Dillon Gabriel reveals areas he's improved the most since arriving at Oregon

Dillon Gabriel is currently quarterbacking the top team in the country after leading Oregon to an undefeated start to the college football season. Joining the Ducks in the offseason for the final year in a college football journey that’s taken him coast to coast.

Oregon’s matchup against Illinois on Saturday will represent Gabriel’s 58th career start under center between his time in Eugene and as a member of Oklahoma and UCF. But even an old dog can learn new tricks, as Gabriel shared where he’s grown the most recently as a player in a conversation with On3’s J.D. PicKell on The Hard Count.

“I would say approach and I would say everything that’s off the field,” Gabriel said. “Not to say I haven’t continued trying to get better on the field, it’s just I think off the field is a true measure of a leader and being able to get guys around you to play to a certain level.”

Leadership is definitely hard to measure from the outside looking in, but can be seen from Gabriel in how he’s played a part in leading two of the biggest wins in the last two college football seasons. Combining for 771 total yards and five touchdowns between Oklahoma’s win over No. 3 Texas last season and Oregon’s victory against No. 2 Ohio State two week ago. Leading by example and getting the most out of his teammates in both moments.

“I was never a believer in being that leader by example, I think that’s just a good teammate and a good follower. But good leaders are able to be vocal and challenge others, make other people around them better. And when you walk into a room, it’s a completely different mindset knowing exactly what you got in front of you,” Gabriel explained.

Gabriel has thrown for 2,098 yards on a career-high 77% completion percentage so far this season with 19 total touchdowns. Taking care of business off the field so that the Ducks can play to the best of their abilities on Saturdays.

“So I think that was the biggest challenge for me coming in January, trying to build trust and belief in my teammates and a new guy in town, and I just took it day by day. And I think off the field, you got to build those relationships so you can be extremely demanding on the field and that’s why we do it,” Gabriel said. “That’s why we’re able to be so intense and challenge each other on the field is because all the built up time together off of it.”

Gabriel will look to continue leading the Ducks as they chase championship heights this season, tested once again this weekend when they host the No. 20 ranked Fighting Illini on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.