Welcome to the entertaining game Who Is Oregon State’s Starting Quarterback, which has been played since 2018 at a practice field in Corvallis that appears to be in the spring and August.
Before the white puff of smoke that signals that OSU has decided on a starting quarterback for the upcoming season can be seen from Valley Football Center, spring comes and passes, and then there are weeks of preseason camp in August.
More than ten years have passed since Oregon State had a clear starter quarterback going into the spring. The Beavers last came out of the spring game with a starting quarterback named, and that was in 2016.
In 2025, Oregon State’s quarterback dilemma is at the forefront when spring practice gets underway on Tuesday. Do you think it’s clearcut? After their first losing season since 2020, the Beavers promised a school-record seven-figure NIL deal and a chance to start over when they signed high-profile quarterback transfer Maalik Murphy.
Murphy left Duke, where in 2024 he passed for 2,933 yards and 26 touchdowns, for a position other than starting quarterback for Oregon State, right?
It becomes a little complicated at this point. In practice, coach Trent Bray and his predecessor Jonathan Smith emphasize competition. Prothro Field is where starting positions and playing time are gained. Players don’t just walk into Valley Football Center after enrolling at Oregon State and see their name at the top of the depth chart.
Smith did not select Clemson transfer DJ Uiagalelei as the Beavers’ starting quarterback until the fourth week of preseason camp, even in 2022.
What does Bray think of the quarterback position before spring practice? To begin with, it’s a short list because this spring’s quarterbacks are limited to Murphy, redshirt sophomore Gabarri Johnson, and redshirt freshman Kallen Gutridge. Johnson didn’t play much for OSU last season, and Gutridge hasn’t played in college yet.
It’s not the same. There is somewhat less uncertainty. We obviously appreciate Gabarri’s work since he arrived, and he’s had a fantastic offseason, Bray stated. But without a doubt, Maalik would be the front-runner if you had to choose one.
Although Bray agrees that a college football coach doesn’t hire a well-known player like Murphy to call plays during a game, he still wants to watch competition take place in the spring. Johnson will spend a lot of time with the starting unit this spring, according to Bray.
We would like to see him on the field. What part can a player like Gabarri play for us as the spring progresses and he continues to grow? “I said,” Bray said. I’m really looking forward to seeing Maalik and Gabarri handle the offense and show off their arm and leg skills. It should be thrilling to observe.
The quarterback short list is one small problem going into spring. We’ll have to keep an eye on the pitch count because there are only three quarterbacks on the roster, Bray stated. Having just Murphy, Johnson, and Gutridge behind center for 15 practices, however, doesn’t worry him.
They’re not being hit, touched, or subjected to physical demands, but it’s lower than you would typically be. We should be fine from an operational perspective, Bray stated.
When camp begins in August, OSU will have at least four quarterbacks thanks to the addition of freshman Tristan Tea this summer. Four quarterbacks is a manageable quantity for practices, but five would be ideal, according to Bray.
–Nick Daschel | @nickdaschel | @nickdaschel.bsky.social | [email protected] Get the newest news and the best stories by subscribing to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts. Your support is essential to our journalism. Sign up for OregonLive.com now.
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