As the Oregon Ducks enter a new era, they’ve got a new leader at quarterback. The Oregon football team is heading into the Big Ten in 2024 and at the most recent Big Ten Media Days, Ducks head coach Dan Lanning took the opportunity to highlight a key leader for the 2024 Oregon football team: Dillon Gabriel.
While Gabriel’s resume is extensive and the amount of success he’s had with both the UCF Knights and the Oklahoma Sooners is impressive, Lanning's praise for his quarterback went beyond Gabriel’s athletic abilities that will be displayed on the field. The Oregon football head coach also emphasized what Gabriel brings in terms of character and leadership.
"What's impressed me the most about Dillon is his ability to connect, not just in our program, but outside of our program,” Lanning explained.
Gabriel is new to Eugene, but he’s apparently been working hard to get plugged in with the Ducks and with the state of Oregon. As Lanning noted, the Ducks’ new quarterback has been pretty thorough in his approach to getting connected.
“Whether taking an offensive retreat and taking our players to different parts of Oregon to throw the ball around in fellowship, or having the managers over to his house to watch a fight or a meal. He's really done a great job of connecting quickly,” Lanning said about Gabriel.
Oregon football: Dan Lanning praises Dillon Gabriel's leadership at 2024 Big Ten Media Days
That ability to connect with those around him might just be important for the Ducks right now. As the Oregon football team migrates on into a new conference, Gabriel’s efforts to build relationships with those around him should make things a little smoother for everyone involved.
It’s one thing to deal with a brand new quarterback playing for your team. It’s another to deal with that while also having to account for playing in the Big Ten instead of the Pac-12.
But Ducks’ quarterback Dillon Gabriel has seemingly taken it upon himself to make the most of his opportunity at Oregon. Putting an emphasis on building chemistry as a team demonstrates Gabriel’s commitment to the Oregon Ducks football program and that’s encouraging to see.
A cohesive team is certainly a lot more enjoyable to be a part of than a dysfunctional one. And as the Oregon Ducks football team prepares to jump into the Big Ten, they’ve got a coach and a quarterback who seem to value cohesion.