JD PicKell: Buying stock in Dillon Gabriel’s 2023 season

On3’s JD PicKell has high hopes for the Oklahoma Sooners as they enter their second season with head coach Brent Venables at the helm and Dillion Gabriel under center at quarterback. Gabriel is entering the fifth collegiate season of his career, and PicKell believes that 2023 could be his best one to date.

“I’m buying stock in Dillon Gabriel,” PicKell said. “I bought stock last year, I think I got pretty decent return on it, I’m buying even more stock on Dillon Gabriel in 2023 for a couple of reasons. And the first one being he’s gonna be more comfortable in 2023 given another season under (offensive coordinator) Jeff Lebby.”

PicKell thinks that the connection between Lebby and Gabriel is paramount, and the key to the Sooners’ offense reaching new heights this season.

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“Now for those of you keeping track at home, this will be his third year with Jeff Lebby. It ill be his fourth year with Jeff Lebby’s offense, because they ran it another year at UCF after Jeff Lebby left UCF. Any why’s this so important?” PicKell asked. “I cannot express to you how crucial it is that your quarterback and your offensive coordinator be on the same page, it’s like thinking with both sides of your brain when they’re on the same page.”

The Sooners’ offense has a strong foundation to build upon, as they ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 in yards per game (474.0) and rushing yards per game (219.4). In the conference, Gabriel only ranked behind TCU‘s Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan in passing yards and touchdowns in 2022, finishing 2022 with 3,168 yards in the air and 25 TDs.

“You’re able to know what your quarterback likes, what he doesn’t like,” PicKell explained. “Hey, we go up-tempo to call these plays for you because that’s your skillset and that’s what we talked about during our meetings and that’s what I know you like given our history together. Jeff Lebby and Dillon Gabriel have a lot of history, and that’s going to pay enormous dividends in 2023. I think it paid some dividends last year, but taking even another step to go in your third year.”

Gabriel has clear history with Lebby and his offensive system, and this upcoming season could be the one where that familiarity pays off in a big way. PicKell compared it to being in your third year of high school when figuring out your social life and academics finally begin to come together. Hopefully for Gabriel, in his third season in Lebby’s system, it can all click the same way.

“In theory, Dillon Gabriel is going into his junior year in this offense, not his junior year in college, he’s been around the block a time or two. But it’s his third year in Jeff Lebby’s scheme. I think this is the year where he really finds his groove in a new level and I think this is something that we just see the offense, again, astronomically just take off in a new way,” PicKell said.