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Roots in Briles' offense, new Texas OC just needs the right QB (video)
To get its offense up to speed, Texas wants to become more like Baylor. For much of the more than 100 years of college football being played in the Lone Star State, almost never would that statement have been uttered.
But that is the reality of the modern age. Baylor coach Art Briles is the architect behind some of today's most high-powered offenses around the country. While the Baylor Bears have been at the wheel of a rocket ship, Texas in recent seasons might as well have been driving a Pinto.
Texas coach Charlie Strong is ready to blast off. So he's hired Sterlin Gilbert, still a relative newcomer at the college level with brief stops at three programs in the last four years, but his offensive roots date back to 2005 as a graduate assistant under Briles at Houston.
Gilbert then went on to make a name for himself as an innovative offensive coach during a run through several Texas high schools before landing at Eastern Illinois in 2012 for two highly successful seasons. Then it was on to Bowling Green for one season and then to Tulsa last year with former longtime Briles offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, a relationship that dates back to that Houston team a decade ago.
While at Bowling Green in 2014, Gilbert sat down for a one-on-one interview during a “Falcon Facts with Sterlin Gilbert” segment to talk about the potential for a quarterback in his system.
How important is the quarterback to the offensive system?: "It’s vital," Gilbert said. "He has the keys to the Cadillac…and that guy runs the show for us. Looking at a guy that’s got to be high character that also has great athletic ability, great instincts and a great leader. And a guy that can make plays on Saturday.”
Gilbert's options at Texas likely won't vary from what is already in place. Tyrone Swoopes, who was demoted to backup after Week 1 after starting all of 2014, will be back for his senior season. Swoopes replacement, Jerrod Heard, will be a redshirt sophomore and needs plenty of help with accuracy and his downfield passing. Kai Locksley will be a redshirt freshman and highly touted commit Shane Buechele will enroll at Texas next semester and participate in spring drills.
Gilbert is credited with the development of Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, a 2014 draft pick of the New England Patriots, and Tulsa quarterback Dane Evans threw for 3,958 yards and 22 touchdowns this season, after throwing for 3,102 last season under the former coaching staff.
What is the potential for a quarterback in this system?: “The sky’s the limit in this system," Gilbert said. "Numbers don’t lie….just look at the numbers in what this offense has produced…which goes back to the University of Houston, to Baylor…It’s a highly explosive offense that produces from the quarterback standpoint, the running back standpoint…there have been high draft picks from this offense.”
(h/t Austin American-Statesman)
