The Oklahoma Sooners will unveil the first draft of Brent Venables 2022 squad in the annual spring game today at 3 p.m. CT in Norman. The roster was split into Red and White teams for the simulated game.
One of the key storylines is [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] will play for both sides, giving the two-deep players an opportunity to play with and attempt to defend Oklahoma’s starting quarterback.
All eyes will be on Gabriel as he makes his first appearance in Jeff Lebby’s offense since his freshman season. How will he look after missing much of last season due to an injury to his throwing shoulder? That is the question that Bill Connelly of ESPN as well as the college football world is asking.
After losing both [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag] to the transfer portal, Brent Venables’ first season in charge in Norman will hinge pretty significantly on another transfer: Dillon Gabriel, formerly of UCF. The junior lefty has loads of experience in the tempo-heavy attack that coordinator Jeff Lebby likely wants to deploy — Gabriel threw for 8,037 yards and 70 touchdowns over three seasons in Orlando, two of which were under tempo king Josh Heupel. If he plays at a level most think he can, and if he can build a strong rapport with Marvin Mims and some youngsters in a green OU receiving corps, the Sooners should again be considered the favorite in the Big 12. On Saturday, Gabriel will take center stage, however briefly. – Connelly
While the quarterback is the most important aspect of any team, we saw in 2021 how having the top quarterback in the league isn’t enough in the current state of the Big 12. Caleb Williams and Spencer Rattler had their moments, but they were far from infallible. Gabriel has a chance to be really good this season, but Oklahoma’s success will depend on much more than the arm of their new starting quarterback.
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