According to NBC and other sources, GG was seen at SMU practice this week and has been granted his unconditional release from his UT scholarship. We certainly wish the kid luck, and SMU would obviously be a great place for a QB to make a fresh start in June Jones's offense.
Even if the SMU practice is merely a recruiting visit and not a sign that Garrett will definitely be a Pony, the news that he has been released by UT means a transfer is clearly in the offing. With his shoulder surgery coming so early in the year, 2011 will be a medical redshirt season for Gilbert and therefore he still has two seasons of eligibility remaining at whichever school he indeed ends up at.
Unfortunately, the high point in Gilbert's Longhorn career will be the second half of the National Championship Game loss to Alabama, in which he fought valiantly as a true freshman replacement for Colt McCoy and very nearly brought Texas back from a seemingly insurmountable deficit. His gorgeous touchdown pass to Jordan Shipley seemed at the time an exciting indication of great things to come, but in 2010 and through the first two games of 2011 things just never fell into place for him as a passer. His body language and outward attitude on the sidelines at UCLA were exceedingly impressive as far as we're concerned, as he supported David Ash and Case McCoy and seemed genuinely happy at the team's success. At the same time, Gilbert is a football player and if he wants to be a starting quarterback somewhere, it must have become clear to him that Texas was never again going to be the place.
Hook 'em, Garrett, and thank you for your efforts in Burnt Orange.