Garrett Gilbert had the weight of Longhorn nation on his shoulders in the BCS National Championship game last Thursday. All things considered, he did not disappoint.

It was the worst case scenario for the Longhorn football team when Texas senior quarterback Colt McCoy left the National Championship game after just five plays against Alabama. He left after suffering nerve damage in his shoulder area. The damage caused numbness and weakness in his throwing arm.

True freshman Garrett Gilbert was forced to step in. Gilbert played in nine games of the season, but only in mop-up duty where he had completed 15 of 26 passes for 126 yards.

The eyes of Texas, Alabama and the nation were on number three.

"I knew I had to step up because these guys were counting on me," Gilbert said.

"Can you imagine being put out there against a great defense, in this setting," head coach, Mack Brown said.

Gilbert completed one of his first nine passes and an interception in the first half partly because of the speed of the college game. Gilbert was a true freshman straight out of Lake Travis High School where he had just won his second consecutive state championship.

In the same locker room where McCoy could not even throw a short pass to his father, like he had done since a little kid, stood the future of Longhorn football.

Offensive coordinator Greg Davis opened the offense in the second half with the game seemingly out of reach and Gilbert nearly pulled off the improbable upset.

"What we told Garrett to do was, 'just keep playing. You're a good player. It's a hard learning curve, but learn fast.' And at one point there I thought he was going to come back and win the game," Brown said.

Gilbert's first touchdown pass to Jordan Shipley sparked excitement in the third quarter. The next touchdown pass to Shipley had Longhorn nation thinking the Gatorade and Parade National Player of the Year had arrived.

The two point conversion pass to Dan Buckner pulled Texas within three points in the fourth quarter at 24-21.

"I felt like my teammates really did a great job or rallying behind me and helping me stay focused," Gilbert said.

"Garrett played tremendous. We were in the game in the fourth quarter because he was in there playing," McCoy said.

Even though statistically Gilbert did not look great, the interception and fumble late in the game overshadowed a courageous effort by the true freshman in the disappointing 37-21 loss.

The Horns coaching staff and players learned a lot about Gilbert's ability and next month Garrett will be the starting quarterback of one of the most successful college football teams over the last ten years.

"That guy's going to have a stellar career," McCoy said.

The future looks bright in Longhorn nation.

Longhorn football's spring practice begins in late February as Gilbert continues to write his own chapter in Longhorn history.