Gabbert to Mizzou

Less than three weeks after de-committing from Nebraska, Parkway West (Ballwin, Mo.) star quarterback Blaine Gabbert made plenty of Missouri fans happy by pledging to the Tigers this past Saturday during their game against Texas A&M. The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder is rated the nation's No. 3 quarterback and No. 21 overall recruit in the Class of 2008 by RISE.

Gabbert backed out of his commitment to Nebraska due to the uncertainty facing Huskers head coach Bill Callahan and the rest of his coaching staff.

"He's always liked the coaching staff at Missouri. With all the uncertainty at Nebraska, it just made sense for him," Parkway West head coach Mike Roth told RISE. "The chance to learn from (Missouri star quarterback) Chase Daniel was also a big draw. It was a combination of a lot of factors. He's real solid on his commitment."

Named the 2007 Elite 11 Quarterback Camp MVP this past summer, Gabbert struggled during his senior season while dealing with a separated right shoulder and a sprained foot and played in just five games. He finished the year completing 45-of-102 passes for 614 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 218 yards and a touchdown on 40 carries.

When healthy, Gabbert is a tremendous talent whose pass-run skills make him a perfect fit for a Mizzou offense that's made Daniel a star. Gabbert showed those skills as a junior when he completed 119-of-231 passes for 1,523 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He added 458 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 59 carries on the ground.