Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dillon Gabriel Breaks FBS Record For Career Touchdowns
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel has played himself in the Heisman Trophy race during his first year in Eugene this season, and in the process, he's continued to make NCAA history.
In the first half vs. the Maryland Terrapins, Gabriel scored his 178th career touchdown, which tied him for first in FBS history. Gabriel threw a perfect pass to tight end Terrance Ferguson for nine yards and a touchdown to extend Oregon's lead to 21-10.
Then in the third quarter, Gabriel broke the record with a wild play. Gabriel threw a three-yard touchdown to Oregon offensive lineman Gernorris Wilson.
The trickery continued as Oregon starting left tackle Josh Conerly ran in the PAT to give the Ducks a 29-10 lead.
Gabriel is now No. 1 on the NCAA all-time list for touchdowns responsible for with 179, topping former Houston Cougars quarterback Case Keenum (178). A proven dual-threat weapon, his 146 career passing touchdowns is still 9 short of Keenum's mark of 155, but Gabriel's rushing ability has him in position to set the record with plenty of season to spare.
Last season with the Oklahoma Sooners, Gabriel finished with a career-high 12 rushing touchdowns. This year, he's tallied six scores on the ground, which was highlighted by a season-long 54-yard rushing touchdown in the win over the Oregon State Beavers.
Gabriel has made it clear that he's not worried about individual accomplishments. The fifth-year quarterback is instead focused on championships, something the Ducks will be in prime position to do if he keeps up his impressive play.
"Just not a big individual accolades guy. I’m chasing wins. You know, I think that’s the most important thing," Gabriel said after the win over Illinois. "I got a bunch of guys that put a lot of time and effort into it. I mean, I’m blessed to be a part of it."
Though Gabriel won't give himself any praise, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning is making sure his star quarterback receives his flowers.
"I think everybody in the nation needs to recognize what kind of quarterback we've got. He's a really, really special player," Lanning said of Gabriel. "I think everybody here has realized that's not ordinary, right? We’re really blessed to have a special quarterback out there operating week in and week out, doing a really good job."
"He's earned the trust and admiration of all of his teammates and the coaches around him, but this guy prepares extremely hard," Lanning continued. "He is the calmest dude you've ever been around on the field, which is impressive, but I'm really proud of him and what he's been able to do for this team."
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