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Gilbert on Foreman, first season at Texas, running back

by: Bridgeland073010/12/16
Shane Buechele, Sterlin Gilbert
Shane Buechele and Sterlin Gilbert at the Spring game. (Will Gallagher/IT)
Shane Buechele and Sterlin Gilbert at the Spring game. (Will Gallagher/IT)

Shane Buechele and Sterlin Gilbert at the Spring game. (Will Gallagher/IT)

AUSTIN — Even though it is his first year at Texas, offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert will see a familiar face when the Iowa State Cyclones come to town this Saturday. First year Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell was head coach at Toledo in 2014 when he squared off with Bowling Green offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, with Toledo topping Bowling Green 44-28. Gilbert’s experience against Campbell is something he will reach into when he is calling plays this Saturday.

“They’ve got their kids playing hard,” Gilbert said. “They’re stingy on the defensive side of the ball. They’ve been in some really close battles and really close games. We’re obviously aware of that and their potential as an opponent.”

Part of Gilbert’s game plan this week will almost certainly involve giving the ball to his standout running back, junior D’Onta Foreman. Foreman has rushed for 595 yards this season, averaging 6.8 yards per carry and almost 150 yards per game. With such a special talent at his disposal, Gilbert is going to make sure Foreman gets the ball.

“He’s a guy that we are definitely excited about,” Gilbert said. “That’s why you ride with a guy like that. He’s a battler. He was not 100 percent healthy [against OU].”

Following the injury at Oklahoma State to sophomore running back Chris Warren, Gilbert has needed to make some adjustments in order to put his best available bodies at running back, including giving freshman Lil’Jordan Humphrey snaps in the backfield.

Humphrey, who played running back in high school, is on the tall side for running backs at 6-foot-4. Humphrey has two catches at receiver on the season for 15 yards, but his most recent game action was at running back, even lining up in the backfield late against OU during Texas’ failed two point attempt.

“He’s very skilled,” Gilbert said on Humphrey. “He’s very athletic. It’s something he’s familiar with. He’s played it in high school. He’s repped it before. It’s a position where we’re going to see how he fits and how it feels for him, and just go from there.”

Two major areas that have been lacking in the Texas offense have been a passing game out of the 18-Wheeler package and attacking the middle of the field in the regular passing game. Senior Tyrone Swoopes, who commands the 18-Wheeler package, has only eight passing attempts on the season, with most coming against UTEP in mop-up duty or against Cal when freshman Shane Buechele was out for a few series.

Gilbert was asked about passing with Swoopes, especially when he is regularly shown zero coverage. However, the coordinator delivered a vague response.

“We still like that package,” Gilbert said. “We’ve got our scheme out of it. It’s definitely something we’re still very excited about with Tyrone.”

Again, in reference to the middle of the field, Gilbert said it was something they just have not felt the need to go to yet.

“We’ve got a scheme,” Gilbert said. “We’ve got a plan. The way we want to utilize it and the way we want to take it is how we want to do it. It’s just something we haven’t got into this fall yet.”

With five games and almost half the season at Texas, Gilbert was asked what the biggest adjustment or change he has had to make was. For Gilbert, he needed to constantly make sure he knew what he was getting from his players.

“I’ll go back to the evaluation of our personnel,” Gilbert said. “Just making sure that your personnel is right. You can evaluate all through spring and summer camp, but until the lights come on, until you get in the games and situations and scenarios, how guys are going to play, how guys are going to respond, those are things that you still have to look at and figure out.”

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