Terminated Deal: Gabarri Johnson Terminates his $90 million deal due to….
As a quarterback transfer, Gabarri Johnson believes Oregon State will “take me more seriously.”
After one season, the 2022 state offensive player of the year at Lincoln High School, selected by SBLive WA, departs from the top-10 Missouri Tigers program to join the Beavers.
SBLIVE SPORTSDEC 28, 2023, 12:34 PM TODD MILLES Washington’s Tacoma Est. Gabarri Johnson of the University of Missouri used a redshirt year as a true freshman, finishing the season as little more than the fourth-string quarterback for one of the finest football programs in the SEC.
He knows that’s how college football operates; you have to wait your turn and earn your stripes.
He finds it incomprehensible that the Tigers did not put more effort into his growth.
The dual-threat signal caller from Tacoma’s Lincoln High School announced he was moving to Oregon State University a few days after putting his name in the NCAA portal. He believes Oregon State will give him a real chance to compete for a better spot on the depth chart.
Johnson told SBLive WA exclusively, “I feel great about it,” after attending a Lincoln home basketball game on Wednesday night.
At Missouri’s preseason camp, Johnson demonstrated his big-play ability, which won him the SBLive WA offensive player of the year award in 2022. However, in the Tigers’ starting lineup, he was ranked behind two-year starter Brady Cook (3,189 passing yards, 20 touchdowns coming into Friday’s Cotton Bowl game against Ohio State), two-year backup Sam Horn, and transfer Jake Garcia.
In addition, Tigers class of 2024 signee Aidan Glover, a three-star Tennessee prep star.
“I played scout team the whole year … and they barely taught me the offense,” said Johnson. “I knew I had to find somewhere where I felt like they were going to take me more seriously.”
Two buddies of Johnson’s who were already on the Oregon State team were wide receiver David Wells, a graduate of Lakes High School. Johnson had maintained contact with Wells.
Subsequently, Johnson started closely observing Oregon State’s actions after speaking with personal quarterback Lavelle Durant, whose son Malachi is a member of the Beavers’ 2024 recruiting class.
Finally, Johnson noticed a favorable opening in the NCAA transfer portal after elite quarterbacks DJ Uiagalelei and Aidan Chiles—whom Durant has assisted in training—entered their names.
“I knew Gundy (Oregon State’s new offensive coordinator Ryan Gunderson) because he recruited me at UCLA,” Johnson stated. “You never know what can happen up here at OSU,” my quarterback trainer said after I noticed (Uiagalelei and Chiles) left. It’s up to you if you want to (transfer here), since all the quarterbacks are gone.”
Before spring football, quarterbacks at Oregon State are receiving transfers in addition to Johnson. Gevani McCoy of the University of Idaho, who has led the Vandals in passing over the last two seasons with over 5,600 yards and 42 touchdowns, made his arrival in Corvallis, Oregon, known last week.
In 2022, Johnson was a senior at Lincoln. He ran 177 times for 1,639 yards and another 21 touchdowns while passing for 2,301 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior. The team advanced to the Class 3A quarterfinals.
He started all three years of his career and finished with 111 touchdowns and about 8,900 yards of total offense.
