By Jojo Doria

Austin, TX

Although demoted after an ineffective Week 1 start, the loss of Garrett Gilbert due to a season-ending shoulder surgery has a precarious result for the Texas Longhorns at quarterback position.

Gilbert, benched midway through a 17-16 win against BYU on Sept. 10, underwent surgery on his right throwing shoulder Tuesday and will miss the rest of the season, the school said.

Texas football head trainer Kenny Boyd indicated in a statement issued by the team that the 20-year-old junior is believed to have sustained the injury during the Longhorns' season opener against Rice.

"He had symptoms, but was not affected in practice leading up to BYU. After that, it got progressively worse," Boyd said via Houston Chronicle.

"We did an MRI on the shoulder last week, and after our medical staff looked at the results, we recommended that he have surgery. He spent some time talking with his family and they agreed that was the route they wanted to go," Boyd added.

Gilbert, who started all 12 games last year and the first two of 2011 before being benched during the Longhorns' second tilt of the season, said in a statement that he decided to have the surgery immediately so he could begin his rehab and be ready for next season.

The former star at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, can only apply for a medical redshirt after having played in only two contests this season. Gilbert will still have two years of eligibility remaining.

Gilbert struggled throughout 2010, throwing 17 interceptions and 10 TD passes in his first season as a starter last year. Despite his not-so-impressive performance he managed to snag the starting job, besting Case McCoy, David Ash and Connor Wood.

With Gilbert out for the remainder of the Texas campaign, the Longhorns will have to mix it up without a third-stringer on the roster. Wood had already transferred to Colorado.

 

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Texas Quarterback Gilbert Out Remainder Of Season