MIAMI – The FIU football program has finalized its defensive coaching staff under new head coach Willie Simmons with a pair of new additions joining a pair of returnees.
The Panthers have added Kenneth Gilstrap to serve as special teams coordinator, in addition to coaching the safeties, while Ryan Smith was tabbed to supervise the linebacker unit.
Kenechi Udeze will return for his second season and will coach the defensive line.
Anthony Gaitor is also back for his fourth season on the staff and will coach the cornerbacks.
Gilstrap arrives at FIU following a two-year stint as the secondary coach at UAB (2023-24). During the 2023 campaign the UAB defense ranked 7th nationally in fumbles recovered and had 21 takeaway total. Gilstrap's unit was responsible for 12 of the team's 21 takeaways, including nine of UAB's 10 interceptions.
"I am grateful and blessed to have the opportunity to join this football program," Gilstrap said. "I am excited to bring my skills and passion to the team and to work alongside my mentor. Paws Up!"
Prior to his time in Birmingham, Gilstrap spent the four previous seasons (2019-2022) coaching cornerbacks at Middle Tennessee. In February of 2022, he was also given the responsibilities of special teams coordinator for the Blue Raiders.
Gilstrap turned the cornerbacks at Middle Tennessee into one of the most disruptive units in all of college football as the Blue Raiders ranked second nationally in passes intercepted in 2022 (20) and fifth nationally in 2021 (17).
Additionally, Middle Tennessee was third nationally in blocked kicks (6) and fifth nationally in blocked punts (4) under Gilstrap's tutelage in 2022.
Prior to joining the Blue Raiders' staff in 2019, Gilstrap was the cornerbacks coach at Florida A&M in 2018 under current FIU coach Willie Simmons.
He spent 2017 coaching cornerbacks at Arkansas-Monticello after spending two seasons (2015-16) as a graduate assistant at Middle Tennessee.
A native of Ellenwood, Ga., Gilstrap played cornerback at Middle Tennessee from 2009-13. He was a four-year letter winner and 30-game starter who compiled 126 career tackles, three interceptions and 14 pass breakups. He was also a two-time conference champion in the 55-meter dash for the Blue Raiders' track & field team.
Gilstrap graduated from Middle Tennessee in 2013 with a degree in liberal studies and earned his master's degree in 2016 in administration and supervision.
Smith joins FIU after serving as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Murray State (2024) and for the previous six seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, among other duties, at Florida A&M from (2018-23), after being hired by Simmons when he was the Rattlers' head coach in 2018.
"I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity to team back up in the 305 with Coach Simmons," Smith said. "We were able to accomplish so much previously together. I am excited to get to work and look forward to all we are going to be able to do as a staff at FIU."
Smith joined the Florida A&M coaching staff in 2018, serving as the linebackers coach, recruiting coordinator and director of player personnel. In 2020, Smith was promoted to co-defensive coordinator and then associate head coach in 2023.
In 2022, Smith played a pivotal role in developing linebackers Isaiah Major and Johnny Chaney Jr. Major finished the season leading the Rattlers with 83 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss. Major was named to the Phil Steele All-SWAC First Team and the All-SWAC Second Team. Chaney Jr. was named to the Phil Steele All-SWAC Fourth Team after finishing second with 57 tackles.
Under Smith, the Rattlers ranked top-25 in five defensive categories and top ten in three. Smith also worked with defensive lineman Isaiah Land, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2021, Smith helped lead one of the best defenses in Rattlers' history as they ranked the top-25 in 15 different categories, top-10 in nine, and top-five in one.
Smith worked with defensive lineman Isaiah Land, who led the nation in sacks and tackles for loss, as he was named the SWAC Defensive Player of the Year and became the Rattlers' first Buck Buchanan Award (national defensive player of the year) winner. Smith also worked with safety Markquese Bell, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys.
Before joining the Rattlers, Smith served as the assistant recruiting coordinator at the University of Florida under former head coach Jim McElwain from 2016 to 2018.
In 2015, Smith served as an offensive quality control coach under Nick Saban at the University of Alabama. While in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, won the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship and produced a Heisman Trophy winner, running back Derrick Henry.
Before joining the collegiate coaching ranks, the Perry, Fla. native served as the head coach of three high school football programs in Florida. He worked at Gainesville High School, Deland High School, and his alma mater, Taylor County High School.
Smith lettered in football at Valdosta State, where he played defensive line. He became a student assistant in 1999. He earned a B.A. in Health and Physical Education Fitness.
Gaitor is back with the Panthers for his second season coaching the cornerbacks and his fourth overall in the program.
He was elevated to the position of assistant coach/outside linebackers prior to the 2023 season after serving as a graduate assistant on the FIU coaching staff before moving to coach the corners in 2024. He will enter his third season as a member of the full-time staff in 2025.
"I appreciate Coach Simmons for this opportunity," Gaitor said. "FIU is home, so you know I am going to do whatever it takes to bring home a championship with this incredible staff!"
The FIU secondary recorded a total of 11 interceptions last season – the 58th-highest total in FBS.
Gaitor was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft following a standout career as a player at FIU from 2007-10. During his collegiate career he accumulated 197 total tackles, including 19 for loss, four sacks, 11 interceptions (three which he returned for touchdowns) and 35 passes defended.
A native of Miami, Gaitor attended Miami Northwestern High School, where he was part of an immensely talented squad that also included six other future NFL players.
Udeze, a former collegiate standout at the University of Southern California and a first round selection (20th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft, returns for his second season with the Panthers and will supervise the defensive line after coaching the outside linebackers in 2024.
"The reason I decided to stay on here at FIU was because of the genuine love and emotional connection from our players," Udeze said. "The shared core values and principles of our leader Willie Simmons, the mutual respect of the staff he put together and the positive future experiences we will all share together. Paws Up!"
Udeze returns a wealth of previous coaching experience to the Panther staff, both at the collegiate and NFL levels.
Prior to FIU, Udeze was pass rush specialist on the staff at the University of Houston (2023), Udeze was previously a member of the coaching staff at Vanderbilt (2020/LBs) as well as a defensive analyst with LSU during its run to the 2019 National Championship. He was also a defensive line coach at his alma mater USC from 2016-18.
During his stretch with the Trojans, USC led the nation in sacks (46) in 2017 and was fourth nationally in red zone defense. In 2016, USC limited its opponents to just 139.6 yards rushing per contest.
Udeze's NFL experience includes a run with the Tennessee Titans as an assistant defensive line coach (2021-22) as well as a stint with the Seattle Seahawks as an assistant defensive line coach in 2012.
He began his coaching career as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Washington for three years (2009-11), where he also worked with the defensive line. The Huskies played in the 2010 Holiday Bowl and 2011 Alamo Bowl. Udeze also held the role of assistant strength and conditioning coach at USC (2015) and Pittsburgh (2014).
In 2013, Udeze completed the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship program with the Minnesota Vikings.
During his illustrious playing career, Udeze was a three-year (2001-03) starting defensive end at USC, recording 135 tackles, 51 tackles for loss, 28 sacks, an NCAA record-tying 14 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in his career.
As a junior in 2003 on USC's national championship team, he was a consensus All-American first teamer, as well as a Hendricks Award finalist, the Washington D.C. Pigskin Club National Defensive Player of the Year, an All-Pac-10 first team selection and USC's Defensive Lineman of the Year.
That season, he led the nation in sacks (16.5 for a 1.3 average), was fourth in tackles for loss (26 for a 2.0 average) and was ninth in forced fumbles (5 for a 0.4 average), the only player in the nation in the top nine in each of those categories.
His 26 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks in 2003 were the most by a Trojan defensive lineman since 1989 and he was the first Trojan with double digits in sacks since 1992 (Willie McGinest). He also had 56 tackles, five forced fumbles, a fumble recovery (for a touchdown), three deflections and a blocked field goal in 2003.
Udeze was a Freshman All-American second team pick in 2001 when he had 35 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks, a fumble recovery, three forced fumbles and a deflection as USC played in the Las Vegas Bowl.
As a sophomore in 2002, he made All-Pac-10 second team and was USC's Defensive Lineman of the Year when he had 44 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, a school record six forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and a blocked field goal (the Trojans won the 2003 Orange Bowl and finished ranked fourth nationally).
He declared for the NFL Draft after his 2003 junior season and was a first round selection (20th overall pick) by the Vikings in 2004. He started 47 of 51 games in his four years (2004-07) with the Vikings, compiling 117 tackles, 11 sacks, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
As a rookie in 2004, he recorded 36 tackles, five sacks, a forced fumble and a deflection while starting 15 games for the Vikings playoff squad. He started 15 times in 2006, getting 29 tackles, then had 47 tackles, five sacks a deflection and forced fumble with another 15 starts in 2007.
Udeze was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (a blood cancer) in 2008 and placed on injured reserve that season. He received chemotherapy treatments and had a bone marrow transplant from his brother. He was the Vikings' recipient of the 2008 NFL Ed Block Courage Award, as voted by his teammates. After attempting to return to the playing field in 2009 but struggling with peripheral neuropathy in his feet as a result of chemotherapy, Udeze retired from the NFL that summer.
He earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from USC in 2010.
He was a prep All-American lineman at Verbum Dei High in Los Angeles (Calif.), where he also was a shot putter on the track team.
Kenneth Gilstrap Timeline
| 2025-present |
FIU |
Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties |
| 2023-24 |
UAB |
Secondary |
| 2022 |
Middle Tennessee |
Special Teams Coordinator/Cornerbacks |
| 2019-21 |
Middle Tennessee |
Cornerbacks |
| 2018 |
Florida A&M |
Cornerbacks |
| 2017 |
Arkansas-Monticello |
Cornerbacks |
| 2015-16 |
Middle Tennessee |
Graduate Assistant |
Ryan Smith Timeline
| 2025-present |
FIU |
Linebackers |
| 2024 |
Murray State |
Defensive Coordinator/Safeties |
| 2018-23 |
Florida A&M |
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers |
| 2016-18 |
Florida |
Assistant Recruiting Coordinator |
| 2015 |
Alabama |
Offensive Quality Control |
Kenechi Udeze Timeline
| 2025-present |
FIU |
Defensive Line |
| 2024 |
FIU |
Outside Linebackers |
| 2023 |
Houston |
Pass Rush Specialist |
| 2021-22 |
Tennessee (NFL) |
Defensive Line |
| 2020 |
Vanderbilt |
Linebackers |
| 2019 |
LSU |
Defensive Analyst |
| 2016-18 |
Southern California |
Defensive Line |
| 2015 |
Southern California |
Assistant Strength & Conditioning |
| 2014 |
Pittsburgh |
Assistant Strength & Conditioning |
| 2013 |
Minnesota (NFL) |
Coaching Fellowship Program |
| 2012 |
Seattle (NFL) |
Assistant Defensive Line |
| 2009-11 |
Washington |
Assistant Strength & Conditioning |
Anthony Gaitor Timeline
| 2024-present |
FIU |
Cornerbacks |
| 2023 |
FIU |
Outside Linebackers |
| 2022 |
FIU |
Graduate Assistant |
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