100 Days to Football Time in Oklahoma: #8 Dillon Gabriel By: Ryan Lewis Posted on: August 25, 2023

Player Profile

Position: Quarterback

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 204

Class: Redshirt Senior

Seasons at OU: 1

Hometown: Mililani, Hawai’i

Previous School: UCF

The Path to Norman

Dillon Gabriel has played football all over the country. He played high school ball in Hawai’i, where he was a three-star recruit, earned several Player of the Year honors his senior season, and set a state record for career passing yards. Originally, the quarterback committed to Army, but landed at UCF to start his college football journey. There, he put together two prolific seasons before a season-ending injury cut short his 2021 season. Following his third year, Gabriel entered the transfer portal and committed to UCLA. However, the new Sooner staff (including Gabriel’s freshman season OC / QB coach Jeff Lebby) came calling and Gabriel joined the Sooners.

Career so Far

Gabriel was an impact player in his first season with UCF. UCF was coming off a 25-1 record from 2017-2018; 2019 was another successful season. Gabriel started all games but one at quarterback, leading UCF to a 10-win season and setting several school records. Coach Lebby was the OC / QB coach for the season.

Expectations were high for 2020; in a shortened season, Gabriel met those expectations. He was a semifinalist for both the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards, ranked second nationally in offensive yards per game, and ranked fourth nationally in passing touchdowns. Despite a step back in wins for UCF, Gabriel was an impact player.

Unfortunately, 2021 was a short season for the QB. Gabriel started the first three games of the season before a season-ending injury sidelined him. He sat out the rest of the year, then entered the transfer portal. UCLA was initially his landing spot, but Coach Lebby and the Sooners came calling and Gabriel headed to Oklahoma, before he knew if he would even be the starter.

In his first season with the Sooners, Gabriel was brought in as the starter; he started in all games but one. There were growing pains for Gabriel and first-year offensive coordinator Coach Lebby’s offense and the receiver group had a tough season. However, Gabriel still put together a season that won him Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and included a statline over 3,000 yards.

Stats

Years: 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | Career

Games Played: 12 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 38

Pass Att.: 230 | 70 | 248 | 236 | 784

Pass Comp.: 367 | 102 | 413 | 398 | 1280

Pass Yards: 3168 | 814 | 3570 | 3653 | 11205

Pass TD: 25 | 9 | 32 | 29 | 95

Interceptions: 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 20

Carries: 89 | 24 | 72 | 71 | 256

Rush Yards: 317 | 125 | 169 | 78 | 689

Rush TD: 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14

Stats via Soonersports.com

Highlights

This Season

While there was no competition for the starting role in his first year at OU, the Sooners brought in Jackson Arnold over the offseason. Gabriel is still set to start in game one, but Arnold’s talent has brought a lot of excitement to Sooner nation and certainly gives the coaching staff another option if needed. 2023 will be Gabriel’s fifth (and likely final, although he does have one more season if he so chooses) year in college football, giving him a wealth of experience. He’ll use that experience again this year and work to make it a memorable season.