The incumbant starting quarterback has become a bit of a lightning rod for Oklahoma Sooners fans, but nonetheless, Dillon Gabriel is still in Norman. After playing in the Cheez-it Bowl, the veteran will likely stay for one more year in Norman before declaring for the NFL Draft.
Gabriel will have some company in the QB room with five-star signee Jackson Arnold set to enroll at OU in January. Gabriel will have real competition for his starting job come next season.
The two QBs had very different recruiting experiences. Arnold came from what many consider to be the high school football capital of the world in Texas. Gabriel was an unheralded prospect from Hawaii, with only three stars to his name.
However, Arnold is looking forward to learning all he can from his teammate according to a recent article from Eli Lederman of the Tulsa World.
“I think it’s big,” Arnold shared with Eli Ledderman of the Tulsa World. “He’s gonna hopefully stay another year and I can just learn under him and pick up tendencies that he does and stuff like that to help me out and win the starting job the next year.”
“If my number gets called upon to play I’m going to be ready to play,” he continued. “But expecting to learn under Dillon and learn from him. I’m ready to play. But I’m also just ready to learn under him and soak up everything I can for him.”
While many people’s memories of the uber-talented Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts and Caleb Williams have perhaps soured their opinions on Gabriel, the Sooners are a much better team with both Dillon Gabriel and Jackson Arnold in the QB room.
Dillon Gabriel is a very smart football player, and he knows that when he’s done at OU, Arnold will his successor, be it this season or next. Gabriel has many traits that would behoove Arnold to learn from and perhaps pick up for himself.
Ideally, Arnold will not see the field in 2023 aside from mop up duty or short-yardage situations. If he remains the backup through 2023, it means Gabriel is playing good football and the Sooners are winning games. While Gabriel doesn’t really need to improve that much from his 2022 performance, perhaps Arnold’s arrival will give him a bit of a spark as he goes into spring ball.
The Oklahoma Sooners are better off with a healthy and motivated Dillon Gabriel starting at QB in 2023.
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