Personal: The 2008 season will mark Gaither's fourth year as a member of the Winston-Salem State University football coaching staff. A 1997 graduate of Elon University he will be primarily concerned with coaching the WSSU defensive backs as well as serving as the Rams' recruiting coordinator.

Under Gaither's guidance, the WSSU defensive backs have continued to develop into one of the most experienced and fundamentally-sound defensive units in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Gaither's attention to detail and high-level playing experience have translated into an ability to both understand and adapt to the intricacies of the current state of the game and have allowed Gaither to relate to the college athlete of this era as he focuses on building strong interpersonal relationships with his players through consistent interaction and teaching.

The Rams' defensive backs turned in the most impressive season in the programs' Division I history in 2007 as four of the top 10 tacklers last season were defensive backs. WSSU recorded 12 interceptions in 2007 with DB's accounting for nine of the 12 takeaways.

While Gaither's work on the gridiron has been nothing short of impressive, his real contribution to the success of WSSU football was felt away from the field of play in the area of new student recruitment.

A tireless recruiter, Gaither assumed the role of recruiting coordinator in the fall of 2007 and his hard work immediately paid dividends for the Rams as he assembled the most powerful recruiting class in the Division I history of the WSSU football program.

With Gaither leading the charge the Rams inked 14 players to NCAA National Letters of Intent as WSSU secured commitments from athletes representing six states and the District of Columbia.

A standout collegiate football player, Gaither was a four-year starter at free safety at Elon University in Elon, N.C. An All-South Region selection in both his junior and senior seasons at Elon he was named a Division II All-American in 1995. Following his graduation from Elon in 1997, Gaither began his coaching career as an assistant football coach at Greensboro College in Greensboro, N.C. After one season at Greensboro College he accepted a position as the defensive line and defensive backs coach at Tusculum College in Greenville, Tenn where he spent two seasons. In 2000 Gaither started a five-year career as a teacher and football coach at Thomasville City Schools in Thomasville, N.C. before accepting his current position at WSSU in the summer of 2005.

This season he returns a very talented WSSU defensive depth chart laden with experience and he will look to help a WSSU pass defense that continues to develop and has taken the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference by storm.

Gaither is married to his wife of eight years, the former Mona Savonne Davis of Thomasville, N.C. and the couple reside in Kernersville, N.C. with their daughter Jonesha (14) and Akeem (10).

Gaither, a member of the American Football Coaches Association for the past eight years was selected to participate in the 2008 NCAA Football Coaches' Academy in June of 2008.