Dillon Gabriel explains why he is not playing Alamo Bowl with Oklahoma

Following the regular season, Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel made the decision to enter the transfer portal and ultimately decided to go to the Oregon Ducks. He also made the decision to skip out on playing in the Alamo Bowl with Oklahoma.

That decision to skip the Alamo Bowl is one that Gabriel recently explained in an interview with On3’s Sooner Scoop.

“Me and coach BV [Brent Venables] did have that conversation,” Dillon Gabriel said. “He did offer up the ability to play in it. I wanted to and I believe in finishing what you start, but I just think it didn’t make sense in what the situation was of, man, just kind of the beginning of the new era and letting Jackson [Arnold] go play.”

Jackson Arnold was Dillon Gabriel’s backup quarterback this season. A five-star recruit, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, in the 2023 cycle, there are a lot of high expectations for his future in the sport. Now, he’s getting ready to start for the Sooners in a new era for the program.

“He did burn his redshirt and I think it’s only fair for him to be able to go do what he does because of that situation. But, also, when I played in the Florida State game, we had younger guys get their reps because the NFL guys opted out. So, to me, that’s where I think the bowl game’s kind of going as well as the portal lining up with that,” Gabriel said.

“So, I just believe it didn’t truly make the best sense and it would have been selfish of me to play in it.”

Dillon Gabriel explains decision to transfer to Oregon

Another aspect of Dillon Gabriel’s transfer was his decision to go to Oregon. That was a move that he also broke down.

Yeah, I think a lot went into the decision, and it happened really fast. You know I had full intentions on going to the NFL after this year and sat down and had meetings, and kind of got all my homework and wasn’t the draft grade that I thought it would be, and then also not getting into the Reese’s Senior Bowl, something that I feel like kind of gives you a clear path of trying to get drafted. The decision of coming back to play, I think it just made sense. I’m in a unique situation, having this one last year to go do this, you know with Coach BV and their program going in a younger direction. You know I actually played with a bunch of young guys that are very talented, and I believe that’s the new era, heading into the SEC. I think it was just a great conversation,” Gabriel said.

“I respect Coach BV so much. I love him to death. In terms of just being able to have a real conversation with him, when I did make that decision. Was able to just go over to his house and just talk through everything. But I just respect him a bunch, because we were able to have a mature conversation. Very truthful. I appreciate that. You know, having someone like that in my unique situation of having the extra year because of COVID, playing a bunch of football, he just understood it. I think that’s why we’re here today.”