The Howard Payne University football program recently announced that Azle High School assistant coach Cody Gilbert will be the new Yellow Jacket defensive coordinator.

Cody Gilbert, a 2012 graduate of Howard Payne University, comes to HPU from Azle High School in Azle, Texas where he served as their special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach for the past three seasons.

“Coach Gilbert is a great man, a great husband and most importantly a man of God. I am extremely excited about his addition to the coaching staff as he positively influences our student-athletes,” said HPU head coach, Hunter Sims. “It is always special be able to hire an alumnus because of the passion and drive to make the university better. I am anxious to see him lay down his defensive blueprint for Team 111.”

At Azle, Gilbert also was their strength and conditioning coach and off season coordinator. There he helped lead Azle to a 2014 district championship with an 11-2 overall record. It would be the most wins for the program in the school’s history.

Before Azle, he was the defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at Archer City High School in Archer City, Texas.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to be involved with Howard Payne Football, and to work for Coach Sims,” said Cody Gilbert. “I am looking forward to getting our players back on campus next week, and to start developing relationships with those guys.”

While at Howard Payne as a student from 2009-2012, he lettered one season and would go on to work as a student assistant with the defensive line. He also served as the assistant video coordinator for HPU.

Gilbert continued his education after Howard Payne completing a Masters of Education in Sports Administration from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma in August of 2014.

A graduate of Santo High School in Santo, Texas, Cody is married to Meagan, a 2012 graduate of Howard Payne.