Dillon Gabriel compares football leadership to having a girlfriend

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel is entering into his second season leading the program’s offense. During the Sooners’ fall camp, he looks much improved from the season prior, and he has also taken strides in the leadership department. But when asked why his ability to lead has grown significantly from year one to year two, Gabriel had a unique comparison to explain his growth.

It’s kind of like when you get a girlfriend. And, you know, for three months, you’re still learning each other,” said Gabriel. “But once you get to that year, year and a half, you kind of loosen up being able to just get to know them more. So likewise, with our relationships off the field and on the field, just being around them more, knowing how we communicate, certain routes we like, (and) how to throw them. Likewise, routes that they like to catch. I think with time, that can only benefit everyone.”

After transferring to Oklahoma from UCF last offseason, Gabriel had a respectable season for the Sooners despite battling through an injury he suffered early and the team’s 55-24 loss to TCU. Gabor would finish the year completing 62.7 percent of his pass attempts for 3168 yards, 25 passing touchdowns, six rushing touchdowns, and six interceptions.

With Gaberiel’s improved leadership, the senior signal caller is looking to put together more performances as he had against Texas Tech, where he threw for 449 yards with six touchdowns while leading Oklahoma to a possible Big 12 title to end the season.

Jeff Lebby explains where Gabriel, Oklahoma offense must improve in 2023

Sooners’ offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby also recently spoke on Gabriel. And while there has been growth over the offseason, the Oklahoma OC needs to see more from his quarterback. There were plenty of flaws in Year One of the system. However, there is optimism for the 2023 season with quarterback Gabriel returning and back to full healthy.

Even so, there are places Lebby believes Gabriel and the Oklahoma offense can improve. It all begins with being able to extend drives, something he says the Sooners worked on a ton this offseason.

“The immediate and obvious one is third down, fourth down,” Lebby said. “We’ve got to be better in those situations. We spent a lot of time on that in the offseason — last spring and through the summer.”

Compared to Big 12 opponents, Oklahoma was not too bad on third down. They converted at just over 50%, with only Kansas ahead of them from the 2022 season. Incoming conference member BYU was better as well.