Fresh off a ping-pong match with his father Gale, Austin Lake Travis quarterback Garrett Gilbert headed to the phone for one of his least favorite tasks - talking about himself.
I'd kind of like to stay under the radar, I guess,
Gilbert said.
Unfortunately for him, that's almost impossible after you've led your team to consecutive state titles, thrown for more passing yards than anybody in state history, won enough awards to stuff a trophy case and are headed to Texas as one of the nation's top high school prospects.
Had Gilbert truly wanted to remain anonymous, a career as an offensive lineman would have been more suitable. But that would have cheated him of the responsibility he loves most: making the decisions upon which outcomes hinge.
When the game's on the line, I want the ball in my hands,
he said.
Provided he develops asexpected - Rivals.com ranks Gilbert as the No. 2 pro-style passer in America and the 18th-best player overall - he'll have plenty of opportunities at UT as the heir apparent to Colt McCoy.
His impending arrival couldn't come at a better time for the Longhorns. As McCoy completes his final season, Gilbert likely will be redshirted, giving him an opportunity to compete for the starting job in 2010 with full eligibility.
At the moment, however, starting for UT seems a long way off. His most immediate concern is strengthening his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and adjusting to the speed of the college game.
I have a lot of work to do,
said Gilbert, the USA Today offensive and Gatorade national player of the year. I'm starting over from scratch.
It's hard to imagine many incoming freshman have had a better foundation to build upon.
A starter since the beginning of his sophomore year, Gilbert led the Cavaliers to 39 victories in 43 games. He threw for 12,534 yards in that span to break the state career record while finishing second in touchdowns, attempts and completions.
Gale Gilbert started at California, and is the only player in NFL history to reach five straight Super Bowls as a backup with Buffalo and San Diego. But the difference between the father and his son at this stage of their careers is "night and day."
The luxury of being on a good team, with good coaches, all the snaps he's gotten, it's invaluable,
Gale Gilbert said. On a good night, I was throwing the ball 15 or 20 times a game. He was throwing it 30 or 40 a night for three years.
All of Gilbert's experience culminated in Waco in December, when Lake Travis destroyed Longview 48-23 to claim its second straight state title.
Dotting the crowd at Floyd Casey Stadium were T-shirts reading Gilbert for Heisman.
A cheerleader brandished a placard proclaiming a player who actually has won it, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, as the poor man's Gilbert.
Gilbert likely would have cringed at the notion, just as he brushed off questions about setting the state passing record - something he had done only after his coach, Chad Morris, insisted he go back out for one last drive. Otherwise, Gilbert insists, I honestly didn't care.
Best friend and teammate Cade McCrary vouches for Gilbert's humility, saying he has never heard the quarterback utter so much as a single boast since the two began playing together in elementary school.
He's the most humble person I've ever met,
McCrary said. If you didn't ask, you'd never know what he's accomplished because he never talks about himself.
All the better for flying under the radar.
