Texas offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert addressed the media during his weekly press conference on Tuesday night. Here are the highlights from his availability:
- Gilbert said he converted Tyrone Swoopes into a running back because of his playing experience. Basically, playing Swoopes give D’Onta Foreman a chance to get a breather. In addition, he said the injury to Chris Warren made the running back room a little light.
- When asked about freshman running back Kyle Porter, he said the decision to give Swoopes playing time is based on the quarterback’s game experience.
- A reporter asked Gilbert about Swoopes’ fumble, and the offensive coordinator was quick to defend his player: “The fumble was because we had a guy right in his lap, if you remember the play. We didn’t block that guy, so that guy was right in his lap coming from the handoff.” Gilbert continued to talk, and basically said he was confident in Swoopes as a running back.
- Gilbert was asked if he second guessed putting Foreman at receiver on Saturday, and said, “Not at all. Like a lot of people, we've got reasons why we do things. It’s just another set that he’s on the field. Just a thing that we put him out there to see what they were going to do, and obviously, we got some ideas with it.”
- As a follow-up question, Gilbert was asked if the lack of passing out of the 18-wheeler package was by design. Here was his response: “Nah. We’ve got stuff that’s ready. When the time arises, we’ll use it.”
- Here was Gilbert’s explanation when asked about the difference between taking what the defense gives you and imposing your will: “What we’re fortunate in the situation is, with our offense and with our kids, the kind of kids we have, is we took a different path to win on Saturday, and the ultimate goal is the win. The thing that we’re going to be, and continue to be, is adaptable, adjustable, to whatever they’re giving us on the other side of the ball to take advantage of that and put ourselves in a situation for success. We realize when you go to heavy sets, somebody is coming off the field. We realize that. When we go to a lot of receivers on the field, we know running backs are coming off the field. We understand schematically what we want to get accomplished. We’re just fortunate that we’re in a position because of our personnel, because of the unselfishness of our kids, that we’re able to adapt and adjust. If we need to run the ball downhill, then we have packages to do that. We feel fortunate, and we feel confident that we’re able to do that. I don’t feel like maybe a lot of teams across the nation what to do that, or are capable of doing that. We’re fortunate that we do that, or are capable of doing that, we have success doing that, and we found another way to win a game on Saturday.”
- Gilbert said tight ends Andrew Beck and Caleb Bluiett are athletic and physical. He said there are packages to use both players, and is fortunate to have them on offense.
- The message to receiver John Burt this week is to have “strong eyes, strong hands.” Gilbert wants Burt, and all his receivers, to keep battling. Gilbert said they cannot catch enough tennis balls right now.
- Gilbert said Texas Tech has very athletic players on defense. He said Texas Tech is playing hard right now, and noted the defense was physical, athletic and around the football.
- Receiver Jerrod Heard did not play on Saturday because the team was in heavier sets, according to Gilbert. He said there was nothing to look into outside of that.
- Gilbert said Shane Buechele is the first true freshman quarterback that he has ever coached, and said the first-year starter is playing very well. Buechele has made mistakes, but they have worked together to fix them. In addition, he said every rep Buechele takes is a growth rep.
- Gilbert said he converted Tyrone Swoopes into a running back because of his playing experience. Basically, playing Swoopes give D’Onta Foreman a chance to get a breather. In addition, he said the injury to Chris Warren made the running back room a little light.
- When asked about freshman running back Kyle Porter, he said the decision to give Swoopes playing time is based on the quarterback’s game experience.
- A reporter asked Gilbert about Swoopes’ fumble, and the offensive coordinator was quick to defend his player: “The fumble was because we had a guy right in his lap, if you remember the play. We didn’t block that guy, so that guy was right in his lap coming from the handoff.” Gilbert continued to talk, and basically said he was confident in Swoopes as a running back.
- Gilbert was asked if he second guessed putting Foreman at receiver on Saturday, and said, “Not at all. Like a lot of people, we've got reasons why we do things. It’s just another set that he’s on the field. Just a thing that we put him out there to see what they were going to do, and obviously, we got some ideas with it.”
- As a follow-up question, Gilbert was asked if the lack of passing out of the 18-wheeler package was by design. Here was his response: “Nah. We’ve got stuff that’s ready. When the time arises, we’ll use it.”
- Here was Gilbert’s explanation when asked about the difference between taking what the defense gives you and imposing your will: “What we’re fortunate in the situation is, with our offense and with our kids, the kind of kids we have, is we took a different path to win on Saturday, and the ultimate goal is the win. The thing that we’re going to be, and continue to be, is adaptable, adjustable, to whatever they’re giving us on the other side of the ball to take advantage of that and put ourselves in a situation for success. We realize when you go to heavy sets, somebody is coming off the field. We realize that. When we go to a lot of receivers on the field, we know running backs are coming off the field. We understand schematically what we want to get accomplished. We’re just fortunate that we’re in a position because of our personnel, because of the unselfishness of our kids, that we’re able to adapt and adjust. If we need to run the ball downhill, then we have packages to do that. We feel fortunate, and we feel confident that we’re able to do that. I don’t feel like maybe a lot of teams across the nation what to do that, or are capable of doing that. We’re fortunate that we do that, or are capable of doing that, we have success doing that, and we found another way to win a game on Saturday.”
- Gilbert said tight ends Andrew Beck and Caleb Bluiett are athletic and physical. He said there are packages to use both players, and is fortunate to have them on offense.
- The message to receiver John Burt this week is to have “strong eyes, strong hands.” Gilbert wants Burt, and all his receivers, to keep battling. Gilbert said they cannot catch enough tennis balls right now.
- Gilbert said Texas Tech has very athletic players on defense. He said Texas Tech is playing hard right now, and noted the defense was physical, athletic and around the football.
- Receiver Jerrod Heard did not play on Saturday because the team was in heavier sets, according to Gilbert. He said there was nothing to look into outside of that.
- Gilbert said Shane Buechele is the first true freshman quarterback that he has ever coached, and said the first-year starter is playing very well. Buechele has made mistakes, but they have worked together to fix them. In addition, he said every rep Buechele takes is a growth rep.
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