Texas football hires Chris Gilbert as special assistant

Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian are bringing a familiar face back to Austin on the staff. Texas announced on Twitter/X on Feb. 21 that Chris Gilbert is returning to UT as a special assistant to the head coach.

The Football Scoop also reported on Feb. 21 that Gilbert is coming back to Texas as a special assistant.

Chris Gilbert returning to Texas football as a special assistant to the head coach

Gilbert is returning to Texas after spending the last year as an assistant to the head coach and tight ends coach with the North Texas Mean Green. North Texas hired Gilbert away from Texas early last offseason.

Before Gilbert left for North Texas in December 2022, he served as Texas's director of high school relations for two years. Gilbert helped Sarkisian and the Longhorns sign two straight top five ranked recruiting classes in the nation in the 247Sports Team Composite ratings.

Gilbert started his football coaching journey in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex at South Oak Cliff High School in 2006. He also served as a head coach in the DFW area at Terrell and Lancaster high schools until 2021, when Sarkisian hired him at Texas.

When Gilbert left Texas for the assistant head coach/tight ends coaching job at North Texas a couple of years ago, Sarkisian and the Longhorns hired former LBJ head coach Jahmal Fenner as the replacement director of high school relations.

Gilbert joins the likes of Paul Chryst and Anthony DeCamillis among the special assistants on Sarkisian's staff at Texas. Payam Saadat was also a special assistant to the head coach at Texas last year. Saadat was hired away by former Texas co-DC/LB coach Jeff Choate to join the Nevada Wolfpack this offseason as the associate head coach.

Choate left Texas for the head coaching job at Nevada earlier this offseason.

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