CHIP GARBER
Defensive Coordinator

Chip Garber, the Argos’ new defensive coordinator, brings to the job 29 years of coaching experience, including 27 in the collegiate ranks. He’s coached in the CFL as a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ staff and spent the 2009 season with the Washington Redskins. Garber has experienced the structure of coaching at both the United States Military Academy at West Point (ARMY) and the Virginia Military Institute, and endured the pressure of coaching at top football colleges like Kentucky and Minnesota.

Garber was the receivers coach at the University of North Texas for one season before taking on the position of Defensive Backs Coach with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2008. In 2009, he left Hamilton and was named Defensive Quality Control Coach for the NFL’s Washington Redskins.
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Prior to his stint with North Texas, Garber worked as the Defensive Backs Coach at Hofstra from 2004 to 2005, in his second stint with the Pride. Garber had previously held the title of Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach in 1999. Under his watch, the Pride defense ranked seventh in Division I-AA in scoring defense (15.6 ppg) and 14th in passing efficiency.

Between his stints at Hofstra, Garber spent four seasons at West Point as Army’s Assistant Head Coach-Linebackers (2000-2002) and Assistant Head Coach-Defensive Backs (2003). He also served as Defensive Coordinator and Secondary Coach at Virginia Military Institute from 1996-1998. Before going to VMI, Garber spent the previous four seasons (1992-1995) coaching the defensive backs at the University of Minnesota.

Garber began his coaching career in 1980, spending two seasons as a part-time assistant with SMU. From 1982-1989, Garber coached at Kentucky, first working with wide receivers, then switching sides to instruct the defensive backs and assist with special teams. Garber continued to coach defensive backs and special teams during stints with Mississippi State (1990) and TCU (1991).

As a player, Garber was a three-year letterman as a linebacker at Maryland from 1975-1977. During that span, the Terrapins reached the Gator Bowl, Cotton Bowl and Hall of Fame Bowl and captured the 1975 and 1976 ACC championships. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1978.

Garber, a native of Winchester, Virginia, and his wife Linda have three children: Rusty, Laurie Beth and Derek.