Marcus Gilbert - Friends In High Places
Sunday, November 29, 2009 | Football
By Daniel Beach, UF Communications
Gator redshirt junior offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert is not the only member of his family trusted with a very important person's blind side. His father Jeffrey, a Secret Service agent, at one time was personally responsible for protecting President Barack Obama. Obama personally told Marcus that he was rooting for the Gators during their title run last year due to Obama's relationship with his father. Obama even made a special mention about Marcus during his speech while meeting the football team last spring at the White House.
“Whenever I get to talk to Obama - we talk football, but mostly we talk about how I'm living off the field. He asks how my classes are going and how my family is doing,” Gilbert said. “He asks my Dad all the time, 'How's Marcus?' It's cool having the President ask about you. He keeps up with our team and watches us on television all the time. He's a huge sports fan.”
With his bloodlines, there is no Florida Gator more prepared to handle the protection of senior quarterback Tim Tebow quite like Marcus Gilbert. His position of right tackle is normally designed to protect the side of scrimmage that a quarterback has vision of, but with Tebow being left-handed – it falls on the right tackle to protect Tebow where he is most vulnerable.
“It's a huge responsibility,” Gilbert said. “When you give up sacks, it sets the whole offense back. I take a lot of pride in what my role and responsibilities are for the team.”
Playing time proved to be fleeting early in his collegiate career for Gilbert. Time on the field was hard to come by, as he was behind two talented tackles in Phil Trautwein and Jason Watkins on the depth chart. Although he earned increased playing time during the 2008 season, it was not at his usual position. Due to injuries, there was a lack of guards on the roster and the coaching staff inserted Gilbert into the starting lineup, even though it was not at his familiar position. This year, Gilbert is back at tackle and has fought off competition to not only win the starting job, but thrive in his natural position.
“I was behind some really good players here early on,” Gilbert said. “I also had several injuries that were holding me back. It's now my fourth year, the season is going well and I'm loving every minute that I get on the field.”
The Gators' offensive system is mainly predicated on a zone-blocking scheme. This requires offensive linemen to be in constant communication with each other. Much of the time Gilbert is aligned next to junior right guard Mike Pouncey and junior center Maurkice Pouncey. While he will never be able to have the chemistry and communication that either Pouncey has with the other, Gilbert and the Pounceys have developed a unique bond of their own.
“That group of guys is like a family to me,” Gilbert said. “It was almost like we were meant to be. We all have similar personalities. We have a great coach and we love him, respect him and play hard for him. I enjoy my time with all those guys up front. We go out to practice and have fun together and we all enjoy and appreciate the time that we are with each other.”
Gilbert is used to being on a team with a long winning tradition. He went to high school at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, one of the most successful football programs in the state of Florida for the last 20 years. During his time with the Raiders, he was coached by George Smith. Smith has turned Aquinas into a national power and has consistently produced FBS level talent, including current Gator junior safety Major Wright.
“In high school, as a team we were very disciplined,” Gilbert said. “We had some good coaches down there. Before coming to UF, I already had my technique and footwork down. Most high school kids don't have that ability when they graduate. When I came here, it was an easy transition to the football program.”
In the past few years, many members of the media have written and said that the Southeastern Conference is the best conference in college football from top-to-bottom. Many national analysts claim that what makes the SEC special is the ability of the league's defensive ends. This opinion is proven by the annual NFL Draft, as a defensive end from the conference has been selected in the first round during four out of the last five years. The talent level of the SEC's defensive ends is not news to Gilbert, who has experienced plenty of high quality competition in practice every day by going against teammates Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham.
“When I first got here, the hardest adjustment I had to make was to the speed of the game,” Gilbert said. “Every time a player can compete against a good player, it's going to make them a better player. Facing Carlos and Jermaine in practice every day helps me improve. When it comes to game time, I'm prepared to face SEC pass rushers. Getting to go against those two in practice every day really helps.”
The 2006 Gator recruiting class will go down as one of the greatest in the history of Florida football. This group has already won two SEC titles and two national titles and set an SEC record for the most wins by any four-year class. The camaraderie Gilbert and his teammates share is a shining example of why this group has been so successful.
“This whole team, we love each other,” Gilbert said. “I made the best choice of my life coming here to Florida. All of my teammates think that they made the best choice coming to play where we have such great coaches. The guys on this team are not only very talented, but also have great character. My teammates are a bunch of guys that are easy to get along with and we love the time that we spend together.”
-UF-
