Five Things to Know About New Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel

The trend of big-time quarterbacks in Eugene will continue as the former Oklahoma passer commits to Oregon.

Dan Lanning and the Ducks got some huge news over the weekend when former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel announced his commitment to Oregon following a visit to campus. 

Gabriel will join the Ducks and replace Bo Nix after spending the last five seasons between UCF and Oklahoma before landing in Eugene. 

Here are five things to know about Oregon's first commitment from the transfer portal this offseason.

1. He's experienced

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Gabriel is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football, having started 49 games in his five-year career. For comparison, Bo Nix will finish his Oregon career with 61 starts, which is the current NCAA record. 

Gabriel led the Sooners to a 10-win season this year and has now seen faced defenses in both the Big 12 and the American Athletic conferences.

We all know how valuable it is to have an experienced player at the most important position on the field, and that's exactly what the Ducks will have with Gabriel in 2024, assuming he wins the starting job.

2. The Hawaii Connection

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When Gabriel committed to Oregon, he posted his graphic wearing a No. 8 Ducks jersey writing "Marcus approved!" This suggests that he'll be the first Oregon quarterback to wear the historic No. 8 since former Duck Marcus Mariota last played in Eugene in 2014. 

The Mililani native is the first quarterback from the Islands to play for Oregon since Mariota, who attended St. Louis High School in Honolulu. Gabriel also holds the Hawaii state record for career passing yards with 9,848, which he set while at Mililani from 2015 to 2018.

Former Oregon head coach Willie Taggart recruited Tua Tagovailoa, another left-handed quarterback from Hawaii, in the class of 2017, but it was too little too late as he was already locked in with his commitment to the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

3. Dual-threat skillset

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Gabriel is a great example of today's dual-threat quarterback. He threw for over 3,500 yards in 2023, dazzling fans with his arm talent every weekend. 

But he impacted the game with his legs too, rushing for 373 yards and 12 touchdowns on 93 carries. It's clear that Jeff Lebby did the most to utilize every aspect of his game in Norman, and fans should expect Will Stein to do the same in Eugene.

However it's worth noting that Stein slashed Nix's carries nearly in half from 2022 to 2023, dropping from 89 total carries to just 53. Gabriel's ability to both run and pass the ball at a high level make him a valuable addition for the Ducks and will give defensive coordinators plenty to think about in 2024.

4. Continues theme of transfer portal quarterback at Oregon

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Assuming Gabriel wins the starting job in Eugene, he'll be the third starting quarterback in the last three years that Oregon has brought in from the transfer portal. (Anthony Brown, Bo Nix). 

The transfer portal has completely changed college football and the Ducks find themselves bringing in another player from the college ranks to lead their offense. 

Tyler Shough was the last prep recruit quarterback to start at Oregon. That was back in 2020 and he was a four-star recruit in the 2018 class. Now he's at his third school after committing to Louisville.

Oregon continues to recruit quarterbacks from the high school ranks and is projected to sign Luke Moga in the 2024 cycle, but the Ducks are one of many teams in college football that has and continues to use the portal to bring in top tier passers.

5. Left-handed quarterback

One thing makes Gabriel different from most other Oregon quarterbacks we've seen in recent years: he's left-handed. 

The Ducks haven't had a left-handed quarterback since the mid-90s, which could make them even more fun to watch next season. Players like Tua Tagovailoa, Tim Tebow and Michael Vick highlight some of the best left-handed passers we've seen dominate at the college level in recent years.

Gabriel is already widely-viewed as one of the best quarterbacks in the country and we should see more big things from him in 2024 when he teams up with Will Stein, who was a Broyles Award finalist for the nation's top assistant coach.

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