How Oregon State Football Navigated A QB Shift to Beat Wazzu
In this story:
STAT LINE (Gabarri Johnson): 10/15 (67%) 33 yards | 9 yards rushing
STAT LINE (Maalik Murphy): 2/3 (67%), 27 yards
GAME NOTES
Oregon State took care of business against their Pac-12 foe coming off the bye week, securing their second win in a row this season. This game featured a new face at the starting quarterback position: redshirt sophomore Gabarri Johnson.
In his starting debut, Johnson mainly acted as a facilitator to the driving force behind Oregon State’s offensive success on Saturday — the run game, which totaled 148 yards and delivered the game-clinching touchdown. Through the air, Johnson averaged about three yards per completion. However, as the game progressed, he suffered an injury in the third quarter that sidelined him for the remainder of the game.
In came Maalik Murphy, the original starter, who was immediately sacked on his first two pass attempts — on consecutive plays. But in the fourth quarter, Murphy connected on a pair of throws, including one (broken down below) that was arguably one of his best passes of the season. That play sparked the momentum that ultimately led to the Beavers’ only touchdown — and what proved to be the difference in the game.
After the game, interim head coach Robb Akey did not provide an update on Johnson’s status. Oregon State will look to keep the win streak alive when they host Conference USA’s Sam Houston State on Saturday in Corvallis..
MORE: Next Steps For Oregon State Football After Win Over Washington State
BEST PLAY BREAKDOWN
At the 9:48 mark in the video linked below, Maalik Murphy delivers one of his best, and most signature, throws of the 2025 season.
Oregon State dials up a seven-man protection play-action pass, giving Murphy plenty of time to sell the fake and settle into his drop behind stellar protection. After locking onto his target, Murphy double clutches the ball. For most quarterbacks, that kind of hesitation would throw off the timing of the play, potentially putting the throw out of range or killing accuracy.
Thanks to his rare arm talent, he still fires a back-shoulder completion from the opposite hash. Murphy releases the ball from his own 30, and his receiver hauls it in at the Wazzu 39 — a 30+ yard throw in the air, not even counting the horizontal distance traveled from the opposite hash.
Throws like this are rare, and they’re exactly why Oregon State brought Maalik Murphy to Corvallis in the first place.
