McNeese coach Sterlin Gilbert

PERSONAL

Age 40, born Aug. 11, 1978 in San Angelo, Texas. Single, no children.

PLAYING CAREER

1999-2001 — Angelo State. Two-time All-Lone Star Conference selection as a dual-threat quarterback for the Rams, whose colors are blue and gold. Angelo State went 7-4, 6-4 and 6-4 in his three years as a starter.

COACHING CAREER

2003-04 — Springtown (Texas) High School. Running backs coach in first year, quarterbacks the second year.

2005 — University of Houston. Graduate assistant under head coach Art Briles.

2006-07 — Cooper High School, Abilene, Texas. Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks coach.

2008-10 — Head coach Lake View High School, San Angelo, Texas. Named West Texas High School coach of the year in in 2008.

2011 — Temple (Texas) High School. Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks.

2012-13 — Eastern Illinois University. Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks. Coached under Dino Babers, now the head coach at Syracuse. Was named the FCS national coordinator of the year in 2012 when the Panthers went 12-2. Coached current San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

2014 — Bowling Green. Co-offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks. Babers was the head coach.

2015 — Tulsa. Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks. Worked under head coach Phillip Montgomery. His quarterback Dane Evans finished eighth in the nation in passing yardage.

2016 — University of Texas. Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks. Worked under head coach Charlie Strong. Quarterback Shane Buechele started as a true freshman was on the Manning Award watch list.

2017-18 — University of South Florida. Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks. Again worked under Strong.

QUOTES

‘ Those cannons are going to be firing because we’re going to score points. That’s a guarantee. We’re going to ring those cowbells ... We’re going to put an exciting brand in front of you to give you a reason to show up every Saturday and continue to cheer on your Cowboys.’

Sterlin Gilbert

New McNeese head football coach

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‘This guy has been to Texas, he’s coached against Notre Dame and all this stuff. That kind of moved him up a notch with me — where’s he’s been and who he’s competed against, the players he’s coached.’

Bobby Keasler

Former McNeese head coach and member of search committee

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‘He’s a proven developer in offensive and quarterback production. He is ready to be a head football coach. He is prepared to lead the McNeese Cowboys to championships.’

Bruce Hemphill

McNeese athletic director

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‘We wanted to make sure we took any limits off of who could be the McNeese coach. We wanted to make sure that there was no ceiling or that you have to have a certain connection to the school or that someone had to have a tie here or a tie to Louisiana. We wanted the very best coach we could find.’

Dr. Daryl Burkel

McNeese president

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‘The one thing about this place is it’s extremely special and the support that we have is second to none. I’ve been multiple places. It’s not like this everywhere you go. When you have support, you have a chance.’

Gilbert