Beau Pribula Is Proof That the Transfer Portal Can Work

After a week in the transfer portal, and visits to Missouri, Iowa, UCF and Ole Miss, he committed to the Tigers. But it wasn’t a guarantee that Pribula would be the starter at Mizzou. Sam Horn had waited his turn and was capable of winning the starting job. The two battled throughout the spring and summer, and as the season opener against Central Arkansas approached it was announced by head coach Eli Drinkwitz that Prebula and Horn would split snaps on Thursday night.

The game started with Pribula as the starter, and on his first pass attempt he threw a 49-yard touchdown to Marquis Johnson. After he remained the quarterback for the first four plays of the Tigers second possession, Horn came in to get his opportunity. And that is when everything changed. During his first play, a 6-yard run, he sustained a lower leg injury that took him out of the game.

Pribula responded like a veteran. He helped lead the Tigers to a 61-6 victory, while completing 23 of 28 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns. On top of that, he showcased his dual-threat abilities by rushing for 65 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. While the competition wasn’t top-level, it was a performance that the Tigers were hoping they’d get when they signed Pribula.

While Mizzou awaits today’s MRI results, the initial prognosis is not positive for Horn. This would be an extremely unfortunate situation for him, but also the opportunity that Pribula has been waiting for. He will likely be the starting quarterback at Missouri for the foreseeable future this season. He will be able to showcase his abilities against South Carolina, Alabama, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. And he will be able to prove himself against top-level defenses.

And this is why Pribula transferred. This is what he was hoping for. While it likely took an injury to solidify the situation, the opportunity is now his to grab. Everyone will be watching to see if he does.