Chan Gailey

Thomas Chandler (Chan) Gailey, Jr. (born January 5, 1952 in Gainesville, Georgia) is the current head coach of the Georgia Tech football team and former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

[edit] Playing career

Gailey attended Americus High School in Americus, Georgia, where he was an all-state quarterback. He later went to the University of Florida, where he was a three-year letterman for the Gators, and graduated in 1974 with a degree in physical education.

[edit] Coaching career prior to Georgia Tech

Gailey stayed with Florida as a graduate assistant for two years before taking his first actual coaching job as the secondary coach for Troy State University in Alabama. After two seasons there, he spent four seasons with the Air Force Academy, including two as defensive coordinator under head coach Ken Hatfield. In 1983, he took over the head coaching duties at Troy, where he led the Trojans to a 12-1 record in 1984 en route to the Division II championship. He moved up to the NFL ranks the next year, when the Denver Broncos signed him as a defensive assistant and special teams coach. The team made three Super Bowl appearances during his six-year tenure. He then became the head coach of the Birmingham Fire of the World League of American Football, where the team made the playoffs both years he was coach. After a one-year stint as head coach at Samford University, he returned to the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started off as coach for the wide receivers, then moved up to offensive coordinator for the 1996 and 1997 NFL seasons. Gailey was then hired to take over a struggling Dallas Cowboys squad, one that had faltered under Barry Switzer during his last year. Gailey's Cowboys won the NFC East in 1998, and made the playoffs under his two years at the reins. He then returned to the offensive coordinator role, this time with the Miami Dolphins.

[edit] Georgia Tech Head Coach

He was hired by the Yellow Jackets in 2002 to replace George O'Leary who left to beccome Head Coach at the University of Notre Dame. In his first four years at Georgia Tech, he has compiled a 28-21 record, and two victories in bowl games: the 2003 Humanitarian Bowl (a 52-10 win over the University of Tulsa), and the 2004 Champs Sports Bowl (a 51-14 victory over Syracuse University). Unfortunately, in five seasons Gailey has never defeated the team Tech considers its biggest rival, the University of Georgia. Georgia Tech has been to bowl games each year under Gailey. The 2006 season underway has been the most successful to date. Georgia Tech is 9-3 currently and has clinched a spot in the ACC Championship Game December 2, 2006.

[edit] Head coaching records

[edit] External links

• Georgia Tech bio