The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
11.01.2016 | Football
Sterlin Gilbert, D'Onta Foreman and Armanti Foreman met with the media to preview this weekend's game at Texas Tech.
Offensive Coordinator Sterlin Gilbert
On what made him decide to play Tyrone Swoopes at running back against Baylor: Just Tyrone's experience and playing. We understand about D'Onta [Foreman] and his carries and his legs and what can go on his body and what can go on his legs. So just an opportunity to give him a breather and an opportunity to get a little of those bangs and hits off of him and put it in a guy's hands that has carried it before. When we lost Chris [Warren III], all of a sudden you go to a room that was pretty heavy, it got pretty light in a hurry. So being able to put a guy out there who's had game experience, who's had the ball in his hands in meaningful situations, was important to us.
On how he balances reacting to defenses versus imposing his will: What we're fortunate in this situation is, with our offense and with our kids and the kind of kids we have, is that we took a different path to win on Saturday, and the ultimate goal is to win. The thing that we're going to continue to be is adaptable, adjustable. Whatever they give us on the other side of the ball, to take advantage of that and put ourselves in a situation for success. We realize that when you go into heavy sets, somebody's coming off the field. When we go to a lot of receivers on the field, then we know running backs are coming off the field. We understand and know schematically what we want to get accomplished. But we're fortunate that we're in a situation 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've got packages to do that. We feel fortunate and feel confident and believe that we're able to do that, because I don't feel that a lot of the teams around the nation are comfortable doing that.
On what he's seen from sophomore offensive lineman Jake McMillon: Just a guy who's unselfish. He's a West Texas kid. He's unselfish, he's tough, he's gritty. He comes from a great program at Abilene High, and a kid that just has continued to get better week in and week out. He's played center for us, he's played guard for us, so he's had to bounce around because we've been banged up, up front. He's done a good job and he's going to continue to get better. He's doing everything that we ask him, to put himself in a situation to make us successful. We're excited about him and definitely see him going in a positive direction.
On what tight ends Andrew Beck and Caleb Bluiett bring to the offense: Both of those guys are athletic. Both of those guys bring an aspect of being physical. We've just got different ways and packages that we can use guys in. So we're fortunate that those two guys are on our football team and that we've got those two guys on the offensive side of the ball. So they're athletic, they bring a physicality to us on that side of the ball, being able to run downhill and run behind those guys. And then Beck showed some of his athleticism on Saturday with his catches.
On Texas Tech's defense: They've got some athletic guys on that side of the ball, and they're running around and running around with a purpose. They got in a battle at TCU and were able to pull it out, and you can just tell they've got those kids playing hard right now. They're physical, they're athletic. They're around the football and they're battling too, trying to improve themselves just like we are.
On grading quarterback Shane Buechele's performance after two months: He's done a really good job. He's the first true freshman quarterback that I've ever coached, so when you put a baseline on those guys and especially a young kid – I reach back and start seeing from the places I've been at where some of those kids were at that first year, and just try to compare, but you're trying to compare with the understanding that Shane's a true freshman. So you've kind of got to take it with a grain of salt, and just understanding and knowing that it's just about steady development with him, steady progress with him. It's about getting him better. He's played really well. He's made mistakes along the way, and those are things we've focused on and identified and that he's fixed. Every game rep, every practice rep, every rep that he takes is a growth rep. For Shane, everything's new. Going to Lubbock on Saturday, that's new.
Running Back D'Onta Foreman
On advice he gives to Tyrone Swoopes about playing RB: I'm definitely trying to talk to him about certain things. Definitely about pass protection, just trying to drop his hips try to stay low and slide his feet. I told him just be physical. It's kind of different from when we're in the 18-wheeler package to when you're at running back. You don't have as many blockers going to one side for you so you have to try to create holes sometimes if they are not there. But that was his first game going in so I was pretty impressed with the effort he gave. I told him I was proud of him and he just has to keep working.
On potential Tyrone has as a running back: I always mess with him. I always tell him at times he runs more physical than I do. I've seen guys bounce off of him and he just keeps running and goes score. He can get out into the open field and beat people and out run people. I'm really excited to see what he's going to do in these next few games if they put him in. I'm encouraging him.
On impact Coach Johnson has had on him: The thing I like about Coach Johnson is he can relate to us. If I come into the meeting room and I've had a long day of writing papers or something like that he works with us. He always tells us I've been there; I've done it before. And just the fact that he was here in '05 when they won the championship and then he got to go to the national championship in '09 as a GA, he's seen great talent here and what it takes to get to that level. I talk to him all the time and try to get all the knowledge for him.
On reaching 1,000 yards: I was so happy honestly. I had been telling them all week that they have to say something if I break this record. I went into the game pretty nervous. I really wanted to break it but I also wanted to win the game. Those were my two biggest things: try to win the game and get to 1,000 yards. I love my O-line so much because they were so anxious for me to do it too. They wanted me to break it as well so when I did it I was so happy. But after I broke it I was like the game is not over so just try to see how many yards you can finish the game with. After I broke it, they were like well let's try to go for 200. Lets try to do more so that was the plan.
On how to get a win on the road against Tech: We just have to prepare the right way. I feel like this past week at practice we've prepared. I went in and watched some film this week, just trying to make sure I know what they are going to do. We just have to prepare right. I know they are going to have a hostile crowd. I went there my freshman year and I got hit with the like two or three tortillas. So I'm ready for that. It's going to be fun though. I really enjoyed it the first time I went there and I'm looking forward to going again.
Wide Receiver Armanti Foreman
On Shane Buechele's performance so far: I think Shane is doing really good. I talk to him a lot during the game and during practice and try to just keep motivating him; let him know if something bad happens, it's going to be ok. Even veterans, we make mistakes, bad things happen to us. So I just try to keep him going and keep him focused. Try to keep him level headed. I think he is doing a great job though. We're really going to need him for these next few games.
On what Charlie Williams brought to the receivers performance: Coach Williams is so great to our room. We can really just bond with him and talk to him about anything. His knowledge of football is tremendous and he gives us a lot of knowledge about everything; little technique stuff that we can fix. He's always by our side and he doesn't really tear us down if bad things happen. He's always encouraging us. He always talks to us and knows the plays like if we let one slip through our hands, like the Kansas State one where I let it slip, he never gave up on me. He knew I could make that play and he just kept encouraging me. He just wanted to see me go out and make big plays. I feel like I did that for him and I feel like I owed him that because he gives us his all everyday when he comes into the room. He's the same guy everyday in and out and I feel like we need that.
On what he's done to be such a big part of the offense: Well after last season, I kind of beat myself up a whole lot. After the season, in the summer, in the spring, I just worked my butt off. I came back and I told myself I have to play better, I have to do a lot more if I want to be in the conversation of getting playing time or things like that. That motivated me. Me not being talked about, that motivated me. I kind of just fed off my brother. He was getting a lot of hype coming into the season and I wanted to be up there with him. I've always been neck and neck with him when it comes to things like that and I didn't want to be left behind. I thought some people gave up on me and counted me out but I knew what my capabilities were and I knew I had to come out and prove people wrong. I feel like I'm still trying to prove people wrong and just play great football.
On why he and his brother think they have something to prove: We talk about that all the time. We never get complacent. We always try to play to the best of our abilities day in and day out. We never sit on our high horse or anything like that. We always know that there is more to improve on and we can get better everyday. Just doing that and having that edge to us, going out and just battling everyday, I feel like that just helps us compete and try to just get on top and stay on top. I feel like a lot of people don't really acknowledge his ability and people counted me out coming into this season and we understood that and fed off of each other. We knew that this was a big year for us and we had to make plays and that is what we want to do this season. We do want to prove people wrong and make people see what the Foreman twins can really do.
