and quarterback sacks . Before his stint at TVCC, Ashley spent three seasons working with the defensive line at Oklahoma State University under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Bill Young . He has coached in a total of five bowl games, including three with Oklahoma State — the 2010 Alamo Bowl, 2011 Fiesta Bowl and 2012 Heart of Texas Bowl, and two at Tulsa . A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Ashley attended Keller Fossil Ridge High School, then played two seasons at Tyler Junior College where he was an NJCAA All-America defensive end . He then moved to the University of Kansas to continue his education and playing career . Ashley was a two-year starting defensive end for the Jayhawks, earning all-Big 12 honors in 2004 and 2005 . Following his playing career, Ashley signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns . Ashley earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Kansas in 2008 . He and his wife, Calli, have two daughters, Eliana and Emory, and son Miles .
Carlton Buckels is in his third season coaching the Golden Hurricane safeties . He joined The University of Tulsa football coaching staff in March 2018 . Buckels has 21 years of collegiate coaching experience, all as a defensive secondary coach . In 2019, Buckels’ two starting safeties, Brandon Johnson and Manny Bunch, ranked third and fourth on the team for tackles and tied for second for pass break-ups . In his first season at Tulsa, the Hurricane defense completed 2018 with the nation’s 8th best pass defense, holding the opposition to 174 .6 yards per game . Tulsa also led the American Athletic Conference in pass defense and ranked 4th for defensive pass efficiency . One of Buckel’s safeties, McKinley Whitfield, was invited to participate in the College Gridiron Classic for college seniors . Buckels came to Tulsa following one season as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi . A native of Louisiana, Buckels played collegiately at LSU and coached high school football in the state, allowing the Hurricane to expand its recruiting blueprint in the state of Louisiana even more . Buckels received his start in collegiate coaching at his alma mater, LSU, where he served as a graduate assistant under Nick Saban and Gerry Dinardo . He worked with the defense and special teams, while earning his master’s degree in 2001 . Before beginning his collegiate coaching career, Buckels coached at Hammonds (La .) High School from 1996-99, helping the Tornados to the Class 4A state semifinals in 1996 and 1997 as a defensive assistant coach . Buckels’ collegiate coaching stops have included Delta State (2001-02), Southeastern Louisiana (2003-04), New Mexico State (2005-07), North Texas (2009-10) and Baylor University (2011-16) . In the summer of 2010, Buckels worked with the NFL’s Oakland Raiders coaching staff as a part of the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship Program . Buckels was a two-time all-state defensive back at Amite (La .) High School before going on to a fouryear career at LSU . A four-year letterman (1989-92), Buckels served as team captain and earned special teams MVP honors in 1991 . He tallied six career interceptions and returned one for a touchdown . After LSU, he had stints in professional football with the CFL’s Baltimore Stallions and the semi-pro Louisiana Bayou Thunder . Buckels and his wife, Kyra, have three sons: Justin, Carsyn and Carlon .
Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers Coach
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G O L D E N HUR R I CANE FO OT B ALL
