Garrett Gilbert
Encyclopedia
Garrett Gilbert is a current quarterback for the SMU Mustangs
college football
team. Gilbert was regarded as one of the best high school quarterbacks of his class and was named the 2008 Offensive Player of the Year by USA Today
.
The son of former NFL quarterback Gale Gilbert
, he attended Lake Travis High School
in Austin, Texas
, where he broke the state record for most passing yards in a season with 4,827 yards during his junior season. The record was previously held by Graham Harrell
. Gilbert again broke the same record his senior season, after compiling 4,851 passing yards. He finished his high school career with 12,537 passing yards, another state record which was previously held by Harrell.
, where he led the Cavaliers to a 41-34 victory over Texas City. His performance caused Texas gridiron sportswriters to take notice, including Lone Star Gridiron's Chris Doelle who referred to Gilbert as "the best high school quarterback I have seen EVER."
Gilbert guided Lake Travis to the 2007 Texas UIL
Class 4A Division II State Championship. Upon completing the 2007 season, he broke state records for completions (359), pass attempts (555) and yards (4,827).
After Lake Travis won the 2007 championship, the team's head coach, Jeff Dicus, resigned to take the head coaching position at Class 5A Duncanville High School
. Chad Morris, then the head coach at Stephenville High School
, became the new coach. Prior to his senior season, Gilbert learned Morris' offense.
On top of the coaching change, Gilbert had to undergo minor shoulder surgery, which took five months to recover. Gilbert was not able to lift weights during the five-month period, and instead performed rehabilitation exercises. Gilbert recovered in time to play the first game of the 2008 season.
In the 2008 season, Gilbert led Lake Travis to a perfect 16–0 record and its second straight state title. He finished the season with 4,851 passing yards for 55 touchdowns.
Gilbert completed his high school career setting a state record of 12,534 passing yards, breaking the previous mark set by Graham Harrell
by 2 yards. Gilbert initially was indifferent to breaking the record when he had the chance during the 2008 state title game; he only did so after his coach insisted to. Gilbert finished second to Harrell for career touchdowns, completions and attempts. He led his Cavaliers to a 39–4 combined record as a starter from his sophomore through senior seasons.
RISE's 10th anniversary Elite 11 quarterback event from July 21–24. He was one of the 11 high school quarterbacks selected out of a pool of more than a thousand. The Elite 11 played against each other and received coaching from current standout college quarterbacks. An ESPN
columnist pointed out that Gilbert was the most likely player from the camp to win the college football national championship.
Along with 79 other high school seniors, Gilbert played in the 2009 Under Armour All-American Bowl on January 4, 2009. In the nationally-televised matchup, Gilbert completed 11-of-22 passes for 161 yards and an interception as he guided the Black team in its 27–16 loss to the White team.
In January 2009, a Scouts Inc. reporter predicted Gilbert will win the Heisman Trophy
before his collegiate senior season.
for the Texas
Longhorns
on February 7, 2008, the day after he received the offer in the mail. Gilbert always had aspirations to play for Texas since he was a child. During his youth, he pretended to play football for the Longhorns, passing the football to himself in his living room and diving onto the couch to catch it. When he was eight, he had the chance to play catch with then-UT quarterback Major Applewhite
, whom he considered his idol growing up. His family members were also season ticket-holders.
Gilbert was rated as a five-star prospect by Rivals.com
. Alongside Matt Barkley
of Mater Dei High School
in California
, Gilbert is the premier quarterback prospect of the class of 2009. Former college head coach Jackie Sherrill
called Gilbert the best quarterback he has seen since Dan Marino
.
, Gilbert competed with Sherrod Harris for the backup job during the offseason. On August 23, 2009, Gilbert became the second-string quarterback as a true freshman, in front of junior Sherrod Harris.
In the 2009 season opener against Louisiana-Monroe, Gilbert lined up behind center during the fourth quarter and drove the Longhorns down the field, making 4-of-5 passes for 46 yards, before scoring a twelve-yard rushing touchdown on a quarterback draw play to end the drive.
On January 7, 2010, in the BCS National Championship Game
, Gilbert replaced the injured Colt McCoy
. Gilbert completed 15-of-40 passes for 186 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. One analyst, laughably, tried to take the position that his stat line did not reflect how well he actually played (even though he was responsible for five turnovers - the four interceptions and a lost fumble), and that several of his passes that should have been caught were dropped. Gilbert led the Longhorns to two scoring drives in the second half to spark a comeback, bringing the score to 21-24 Alabama. However, the comeback ultimately fell short late in the game with a turnover inside the Texas 5-yard line. The Longhorns lost the game 37-21.
Gilbert was granted his unconditional release from Texas on October 5, allowing him the opportunity to seek a transfer. Later that day, he was seen at Southern Methodist University
, watching the football team
practice.
.
Gilbert was born in Buffalo, New York
, where his father played for the Bills
. He moved to San Diego, California
at age three, when Gale signed with the Chargers
. They moved to Austin in 1996. Garrett has one brother, Griffin, who plays football at Lake Travis High School.
SMU Mustangs football
The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team. Gilbert was regarded as one of the best high school quarterbacks of his class and was named the 2008 Offensive Player of the Year by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
.
The son of former NFL quarterback Gale Gilbert
Gale Gilbert
Gale Reed Gilbert is a former American football quarterback who played eight seasons in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and the San Diego Chargers.-Early life:...
, he attended Lake Travis High School
Lake Travis High School
Lake Travis High School, is rated by the Texas Education Agency as an Exemplary secondary. The preparatory is located approximately 20 miles west of Austin, Texas and has been ranked by Newsweek as one of "America’s Best High Schools". LTHS serves students in grades nine through twelve who live in...
in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, where he broke the state record for most passing yards in a season with 4,827 yards during his junior season. The record was previously held by Graham Harrell
Graham Harrell
Graham Harrell is an American football quarterback. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers and is currently on their scout team. He played college football at Texas Tech.-Early years:...
. Gilbert again broke the same record his senior season, after compiling 4,851 passing yards. He finished his high school career with 12,537 passing yards, another state record which was previously held by Harrell.
High school career
Gilbert made his first high school start his sophomore year in the 2006 Texas Football ClassicTexas Football Classic
The Texas Football Classic is a high school football event that takes place at the beginning of each football season at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It was started in 1999 by the staff of Dave Campbell's Texas Football, an annual football publication that highlights every high school,...
, where he led the Cavaliers to a 41-34 victory over Texas City. His performance caused Texas gridiron sportswriters to take notice, including Lone Star Gridiron's Chris Doelle who referred to Gilbert as "the best high school quarterback I have seen EVER."
Gilbert guided Lake Travis to the 2007 Texas UIL
University Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
Class 4A Division II State Championship. Upon completing the 2007 season, he broke state records for completions (359), pass attempts (555) and yards (4,827).
After Lake Travis won the 2007 championship, the team's head coach, Jeff Dicus, resigned to take the head coaching position at Class 5A Duncanville High School
Duncanville High School
Duncanville High School is a secondary school located in Duncanville, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the Duncanville Independent School District....
. Chad Morris, then the head coach at Stephenville High School
Stephenville High School
-Athletics:SHS has been one of the most successful football programs in the state of Texas in recent years. Though it did not make the playoffs from 1952 to 1989, the arrival of Art Briles finally turned the program around. Briles got the Yellow Jackets to the playoffs from 1989 until his departure...
, became the new coach. Prior to his senior season, Gilbert learned Morris' offense.
On top of the coaching change, Gilbert had to undergo minor shoulder surgery, which took five months to recover. Gilbert was not able to lift weights during the five-month period, and instead performed rehabilitation exercises. Gilbert recovered in time to play the first game of the 2008 season.
In the 2008 season, Gilbert led Lake Travis to a perfect 16–0 record and its second straight state title. He finished the season with 4,851 passing yards for 55 touchdowns.
Gilbert completed his high school career setting a state record of 12,534 passing yards, breaking the previous mark set by Graham Harrell
Graham Harrell
Graham Harrell is an American football quarterback. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers and is currently on their scout team. He played college football at Texas Tech.-Early years:...
by 2 yards. Gilbert initially was indifferent to breaking the record when he had the chance during the 2008 state title game; he only did so after his coach insisted to. Gilbert finished second to Harrell for career touchdowns, completions and attempts. He led his Cavaliers to a 39–4 combined record as a starter from his sophomore through senior seasons.
Football events
Gilbert participated in ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
RISE's 10th anniversary Elite 11 quarterback event from July 21–24. He was one of the 11 high school quarterbacks selected out of a pool of more than a thousand. The Elite 11 played against each other and received coaching from current standout college quarterbacks. An ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
columnist pointed out that Gilbert was the most likely player from the camp to win the college football national championship.
Along with 79 other high school seniors, Gilbert played in the 2009 Under Armour All-American Bowl on January 4, 2009. In the nationally-televised matchup, Gilbert completed 11-of-22 passes for 161 yards and an interception as he guided the Black team in its 27–16 loss to the White team.
In January 2009, a Scouts Inc. reporter predicted Gilbert will win the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
before his collegiate senior season.
College recruitment
Gilbert verbally committed to play college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Texas
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
Longhorns
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
on February 7, 2008, the day after he received the offer in the mail. Gilbert always had aspirations to play for Texas since he was a child. During his youth, he pretended to play football for the Longhorns, passing the football to himself in his living room and diving onto the couch to catch it. When he was eight, he had the chance to play catch with then-UT quarterback Major Applewhite
Major Applewhite
Major Lee Applewhite is the Co-Offensive Coordinator and Running Backs Coach for the University of Texas. Prior to Texas, Applewhite served as offensive coordinator at Rice University under Todd Graham in 2006, and at the University of Alabama under Nick Saban in 2007...
, whom he considered his idol growing up. His family members were also season ticket-holders.
Gilbert was rated as a five-star prospect by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
. Alongside Matt Barkley
Matt Barkley
Matt Barkley is an American football quarterback and student athlete at the University of Southern California, playing for the Trojans football team. As a high school player, Barkley was named 2007 football Gatorade National Player of the Year, and then the 2007 Gatorade national male athlete of...
of Mater Dei High School
Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California)
Mater Dei High School is a private, Catholic, co-educational secondary school in Santa Ana, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. With an enrollment of 2,100 students Mater Dei High School is one of the largest Catholic high schools in the United States...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Gilbert is the premier quarterback prospect of the class of 2009. Former college head coach Jackie Sherrill
Jackie Sherrill
Jackie Sherrill is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Washington State University , the University of Pittsburgh , Texas A&M University , and Mississippi State University , compiling a career college football record of 180–120–4...
called Gilbert the best quarterback he has seen since Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
.
Awards and honors
- 2007, 2008 Austin American-StatesmanAustin American-StatesmanThe Austin American-Statesman is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of Texas. It is an award-winning publication owned by Cox Enterprises. The Newspaper places focus on issues affecting Austin and the Central Texas region....
Player of the Year (became the first player to win the honor outright twice) - 2008 Gatorade National Football Player of the YearGatorade Player of the Year awardsThe Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to male and female high-school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball, boys' football, girls' softball, girls' volleyball, boys' basketball, girls' basketball, boys' cross country, girls' cross country,...
award; became the first Texas player to receive the honor. - 2008 Texas Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Sports Editors Class 4A all-state team - 2008 Texas Associated Press Sports Editors Class 4A Player of the Year
- 2008 USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
Offensive Player of the Year - 2009 PARADEParade (magazine)Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-American and Player of the Year - 2008 EA SportsEA SportsEA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
Mr. Football USA - 2008 Built Ford Tough Class 4A Texas High School Player of the Year
- 2008–09 MaxPreps Male Athlete of the Year
- 2009 Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year
2009 season
It was at first thought that Gilbert would likely redshirt in 2009 and compete for the starting job in 2010. However, since former backup quarterback John Chiles was moved to wide receiverWide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Gilbert competed with Sherrod Harris for the backup job during the offseason. On August 23, 2009, Gilbert became the second-string quarterback as a true freshman, in front of junior Sherrod Harris.
In the 2009 season opener against Louisiana-Monroe, Gilbert lined up behind center during the fourth quarter and drove the Longhorns down the field, making 4-of-5 passes for 46 yards, before scoring a twelve-yard rushing touchdown on a quarterback draw play to end the drive.
On January 7, 2010, in the BCS National Championship Game
2010 BCS National Championship Game
The 2010 Citi BCS National Championship Game was the finale of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was played between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. It was hosted by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California,...
, Gilbert replaced the injured Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
. Gilbert completed 15-of-40 passes for 186 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. One analyst, laughably, tried to take the position that his stat line did not reflect how well he actually played (even though he was responsible for five turnovers - the four interceptions and a lost fumble), and that several of his passes that should have been caught were dropped. Gilbert led the Longhorns to two scoring drives in the second half to spark a comeback, bringing the score to 21-24 Alabama. However, the comeback ultimately fell short late in the game with a turnover inside the Texas 5-yard line. The Longhorns lost the game 37-21.
2010 season
Starting quarterback during 2010 season. He led the team to a 5-7 record, Texas' first losing season since 1997. Soon after that years bowl season, Mack Brown announced that every job was up for grabs, leaving Gilbert to compete with sophomores Case McCoy and Conner Wood, as well as freshman David Ash.2011 season
On August 29, it was announced that Gilbert would retain the starting position in the season opener against Rice. However, on September 12, it was announced that Gilbert was being moved to the second string quarterback behind Case McCoy and David Ash (sharing starting job). On September 20, it was announced that Gilbert underwent successful surgery on his shoulder and will be out the remainder of the season.Gilbert was granted his unconditional release from Texas on October 5, allowing him the opportunity to seek a transfer. Later that day, he was seen at Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, watching the football team
SMU Mustangs football
The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA...
practice.
Personal
Gilbert is the son of former NFL quarterback Gale GilbertGale Gilbert
Gale Reed Gilbert is a former American football quarterback who played eight seasons in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and the San Diego Chargers.-Early life:...
.
Gilbert was born in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, where his father played for the Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He moved to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
at age three, when Gale signed with the Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. They moved to Austin in 1996. Garrett has one brother, Griffin, who plays football at Lake Travis High School.