Dillon Gabriel on playing for Dan Lanning: 'It's been refreshing'

Veteran college football quarterback and new Oregon QB1 Dillon Gabriel is already a huge fan of Ducks head coach Dan Lanning.

During a sit-down interview with Barstool Sports’ Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Gabriel was asked about the change in head coach that came with his transfer, and he says Lanning is just a real bright spot.

“It’s been refreshing I think. A young coach who gets it and is challenging us but also not demeaning, not saying I’ve had that experience in my time,” said Gabriel, who then noted Lanning’s mindset.

“I think it’s just been refreshing, you know. I think he’s very innovative in the way he thinks, whether it’s scheme or even just how we practice, what we do, how we do what we do. I think that’s very important, because a lot of people are doing the same things, but trying to find your edge. And I think that he’s done a really good job of that just within my four months of being here.”

Lanning, a little on the younger side among top football coaches, just brings an extra level of energy into the facility day in and day out, per Gabriel.

“I don’t want to swear but he’s got some (crap) to him,” said Gabriel of Lanning, and you can guess what he actually said. Apparently, the Oregon head coach is sometimes an active participant in team workouts.

“You got to you got to enjoy that and, you know, having a coach that’s willing to get get in there with you, whether it’s running, lifting, like, he’s sweating at practice, he’s in it.”

According to Dillon Gabriel, that’s the sort of thing players love to see out of their head coach.

“I feel like that is an empowering feeling knowing that your coach is being a part of what you’re doing. And yeah, not having levels of a hierarchy, I guess.”

By working out alongside the team at times, and refusing to be mean-hearted in his criticisms at players, Dan Lanning is building a program that players want to be apart of. His energy is just infectious and it’s rubbing off on leaders of the team like Dillon Gabriel.