Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel acknowledges that there’s room for improvement after his debut, despite a solid performance for the No. 3 ranked team.
The sixth-year senior, who previously played for Oklahoma, showcased his skills by throwing for 380 yards and two touchdowns during a 24-14 victory against Idaho on Saturday.
Although Gabriel accounted for a significant portion of Oregon’s 487 total offensive yards, he expressed frustration with the outcome, which many expected to be a more dominant win in the team’s inaugural game as a Big Ten member.
“Stats are one thing, but we’re focused on winning,” he stated. “A win is a win, I will say that, but there’s a lot we need to improve on.”
As a Heisman hopeful this season, Gabriel had an impressive previous year, amassing 3,660 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, with only six interceptions. He also contributed 12 rushing touchdowns.
His first touchdown for the Ducks came on a 7-yard pass to Tez Johnson during Oregon’s opening drive.
However, the game wasn’t without challenges. Gabriel faced three sacks and managed just one touchdown pass while the Ducks held a 14-0 lead at halftime.
Idaho made a comeback in the third quarter, with Jack Layne connecting on a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jake Cox. After an Oregon field goal, Layne rushed for a 4-yard touchdown, narrowing the score to 17-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Gabriel responded by finding Johnson again, this time with a 12-yard touchdown pass that ultimately secured the victory for the Ducks.
In achieving this, Gabriel became the eighth player in FBS history to surpass 15,000 career passing yards.
“I think he’s a really intelligent player; he brings a lot of great leadership, calm, and poise in situations,” remarked Oregon coach Dan Lanning. “You saw a lot of that today, so I’m looking for opportunities to build on that and grow.”
Gabriel has stepped into the role previously held by Bo Nix, now the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos in the NFL. Nix led a dynamic Oregon offense that averaged 531.4 yards and 44.2 points per game, ranking second nationally in both categories.
“It was strenuous when it didn’t have to be,” Gabriel noted, hinting at the potential for improvement as the season progresses.
