For the Oklahoma Sooners to be better in 2023, they’ll need the offense to improve in key situations. Third- and fourth-down offense and red-zone offense has to be better. Working in the Sooners’ favor as they look to take a positive step in those areas is having a quarterback as experienced as Dillon Gabriel.
Gabriel is entering his fifth season of college football. It’s safe to say, he’s seen it all. He has 38 starts under his belt to work with as he looks to take the Oklahoma offense to another level.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg talked with coaches across the country (ESPN+) to see what they had to say about 47 quarterbacks ahead of the 2023 season. Rittenberg shared a pair of answers from Big 12 coaches on Dillon Gabriel.
“He’s a good one, he’s just had a hard time staying healthy,” said one Big 12 coach. “They were struggling last year and he probably ran around a little more than he should have. He’s just not very big.”
Gabriel has missed time each of the last two seasons. In 2022, it was a concussion-inducing late hit in the TCU game that forced him to miss a game and a half. If his value wasn’t known prior to his absence, it was pretty clear while he was gone how much he meant to the Sooners’ offense.
And that’s because of the experience, leadership and passing ability that he brings to the table.
“He’s got some moxie and experience, knows when to throw to spots,” another Big 12 defensive coordinator said. “They do a good job with him.”
Moxie is a great word. It’s one that can characterize the ability to make big-time throws, someone who is a gamer, and a player that exhibits leadership qualities. Gabriel showed each of those traits last season.
There are certainly areas in which he and the Sooners’ offense can improve in 2023, but having an experienced signal caller at the helm gives Oklahoma the best shot to do so.
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