It's a big surprise that Chris Gilbert is returning to Austin.
But it's with little surprise that his title will be Special Assistant to the Head Coach. It's a key role that signals Gilbert will be leaned on for not only his recruiting acumen and connections state-wide but also his understanding of how the big picture works for Steve Sarkisian and Texas football, i.e. how the sausage gets made.
The title is a credit to Gilbert and all of what he brings to the table.
Before leaving for North Texas a year ago, Gilbert had held the role of Director of High School Relations for Texas. Yet during his time in Austin, he wasn't just responsible for outreach to high school coaches for the Longhorns.
Gilbert was heavily involved in the recruiting department, making sure the Horns knew the ins and outs of every recruitment in South Dallas and other areas of the state. While working hand in hand with new general manager Brandon Harris and former head of player personnel Billy Glasscock, he also created friendships everywhere in the athletic department. Gilbert was liked and respected by players and coaches alike.
To put it frankly, his reach exceeded his grasp in short order.
Fast forward to today and I think there's a special opportunity for Gilbert in Austin. After losing Glasscock to Ole Miss a month ago, Sarkisian's move to pursue and hire Gilbert makes a lot of sense.
In Gilbert, Sark gets someone with loads of institutional knowledge. That knowledge allows Gilbert to hit the ground running at a time when recruiting is set to take center stage.
It also gives the Horns needed another experienced person in an off-field support role for Sarkisian and the program following Glasscock's departure.
And all of this matters because...
The Horns can not let anything derail this window of opportunity. Hiring someone like Gilbert helps do exactly that.
A great football program is never built by any one person. It's built by a collection of people who know what they're doing, who know how to get things done, and can do them well. Chris Gilbert is one of those people.
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