Saturday night marks the start of Dillon Gabriel's sixth season of college football at his third school.
The quarterback began his career at the University of Central Florida, where he played three years before transferring to the Sooners in Norman, Oklahoma.
In December, with one year of eligibility remaining, Gabriel committed to heading to the Pacific Northwest to play for the Oregon Ducks.
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University of Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws during the Oregon Ducks spring game at Autzen Stadium on April 27, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard/USA Today Network)
Gabriel threw for over 3,000 yards in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons and was 10-2 in 12 starts with the Sooners.
He'll be moving from the Big 12 Conference (Oklahoma is now in the SEC) to the Big 10 Conference (Oregon was in the Pac-12 last year) and is excited about the change.
“It's the third conference I'll play in, so I think it's cool in that sense. I've played in a lot of different places and I feel like that's what football is all about. I've had the privilege of playing in a lot of different cool environments and it's been really exciting. The more people there are, the more fun it is. It's going to be a lot of fun,” Gabriel told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
Gabriel said Oregon was the “perfect place” for him when he decided he wanted to take advantage of his extra year of eligibility.
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel speaks to the media during Big Ten Football Media Day at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Robert Godin/USA Today Sports)
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“It was the right place to be at the right time. I think college is a very special place. I think it's a critical time to become the player I want to be before the biggest job interview of my life, the NFL,” he said.
“If you ask someone if you can take this exam or take a job interview, you would want to gain as much knowledge and experience as you can before you take that job interview. So that's how I thought about it.”
“I want to win a national championship. I want to win at the highest level. So the competitive spirit in me wanted to achieve that too. It was a big decision, but from a player's standpoint, that's the decision I made.”
Sure, there were moments when Gabriel felt “uncomfortable” while camping, but that's what's so great about this journey.
“There's just so much to learn. I think a lot of people who transfer go to a coach they know so they know what to expect, but this was definitely a decision to try something new and grow despite the uncertainty,” Gabriel said.
“This offseason, I'm learning a new offense and I have a new coaching staff that I've never encountered before, but being uncomfortable leads to growth. I've learned a lot about myself and football from different perspectives. This is my sixth year in college, so I'm not stagnant, I'm consistent. It's new and I'm always learning, growing and improving.”
University of Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel walks onto the field during practice with the Ducks at Hatfield-Dowling Complex on Aug. 13, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard/USA Today Network)
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“I look at it as a big positive because I look at guys who have been at the same school for six years. They're set in their ways, they don't change or evolve. I don't look at it as a negative, but I do look at it as a lot of positives that came out of this offseason.”
The Ducks will take on Idaho on Saturday at 7:30 pm ET to kick off the Big Ten and the Dillon Gabriel era.
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