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Gilbert stresses experience and hard work prior to road trip

by:Bridgeland0730•09/14/16
Sterlin Gilbert
Sterlin Gilbert. (Will Gallagher/IT)
Sterlin Gilbert. (Will Gallagher/IT)

Sterlin Gilbert. (Will Gallagher/IT)

AUSTIN — Texas offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert has put on a show at home with his high-powered, true freshman and strong senior led offensive attack. Now, Gilbert has to do something for the first time during his tenure at Texas: bring his team and lofty expectations on the road with him to Berkeley, California to take on the Cal Bears.

“As far as going on the road, we’re going to get on that plane on Friday, we’re going to go to California, and we’re going to go on a mission,” Gilbert said. “We understand and know what’s in front of us. Our guys are really motivated and really determined.

So far at home, Gilbert’s offense has looked extremely efficient. Over the first two games, Texas is averaging more than 45 points, over 200 yards on the ground and over 260 yards through the air. In addition, Texas is averaging 15 more plays per game than the offense ran under Shawn Watson and Jay Norvell last season.

With the importance of the presence of a strong running game in his offense, Gilbert enters Cal with three running backs – junior D’Onta Foreman, sophomore Chris Warren and freshman Kyle Porter. Gilbert prefers to have all of them at his disposal rather than missing one.

“It’s just fortunate that you’ve got three backs now that all three of them have game experience,” Gilbert said. “Especially with Chris and D’Onta being bigger type backs. Just excited to have those guys in rotation and being able to keep those guys fresh and being able to run our run scheme and those guys be a part of that.”

Gilbert was asked if there was a portion of his playbook with trick plays that had not been fully opened yet. During one play in the win over UTEP, sophomore Jerrod Heard lined up in the wildcat formation. Gilbert said it was a situation they thought would be good for Heard to line up in the backfield. Those special plays are in the playbook, but they are not what Gilbert knows his team will be running the majority of the time.

“That stuff is there in everybody’s offense,” Gilbert said. “That’s situational football of when it might be needed or when it’s not needed. We’ve just got to continue to get better at our base stuff, the stuff we consider our bread and butter.”

The first road test of the season often leaves a first year coordinator concerned about the team he’s bringing on the road. The environment does not concern Gilbert, he just wants his team to improve as much as they can before stepping on the plane.

“Concern wise, just focused on us and continue to get better,” Gilbert said on what concerned him most. “Here you sit, the third game of the season in a new offense. We still have room for growth and improvement at every position, be it o-line, quarterback, skill position, running back. That’s what we’re looking for. I don’t know if concerned is the word, that’s just what we’re focused on.”

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