Former Lake View quarterbacks now coaching college together at Ole Miss in 2023
Two outstanding former Lake View quarterbacks, one who previously coached the other, will both be together this 2023 football season, as college coaches for the University of Mississippi, generally known as “Ole Miss,” in Oxford, Mississippi.
First is Sterlin Gilbert, 1997 Lake View graduate, who led his team to back-to-back district titles, and was named all-state. He had a record of 28-6-1 as the quarterback for Lake View and threw for 5,323 yards and 57 touchdowns and had 5,710 total yards for 69 total touchdowns.
Then second is John David Baker, a 2009 Lake View graduate, named all-district at quarterback. He threw for 2,240 yards and 22 touchdowns and ran for 688 yards and 18 touchdowns in his senior season and led the “2008 Sterlin Gilbert-coached Chiefs” to their first playoff win in 12 years, going back to when Gilbert last played quarterback at Lake View in 1996.
In their second 2008 playoff game that season, played in Midland, the duo, as coach and player, after trailing at halftime 42-7 to El Paso Parkland, came roaring back, scoring touchdowns and recovering several ensuing onside kicks, until they were finally only one point behind, 42-41. However, Parkland scored last, to win 49-41, before time ran out.
In a 2014 Standard Times sports article, the two recalled the game in the “magical 2008 season when Sterlin Gilbert was the head coach, John David Baker was the quarterback, and the team went 6-6.”
Baker said of his 2008 season, “I’ve always felt, and I still feel, that my senior year at Lake View was the ‘funnest’ year of football I’ve ever played.”
Gilbert added, “I’m a Lake View guy…I know the ups and downs that have happened there, and I know what the success means to those kids and how much it means for the Lake View community.”
Those two will now combine once again, but this time at Ole Miss, with Baker starting his third season, this year as Assistant Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends for head coach Lane Kiffin. Gilbert begins his first year at Ole Miss as Senior Analyst for the offense.
It has to be unique in the history of Lake View High School football, to have two “favorite sons” be in their elevated positions, for the same college football team at the NCAA’s top level.
Gilbert was selected to the Lake View Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016, which was the next-to-last year either Lake View, or Central, celebrated one. Both schools Halls of Fame were dropped after their 2018 banquet.
In this writer’s mind, having seen Baker play football his senior year, then adding in his other sports played (All-district in baseball), no doubt should the Hall of Fame ever regenerate, he will be at the top of the list honored.
John David apparently received some of his athletic prowess from his mother, Loann (Phillips) Baker, who was elected to the 2014 Lake View Athletic Hall of Fame.
Gilbert went on to quarterback for Angelo State from 1999-2002, where he was honorable mention all Lone Star Conference. Baker quarterbacked at Abilene Christian University from 2010-2013, then played two seasons of semi-pro indoor football in Amarillo in 2014 and 15.
Duane Helweg is a local author and unofficial historian of the Lake View community and school.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Sterlin Gilbert, John David Baker coaching together at Ole Miss
