So far this season, wide receiver Cedric Gilbert has scored at least one touchdown in every game. That’s six straight games of scoring points. Even more impressively, those numbers are off just 15 catches in the season.
Gilbert turned down several larger Div. I offers to come to ACU last fall from Cisco College and redshirted the 2013 season.
But before that, Gilbert was already paving the road for an unimaginable first season in purple and white. Gilbert was not only a top football recruit out of Lancaster High School, but was also put on the track team which showed Gilbert’s sheer determination and competitive spirit.
“I used track to get a little faster for football,” Gilbert said, “In high school, our coach made us run track, so me being me, I was like, ‘If I have to run track, I might as well actually compete,’ and I ended up winning state twice my junior and senior year.”
As a top recruit, Gilbert had schools lining up to take him, but his football career outshined his academics.
“I was going to go to Oklahoma State or Texas Tech, but my SAT scores weren’t up, so I ended up at Cisco College,” Gilbert revealed.
At Cisco, he racked up 36 passes for 658 yards and six touchdowns his freshman year and, in his sophomore year, caught 27 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns in just eight games.
At Cisco, Gilbert was coached by someone very familiar to him.
“My brother was the defensive coordinator and it wasn’t too far from home. It was fun to be there playing under the coaching of my brother,” Gilbert said. “You know, it’s hard to be serious sometimes and remember his authority, but it was great.”
After two years at Cisco, Gilbert was more than ready to move on to bigger and better things, but the journey would not be without its challenges.
“After Cisco, I had Texas Tech and two other schools with offers,” Gilbert said. “But then ACU came around and I came to visit on the Northern Alabama game. ACU ended up beating them there and I saw the Pray for Rex event and I liked that atmosphere,” Gilbert said.
While sitting out last season, Gilbert made huge improvements to his game as well as in the classroom.
“Football has always been a big deal to me. Never missing a game and having to sit out last year made me think and realize football is not forever, so you may not be here just to play football. You may be here to go to school and graduate and get ready for the real world.”
While those lessons are important, the year off appears to have done nothing but help his game.
“That was the first year I ever missed football since I was three years old. I never missed a game, never got injured, never missed a year, so it was hard at first, but I saw it as a chance to get better and to learn the offense more,” Gilbert said.
Now halfway through the season, Gilbert has learned that offense and executes it every Saturday night.
“Coming into this season, the year off made me really excited and ready to play football,” Gilbert said. “Honestly I didn’t really expect to have the year I’m having right now. It’s been good and I’m just happy to be playing in an ACU jersey and I’m just blessed to be here.”
