Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners: Recent 5-Star Signing Day Busts

Garrett Gilbert

Sep 21, 2013; College Station, TX, USA; SMU Mustangs quarterback Garrett Gilbert (11) against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

There was a moment in the 2010 National Championship game when Colt McCoy went out and Garrett Gilbert came in that the Longhorns actually had a chance. It was Gilbert’s moment. His shot.

Growing up a Longhorn’s fan, Garrett Gilbert dreamed of moments like this. Scout said he’d win the Heisman one day. Former Texas A&M coach Jackie Sherrill said that Gilbert was the best quarterback he’d seen since Dan Marino.

But in the game against the mighty Alabama in that Title game, 4 interceptions later by Gilbert in the hallowed Rose Bowl, and Texas not only was defeated, but it signified the beginning of the Longhorns’ slide into mediocrity that many say they’ve yet to come out of.

After an abysmal 5-7 2010 year, the Quarterback job went to a committee of David Ash and Case McCoy in 2011 and after an injury, Gilbert was out at Texas, transferring to SMU that same year.

He had some decent success at SMU, funny enough, but Mack Brown was never able to recover from that, and the Longhorns have not really been relevant since. Considering Texas fans had been spoiled with quarterback play from Major Applewhite to then Chris Simms to the one and only great Vince Young to a nearly as great Colt McCoy, it appeared they were due for some bad quarterback play.

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