Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dillon Gabriel Chasing NCAA Career Records

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel will most likely break Denver Broncos rookie Bo Nix's NCAA record for career starts in NCAA history. Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson might rewrite his own Oregon records this season.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson celebrate a touchdown by Johnson as the Oregon Ducks host the Idaho Vandals Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel and his favorite target wide receiver Tez Johnson are looking to break school records. The way everything is going for Ducks coach Dan Lanning's offense through the first half of the regular season, the duo will be right at the top of most Oregon and NCAA record books.

Gabriel is on the path of starting the most games ever among FBS quarterbacks. At 55 starts currently, Gabriel is just seven shy of surpassing the former Oregon Duck and current Denver Broncos' Bo Nix's record for starts by a quarterback of 61. It's pretty wild to think that the current Oregon play-caller who replaced last season's Oregon quarterback is on pace to jump over him.

Oct 4, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15), left, celebrates catching a touchdown pass with Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

As of Oct. 18, Gabriel is No. 2 in NCAA history for both total touchdowns at 169 and total yards at 17,818. He's also No. 3 all-time in both passing touchdowns at 138 and passing yards at 16,665.
Gabriel would need 18 more touchdown passes and 2,563 more passing yards to pass the all-time leader in Houston's Case Keenum for the NCAA in each category.

The man under center for Oregon has 168 career total touchdowns (rushing plus passing) which is just 10 back of tying also Keenum's all-time record at 178. Gabriel has joined Keenum as the only players in history to surpass 17,000 career total yards, sitting alone in second all-time in the NCAA at 17,818. He would need 2,296 more total yards to pass Keenum to have that record all to himself, something that can be done if the Ducks make a run in the College Football Playoff.

"You're looking at a situation now where [Oregon] can run the table and go undefeated, then you're looking at one of the best quarterbacks in the country on a top-rated team... That's usually a good recipe for a Heisman season... When they needed [Gabriel] to play well [against Ohio State] , he was able to move the ball downfield."

- Johnny Manziel via Action Network

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) makes a catch for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium. / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

As for Gabriel's favorite target this season, Johnson is tied for No. 4 nationally with 50 receptions through six games. That's already more than half of Oregon's single-season receptions record of 86, one that Johnson personally set in 2023. Needing 36 more catches through six more regular season games plus the postseason, Johnson has a strong chance of breaking his own record.

As long as the Oregon quarterback-wide receiver duo stays on the field, Gabriel and Johnson should continue to break even more records by the end of this season.

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