Archbishop Murphy grad Gabalis to transfer from WSU

By Colton Clark / The Spokesman-Review

PULLMAN — Victor Gabalis had been competing for Washington State’s backup quarterback role during spring camp, but now he’s looking for a new home.

The Archbishop Murphy High School alum and former walk-on entered the transfer portal Friday, according to a report from Rivals.com.

Gabalis appeared in three games off the bench last season. He started the second half of the Sun Bowl in place of injured starter Jayden de Laura and nearly led a comeback. Gabalis completed 11 of 23 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, rallying WSU back from a 21-point halftime deficit in the 24-21 loss.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound redshirt freshman came into spring camp with more Power Five experience than any Cougars QB and was the favorite to capture the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind transfer Cameron Ward. Gabalis missed the final week of spring camp with an injury and watched the Cougars’ Crimson and Gray spring game last weekend from the sideline. He’d been competing against true freshman Emmett Brown and redshirt freshman Xavier Ward over the past month. Brown was the most consistent QB of the three during spring ball.

Gabalis impressed former coach Nick Rolovich at fall camp last season and worked his way into the competition for WSU’s starting QB job. He ended up serving as a third-stringer for most of the year.

Reserve WSU defensive back Alphonse Oywak also entered the transfer portal Friday, per Rivals. The third-year freshman out of Kent played in two games over the past two seasons and recorded all three of his career tackles in WSU’s season opener in 2021. Oywak earned All-Washington honors at the 4A prep level in 2019 and was ranked a four-star prospect, per 247Sports.com, coming out of Kentwood High.