Brent Venables breaks down what Oregon is getting in Oklahoma transfer QB Dillon Gabriel

Dillon Gabriel passed from Oklahoma after two seasons this offseason, opted to spend his final year of college eligibility playing for Dan Lanning and Oregon ducks.

Gabriel committed to Oklahoma less than a month after Brent Venables was named head coach after former coach Lincoln Riley and QB1 Caleb Williams left OU to team up at USC. Gabriel was committed to UCLA before the switch and has been the Sooners’ primary quarterback since Venables has been in Norman.

Now that the two have parted ways, Venables explained what the Ducks will be getting in the veteran sixth-year quarterback after getting to coach Gabriel for two seasons.

“Finally, (Oregon is getting) consummate consistency,” Venables said during the 2024 SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, FL. “He’s hungry, he’s driven. He is willing to put in the work. He improves in every area, attacks his weaknesses and plays to his strengths and is a great teammate.”

Gabriel was a journeyman throughout his university career. Starting at UCF, spent three seasons in Orlando before accepting a new challenge at Oklahoma the past two years. For his career, Gabriel has 14,865 yards, 125 touchdowns, 26 interceptions, a 63.1 percent completion percentage, 1,060 yards and 26 touchdowns.

During his final season at Oklahoma in 2023, he had arguably the best season of his career thus far. He finished with 3,660 yards, 30 touchdowns, six interceptions, a 69.3 percent completion percentage, 373 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Since joining the Ducks this offseason, Gabriel has been tasked with learning an entirely new offense under Lanning at Oregon. Gabriel called Lanning’s coaching style “innovative” and “refreshing.”

Gabriel revealed that Lanning is active in training, whether it’s running, lifting – “He sweats in training, he’s in it,” Gabriel said. “I feel like that’s an empowering feeling to know that your coach is part of what you’re doing, there are no levels of hierarchy.”

A member of the Class of 2019, Gabriel was a three-star recruit out of Mililani (Hawaii) High School prior to his college career, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that uses all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 1 overall prospect. 7 in the state, the No. 7 quarterback. 44 in class and general prospectus no. 680 in class.

Oregon begins its 2024 college football season against Idaho on Saturday, August 31 before beginning Big Ten Conference play against UCLA on September 28.