Trevor Goosby, Kyle Flood, discuss Goosby's readiness to contribute late in the year

It’s been a massive three-game stretch for Texas redshirt freshman offensive tackle Trevor Goosby.

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Starting early in the Texas A&M game, he was thrust into action at left tackle in place of Outland and Lombardi Trophy winner Kelvin Banks. After the Aggie game in the regular season finale, Goosby got the start in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia as Banks missed the first start in his career. Goosby’s return to the bench was short-lived after right tackle Cameron Williams went down with a knee sprain against Clemson. Now Goosby was tasked with playing right tackle and there’s a good chance he’ll start against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday.

Talk about being thrust into action when things counted most. Look at Goosby’s snap count throughout the season courtesy of PFF.

Not many young offensive lineman could have successfully replaced two potential first round draft picks but that’s exactly what the Melissa (Texas) native did.

Recently during preparation for the Peach Bowl, both Goosby and Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood discussed his transition from bench player to replacement. Flood also discussed Goosby’s evaluation as a high school recruit as well as his recruitment.

Trevor Goosby

Texas OT Trevor Goosby:

It’s been a super special year for me being able to play in the last couple of games and being prepared to play in those games. Watching guys like Kelvin (Banks) and Cam Williams then just preparing myself, it’s definitely been a good year for me I’d say in a developmental setting. Coach Flood has helped me so much. I can’t thank him enough.

What was going through Goosby’s mind when Banks went down versus Texas A&M?:

I thought I was going to be a little more nervous than I was. As soon as I got in there, it just felt natural. It just felt like practice. The stadium was super loud but I was super focused on the field. I was able to lock in and do pretty well.

Goosby on playing RT:

It was a good experience for me. Definitely different. I do rep right tackle but not as much as I do left tackle. When Cam went down, I was like ‘alright, I guess we’re doing this.’ I’ve got to be prepared for whoever goes down, if they call my number, I’ve got to be ready.

Trevor Goosby on Flood:

He treats us like starters. Every time we’re in practice, we do what the starters do. We run the same plays the starters do. Whenever I’ve got to go in, I’m always ready.

Kyle Flood

Kyle Flood on 12/28:

I don’t know that there’s necessarily a difference [between playing left or right tackle]. The way we play the game, we don’t have plays that we run to the left or to the right or protections or things like that.

I think it’s a matter of reps. You know, can you get enough reps in practice to get comfortable. I think when a guy only plays one position, it generally takes like three to five days to kind of flip that guy over and get him comfortable on the other side.

But sometimes, for a guy who is a depth player like Trevor has been for us, he’s been playing both sides the entire season. Not always. Not every week. Some weeks he’ll play one side and some weeks he might play the other. But he’s had the experience of doing it. So he’s had to be trained like that.

I think it’s a testament to him to be able to do it, and to play at the level that he did. So we’re certainly excited about him and his future.

But I don’t know that there’s necessarily a difference. I just think it’s a matter of can you find the reps over time to get a guy to be comfortable doing it.

Would he have been able to do that Week 1? I don’t know that. But we’re pretty far down the road this season. So he’s had ample time to do both sides.

More from Flood on 12/28:

First thing I would say he was pretty high in my mind, you know, that’s for sure.

Now early on in the process he was a guy who was really lean and when you have a guy like that, you’re always trying to assess can this guy ultimately put on the bulk to play in the SEC. Really, really athletic guy. Had a chance to watch him play basketball. Really, really athletic on the basketball court. So all that stuff was great.

I thought his coaching staff up at Melissa did a really good job of keeping me up-to-date with his process. So I thank them for that for sure.

As he went through the spring before his senior year, you could really see him start to put on the weight. When he ultimately officially visited in June before his senior year, I want to say we weighed him in around 270, 275 which for a guy with his frame was more than enough in my mind that we would be able to get him to where he wanted to get to. And I think he was 290 when he got here, and now he’s usually between 310, 315, 317. That’s usually where he is.

But the athleticism was always there. I was really excited about his athleticism.

And ultimately as soon as he showed me that, okay, this guy is going to have the size to play in the SEC, to me, he was a no-brainer. He went right to the top of my list.

Goosby’s development is a microcosm of the program

With Goosby’s ascent we’re seeing so many factors regarding Steve Sarkisian‘s Texas all in one person. The evaluation by the staff was important as is the rapid development. Goosby already has the look of an early-round draft pick. His evaluation also shines a light on Texas seeking self-motivated players who improve culture.

All the buzzwords around the program apply: mental and athletic evaluation, development, culture, and, eventually, NFL Draft pick.