Oklahoma HC Brent Venables Clears Narrative on QB Dillon Gabriel Leaving for Oregon
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Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables spoke at his weekly press conference on Tuesday and discussed his former quarterback, Dillion Gabriel.
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Venables cleared the air about why Gabriel left Oklahoma for Oregon this past offseason. Venables was blunt, saying the Heisman hopeful left Norman for Eugene because he wanted to be closer to home.
“You can’t make a guy stay,” Venables said. “The guy is trying to find the next thing; the next chapter for him. I’m sure there was probably some disappointment that (Gabriel) wasn’t more highly thought of in the NFL. He had an amazing year. He was a fantastic quarterback. But we didn’t run anybody off or things like that.”
While Venables shared his side of the story, Gabriel reportedly opted out and did not return to Oklahoma because then-offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby had taken the head coaching job at Mississippi State. Venables also thought Gabriel was not playing in the last game of the 2023 season because he was preparing for the NFL.
Head coach Brent Venables and running backs coach L’Damian Washington listen as tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley calls a play for quarterback Dillon Gabriel #8 of the Oklahoma Sooners against the Kansas Jayhawks in the final minute at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 52-42. Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables says they didn’t run off Dillion Gabriel and said he ‘can’t make a guy stay.’
(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Instead, he entered the transfer portal and wanted to play closer to his home state of Hawaii. Gabriel told his side of the story in a press conference in Oregon on Tuesday.
“Honestly it’s so far gone,” Gabriel said. “I just know God’s got me right where I need to be. I’ve got a smile on my face every day because I’m in Eugene, Oregon, around a bunch of great guys. Of course, those are guys that are my brothers for life and guys I’ve played with. Like I said, it’s people I still talk to on the team, players-wise. You focus on what you can control and that’s right where I’m at. Like I said, I’m happy. I know God put me right where I need to be and I think that’s all that needs to be said, honestly.”
The topic of Gabriel came up with Venables due to the poor quarterback play his team has experienced thus far through the 2024 season. The Sooners have been inconsistent at that position thus far, led by Jackson Arnold and Michael Hawkins Jr.
Gabriel is in his sixth college season, dating back to his time at UCF in 2019. In his college career, he has completed 1,129 of his 1,758 pass attempts for 15,779 yards, completed 64.2 percent of his passes, 131 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions in 53 career games.
Through three games as a Duck, he has completed 79 of his 94 passes for 914 yards, six touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
Gabriel recorded great stats for the Sooner, but he wants to take his game and team to the next level in 2024. The Ducks are ranked No. 8 as of Week 5, compared to the Sooners, who dropped six spots and are now ranked No. 21.
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For more NCAA updates, make sure to follow Newsweek Sports.
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