Army West Point Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Football Coach/Wide Receivers
- Email:
- joseph.gaither@usma.edu
- Phone:
- 6266
Gaither tutored Edgar Poe to one of the best seasons for a wide receiver in recent memory. Poe had two 100-yard games, including 121 yards against Navy in 2015. He caught six touchdown passes, which was the most by an Army player since 2007.
He also mentored DeAndre Bell to achieve career highs in receptions and yards as a senior. Bell had two catches for 67 yards at Eastern Michigan and two receptions for 45 yards against Navy.
A veteran coach, Gaither came to West Point following four seasons at Ball State that included a pair of bowl game appearances.
A 1997 graduate of Elon where he was an all-region choice at defensive back and a four-year starter, Gaither has 19 years of coaching experience.
Gaither was part of Ball State teams that played in the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl after the 2012 season and the GoDaddy Bowl after the 2013 campaign. He coached Jordan Williams to All-Mid-American Conference Second-Team honors and KeVonn Mabon to All-MAC Third-Team accolades in 2014. He also mentored Jamill Smith and Willie Snead to All-MAC First-Team honors in 2012 and Snead to All-MAC First-Team accolades in 2013. Snead set the Ball State single-season receiving record with 1,516 yards in 2013 and also set school records for touchdown catches (15) and receptions (106) in a single season in 2013. Snead completed his career second in receptions, receiving yards and TD catches despite playing only three seasons.
He also guided Connor Ryan, who earned Capitol One Academic All-District V in 2012 and Capital One Academic All-American Briggs Orsbon as a senior at Ball State in 2011. Orsbon ended his career as only the second receiver in Ball State history to record over 200 career catches and completed his career with 204 catches for 2,218 yards and became only the sixth player in school history to surpass the 2,000-yard receiving mark.
Gaither coached wide receivers under Ball State head coach Pete Lembo at his alma mater, Elon, in 2009-10 where he tutored wide receiver, Terrell Hudgins, who became the holder of 19 NCAA, Southern Conference or Elon records and finished second in the voting for the 2009 Walter Payton Award, which is awarded to the Football Championship Subdivision Player of the Year. He also coached Aaron Mellett at Elon, who was an All-American for the Phoenix in 2010 and plays for the Baltimore Ravens.
Gaither began his coaching career at the high school level before joining the collegiate ranks at Elon. He joined Lembo at Ball State when he was announced head coach.
Gaither and his wife Holly have four children, Hazel, Madison, Jonesha and Akeem and resides at West Point.
THE GAITHER FILE
Year at Army West Point: 2nd
Career Year: 20th
Hometown: Thomasville, N.C.
Family: Wife, Holly; Daughters, Jonesha and Madison and son, Akeem
EDUCATION
B.A., Sociology, Northern Michigan, 1999
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2015-pres.: Army West Point (wide receivers)
2011-14: Ball State (wide receivers)
2009-10: Elon (wide receivers)
2005-08: Winston-Salem State (assistant coach)
2000-04: Thomasville City Schools (assistant coach)
1998-99: Tusculum (assistant coach)
1997: Greesboro (assistant coach)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Mentored Edgar Poe, who had six touchdown catches, the most for a receiver since 2007
• Poe finished the year with three 100-yard games receiving
• On the staff for Ball State’s visits to the Beef O’Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl (2012) and GoDaddy Bowl (2013)
• Tutored five All-Mid-American Conference honorees, including Willie Sneed, who was a two-time first team selection
• Sneed set single-season school records in receiving, touchdown catches and receptions
• Coached a pair of Capital One Academic All-District selections
• Tutored Elon wide reciever Terrell Hudgins, who became the holder of 19 NCAA, Southern Conference or Elon records during his time and was second in the voting for the 2009 Walter Payton Award
