Chris Gilbert is returning to Austin after a season at North Texas, as head coach Steve Sarkisian announced on Wednesday that he was hired as a special assistant.
Before 2023, Gilbert worked with the Longhorns for the first two seasons as the director of high school relations. He turned down a job opportunity to be the tight ends coach and assistant head coach at North Texas prior to 2023. His high school coaching experience, which included stints at Lancaster, Terrell High, and South Oak Cliff, allowed him to assist Sarkisian in establishing connections with the local programs. something that was not as much fostered by the previous government.
Gilbert’s contributions to the program have long been valued by Sarkisian, who even praised the former employee at early signing day in December.
When questioned about the significance of the director of high school relations post, Sarkisian responded, “Going back to when we first got hired, hiring Chris Gilbert, and the job that he did for two years with us in recruiting, A; B, the connection to the high school coaches.” “Coach Gilbert did a great job in my opinion as a new coach in the state of Texas with that connection to the coaches.” What outcome did it have? He was given the opportunity to coach full-time at North Texas.
Gilbert is back at a Texas club that is headed to the SEC in 2024, having just had their greatest season since 2009. Gilbert deserves recognition for contributing to the foundation’s establishment even though he wasn’t employed by the Longhorns, as they are attracting top talent.
