UNIVERSITY PARK, Texas — The biggest name in SMU's 2012 recruiting haul couldn't be spoken on national signing day.
That's because former Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert isn't officially a Mustang.
Gilbert, one of the nation's top recruits three years ago, won't be at SMU until June at the earliest. He plans to graduate from Texas this spring, which would make him immediately eligible upon transferring to SMU.
Until Gilbert enrolls in classes, SMU coach June Jones can't comment publicly about him. Still, the name-that-could-not-be-spoken was referred to indirectly a couple of times during Wednesday's Signing Day press conference.
Gilbert's status didn't overshadow the celebration of a class that includes two Parade All-Americans, wide receiver Gehrig Dieter and linebacker Prescott Line, but the quarterback situation lingered in the air.
With last week's announcement that Kyle Padron will transfer, it seems even more likely that Gilbert will be SMU's starting quarterback at some point this fall. Padron was SMU's only quarterback with significant experience.
Speaking hypothetically, Jones said a quarterback could come into the program in the summer and be ready to play this season.
"They can, and I have done it before. Every quarterback I think I had at Hawaii, they played their first year," Jones said.
"Colt Brennan never had a spring or anything, walked in and led the nation in passing and had no clue what we were doing the whole time."
There's no guarantee when Gilbert will be able to pick up the offense. In fact, there's no guarantee Gilbert will be at SMU. There's no letter of intent for transfers. Jones and his staff have to cross their fingers that Gilbert will report as promised.
Until then, the only scholarship quarterbacks on the roster are redshirt sophomore Stephen Kaiser, who got a few plays of mop-up duty in the bowl game, and true sophomore Conner Preston, who hasn't seen the field.
"We feel very comfortable," Jones said of his depth at quarterback. "We are going to end up with kids with athleticism and the ability to do what we need them to do. Kyle was our guy that had played, at least in what we do. But I've been there before, done that, so I have confidence in what will happen with the kids coming in."
The Mustangs also signed a promising passer in Neal Burcham, the No. 86 quarterback prospect according to Scout. Burcham was co-MVP of the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback camp.
"I think (Burcham) is going to be a special player," Jones said. "I think as you look at his highlight tapes . . . he's a pretty gifted player."
Burcham is also coming off of surgery for knee injury — not a torn ACL, Jones was quick to point out — suffered at the end of his high school season.
"He'll be ready to play," Jones said. "In fact, I talked to the doctor, Jim Andrews, right after the surgery, and he was really pleased with what he found. He said, 'June, he'll be fine.'"
SMU also seems to be fine with a 20-man recruiting class that features the younger brother of current running back Zach Line (the previously mentioned Prescott Line), two sets of high school teammates, and Justice and Law in the secondary — defensive backs A.J. Justice and Ty Law.
Four of the signees have already enrolled, including Dieter, the All-American receiver.
SMU lost some commitments when assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Adrian Klemm, a Southern California native, took a job at UCLA.
However, Jones said the Mustangs may not be done with the 2012 class. Typically, while scouting players for next year's class in the spring, his coaches come across quality seniors who were overlooked.
"We had some kids that kind of fell by the wayside, which happens," Jones said of the de-commits. "What happens usually is you find somebody better. We'll just be patient."
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
