Thinks progressed really quickly for Oklahoma’s quarterback room on Monday. Regardless of what Caleb Williams decides to do the Sooners will have a high profile quarterback at the helm of the offense. This is thanks to Monday evening’s announcement from former Central Florida quarterback Dillon Gabriel that he is transferring to OU.
Set to start classes on at UCLA today, Gabriel instead is heading to Norman to play for his former offensive coordinator. Jeff Lebby played a key role in Gabriel’s success at UCF where the Mililani, Hawai’i threw for over 8,000 yards and 70 touchdowns while also rushing for eight more scores.
Limited by injury in 2021, Gabriel only threw for 814 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Last month he announced his intentions to transfer to UCLA but in light of Caleb Williams’ announcement of entering the transfer portal he flipped from Westwood to Oklahoma.
There’s no clear indication as of what Williams will do but it’s hard to imagine that Dillon Gabriel would transfer in if the staff knew Williams would be back. This is more than an insurance policy for the Sooners. This is a move in a new direction and a plan to move forward without Caleb Williams. I’m not saying that Williams is definitely heading out from Norman, but I am saying that Lebby isn’t waiting around to find out. While Williams may ultimately possess an overall higher ceiling, Dillon Gabriel’s knowledge of Lebby’s offense, and three year’s of college experience, make him a great option to run the show for the next season or two.
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