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Oklahoma football: Top 5 reasons Dillon Gabriel will be an All Big-12 QB in 2023

By Brandon Self

NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Dillon Gabriel #8 of the Oklahoma Sooners prepares for a game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 52-42. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Dillon Gabriel #8 of the Oklahoma Sooners prepares for a game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 52-42. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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Gabriel Will be More Mobile in 2023

Sep 17, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) runs for a touchdown past Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Isaac Gifford (23) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) runs for a touchdown past Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Isaac Gifford (23) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

When an offensive coordinator has his weekly gameplay meeting with his starting quarterback, they discuss the level of comfort the OC has with letting the quarterback improve running the ball. Lebby was obviously uncomfortable letting Gabriel run the ball in 2022 and for a good reason… there was no depth behind him.

Gabriel is obviously an athletic football player. His 315 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns in 2022 are proof of that. But I don’t think Gabriel even scratched the surface of his rushing capability in 2022 due to not being allowed to. How could Lebby be comfortable letting Gabriel run the ball when no competent quarterback was backing him up? Remember the Texas Wildcat offense?

Oklahoma Red Team’s Jackson Arnold (10) passes the ball during a spring scrimmage game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman Okla., on Saturday, April 22, 2023.Ou Spring
Oklahoma Red Team’s Jackson Arnold (10) passes the ball during a spring scrimmage game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman Okla., on Saturday, April 22, 2023.Ou Spring /

That’s different in 2023. Jackson Arnold is a starting-caliber quarterback. He will be a big reason for Gabriel’s increased rushing aggressiveness in 2023, making the Sooners’ offense much more potent. Anytime an offense has a true dual-threat quarterback, they force the defense to defend the QB run. This will allow the Sooners’ receivers to face more zone coverages and find holes in defenses. Gabriel’s run threat will also make the Sooners’ zone read game more effective by keeping backside defensive ends honest. More hat-on-hat frontside zone blockers will keep Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk’s yardage accumulation high, eventually leading to backside aggressiveness by closing defensive ends. When the backside ends start biting on zones, Gabriel will have tons of open field to run off zone reads.

I’d put Gabriel’s rushing yardage count over/under at 700 yards this season. Most of his yardage will come off improvised scrambles, with some built-in zone read pulls. The main point to remember is that his aggressiveness will not be stifled as much in 2023, leading to increased numbers, more yards, and more scoring opportunities. Lebby is much more comfortable with the QB depth now, translating to more Gabriel 61-yard ‘Nebraska-like’ TD runs.

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