Posted: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 10:02 PM - 9,971 Readers
By: Mark Rosner
photography by Jay Janner
Garrett Gilbert, the Longhorns quarterback who lost his starting job less than two games into the season, said Wednesday that he intends to transfer.
The former Lake Travis High School star did not indicate where he would land. Accounts on Twitter placed him at SMU's football practice Wednesday afternoon, and his brother — Griffin Gilbert, a Lake Travis senior wide receiver — already has committed to TCU.
Gilbert will close his Texas career with a 7-7 record as a starter, including last year's 5-7 season.
Gilbert, a junior, said he made the decision after consulting with Longhorns head coach Mack Brown and co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bryan Harsin.
"This was a very difficult decision because I love the University of Texas and have had a great time playing here," Gilbert said. "I can't thank all of my teammates and everyone at Texas enough for all of their support, but I just think I'm at a point in my life where I need a fresh start."
Gilbert said he will continue taking classes at Texas this semester as he visits prospective schools.
"Garrett has been nothing but class and character since he's been here," Texas co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite said. "All of us have goals and dreams. I think he's doing what's best for him and his family. I totally understand that."
Gilbert was a Gatorade and Parade national high school player of the year at Lake Travis, where he led the Cavaliers to Class 4A state championships in 2007 and 2008. He remains at or near the top of several state high school passing records, including career yards, touchdowns, attempts and completions as well as single-season yards, touchdowns, attempts and completions.
He was considered the gem of Texas' 2009 recruiting class, and was considered the quarterback of the future as he entered his freshman season, which was Colt McCoy's senior year.
Although he did not play much as a freshman in 2009, Gilbert showed promise when he was thrust into the 2010 BCS national championship game against Alabama, when McCoy was lost for the game with an injured shoulder five plays into the first quarter.
Texas lost that game, 37-21,
but Gilbert nearly rallied the Longhorns in the second half.
But last year, after throwing 17 interceptions against only 10 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, his once glittering reputation became tarnished. This summer, Brown proclaimed every starting position up for grabs.
Gilbert, who battled sophomore Case McCoy, true freshman David Ash and redshirt freshman Connor Wood for the starting spot, was named Texas' starter on Aug. 29, the Monday of the Longhorns' season opener against Rice.
Wood already has transferred, to Colorado. Gilbert started the Rice and BYU games but gave way to McCoy in the second half against BYU after throwing two first-half interceptions, which resulted in vigorous boos by Longhorns fans at Royal-Memorial Stadium.
McCoy was named the starter for Texas' third game, at UCLA, and Gilbert didn't play against the Bruins.
That next week, Texas officials announced that Gilbert had suffered a shoulder injury against Rice and would undergo season-ending surgery.
The Longhorns (4-0) have moved on without him. McCoy and Ash have combined to complete 39 of 56 passes (69.6 percent) without an interception.
They remain the only two scholarships on the roster. The Longhorns have one high school pledge for next year's class — blue-chip prospect Connor Brewer of Scottsdale, Ariz. — and also recently have requested film of LaBradford Barnes of Henderson High School.
Harsin also recently watched T.J. Millweard, a 6-foot-4, 230-pounder from All Saints Episcopal School in Fort Worth. Millweard has given a non-binding verbal pledge to Arizona State.
