It took some drama, but Texas got its offensive coordinator in former Tulsa assistant Sterlin Gilbert.
Now what?
Charlie Strong introduced Gilbert as the play-caller and offensive coordinator, along with offensive line coach Matt Mattox, on Monday. Just getting to that point was an adventure for the Horns, who had to send Strong, president Greg Fenves, athletic director Mike Perrin and special teams coordinator Jeff Traylor to Tulsa to get the deal done.
The end result of the circus is a three-year deal for the Art Briles disciple worth $850,000 per year. Mattox will earn $550,000 per year over the same span. These two replace Shawn Watson and Joe Wickline, who were essentially demoted in 2015 so the offense could be given to receivers coach Jay Norvell and the aforementioned Traylor.
In Gilbert, the Horns get a coordinator who is well-versed in the spread offense with a track record of developing a quarterback. He also brings some experience within the Texas recruiting landscape, which the program needed in a big way.
Will this give Strong and his team the boost it needs? It will take some time, but it should certainly be better than what we saw from the previous offensive staff.