ESPN Reports: Sterlin Gllbert Declines UT Job as Offensive Coordinator

ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy tweeted that San Angeloan Sterlin Gilbert declined the UT offensive coordinator job minutes past 1 p.m. this afternoon. He followed fellow ESPN reporter Gerry Hamilton who tweeted the same information just after 11 a.m. today.

Gilbert, an ASU quarterback from the early-2000s and former Lake View High School coach is currently a co-offensive coordinator at Tulsa. It was widely reported this morning that Gilbert would take the OC job at UT when it was offered. The ESPN reporters say that that is no longer the case.

TCU assistant coach Sonny Cumbie turned down the same job Dec. 9.

Speculation from reading sports reports and online message boards is that those recruited for the offensive coordinator position do not believe UT head coach Charlie Strong will be retained in his position much longer. The Longhorns under Strong have been 11-14 overall and 9-9 in conference games since Strong’s first season with the ‘Horns in 2014. The 2016 season is reported to possibly be a make-or-break season for Strong in the Austin American-Statesman. Gilbert, or Cumbie before him, may not want to hitch-up with that kind of uncertainty,

Gilbert is of interest to San Angelo audiences because of his college career at Angelo State University and his tenure as coach for Lake View High School. He has also coached at Temple, Abilene Cooper and Springtown. In 2005, he was a graduate assistant for Art Briles when the current Baylor coach was at Houston.