Oklahoma football quarterback Dillon Gabriel is the Associated Press Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and one of seven Sooners named to the All-Big 12 Team for the 2022 season.
The AP All-Big 12 First Team includes OU offensive tackle Anton Harrison and punter Michael Turk. Five other OU players, including Gabriel, were second-team All-Big 12 selections. Named to the second team were QB Gabriel, OL Wanya Morris, RB Eric Gray, TE Brayden Willis and WR Marvin Mims.
Harrison started all 12 regular-season games for Oklahoma this year and was also a All-Big 12 First-Team selection by the conference coaches. Turk, also a first-team honoree by the Big 12 coaches, was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award and leads the Big 12 with an average of 46.7 yards per kick, which ranks third nationally.
Not surprisingly, six of the seven Oklahoma selections are offensive players. Turk was the lone outlier, picked for the first-team defensive unit. This is a telling statement of where the Sooners need the most improvement.
TCU led all Big 12 teams with 12 selections overall and seven on first-team offense (10 first-teamers and 2 on the second team). Texas placed eight overall (4 on first team and 4 on second team) followed by the Sooners with seven (two on first team, five on second team),
Gabriel, who was also the selection of the Big 12 head coaches as Offensive Player of the Year, leads the Big 12 in passing yards per game (265.9) and is second in total offense (293.2), pass efficiency (154.2) and yards per completion (13.5).
The Big 12 Coach of the Year, as selected by the AP voters, was Sonny Dykes of TCU, and his quarterback, Max Duggan, was the Offensive Player of the Year. Kansas State defensive lineman Felix Anudike-Uzomah was selected as Defensive Player of the Year.
Oklahoma has placed at least seven players on the AP’s All-Big 12 teams every season since 2014.