Ovgard: Scholarship Dreams Come True
Safety Devin Chapelle sat down at a table in the club level of Reser as players and coaches gathered for Media Day. He pulled out his phone and began recording a video of himself. Sitting at the table with him was fellow safety Gabe Ovgard.
“Out here at Media Day, answering questions and stuff” Chappelle said into his phone. “I’m with the GOAT (greatest of all time), No. 15 and it ain’t Larry Scott.”
Excitement builds in Chapelle’s voice as he says, “The Gabe Ovgard!”
All Ovgard can do is humbly smile and shake his head.
“He’s the real GOAT,” Ovgard says pointing at Chapelle.
A lot has changed for Klamath Falls native the past year and a half.
Once a former scout-team wide receiver, he was asked to switch to the defensive side of the ball and give safety a try last season. It worked out and the switch became permanent.
Ovgard was buried on the depth chart and saw limited playing time early in the season, but saw action late in the season after a slew of injuries depleted the Beavers’ secondary. In his first extensive action of the year, on the road against Cal which was quarterbacked by future No. 1 pick in the NFL--Jared Goff.
Ovgard took full advantage of the opportunity, recording an interception and finishing with eight tackles--the second highest total on the team in the Beavers 54-24 loss. In the press conference after the game, Ovgard received high praise from head coach Gary Andersen for his play as well as his commitment level to the program.
Despite starting the final three games of the season, all was not well for Ovgard.
He knew that some tough decisions would have to be made in the coming months regarding his future at Oregon State. He didn’t have the luxury of having his college education paid for like many of his teammates.
As a walk-on, there are certain challenges that scholarship players don’t have to face--mainly finding ways paying for school.
“The first two years of that knowledge of racking up all that debt every term. Seeing my student account (balance) get higher and higher, having to take out student loans, it was stressful,” Ovgard said.
Seeing the debt pile up, Ovgard prepared for the difficult conversation of asking Andersen for a scholarship. The thought of transferring to a school that would offer a scholarship had crept into his mind, but he had to talk to Andersen before exploring that option anymore.
The two never had that conversation.
On Leap Day, Ovgard was recovering from a bout with mono and was not exactly looking forward to going through one of coach Simon’s rigorous winter workouts.
He made it through the workout and at the end of the session, coach Andersen gathered the team to hand out a couple of “simple prizes” to a couple of teammates. Senior tackle, Dustin Stanton pulled a card out of a hat and announced Ovgard’s prize to the team:
“2016 Full-Ride Scholarship for Gabe Ovgard.”
Ovgard was stunned and the team went wild mobbing the newest player on scholarship. Ovgard had scheduled a meeting with Andersen later that day to ask for a scholarship--he was anticipating a rejection.
“Not even telling him what the meeting was about and to have that happen was awesome,” said Ovgard. “To have him announce that, during the whole thing was life changing."
Now wearing No. 15, to pay homage to his older brother, Luke, who wore No. 15 in high school, his favorite NFL player--Tim Tebow--as well as former OSU corner Larry Scott, Ovgard can focus on football without having to worry about money.
“Every time that I go in it’s a reminder of God’s faithfulness to me and my journey,” Ovgard said. “It’s a dream come true every time that I pick up that check.”