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James Franklin breaks down biggest challenges that Dillon Gabriel presents

Untitled design (2)by: Sam Gillenwater12/05/24samdg_33
Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel
Troy Wayrynen | Imagn Images

Experience is everything when it comes to James Franklin’s evaluation of Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel.

Franklin broke down Gabriel’s game during his press conference on Wednesday ahead of the Big Ten Championship between Oregon and Penn State. He said what’s obvious to him about the Ducks’ quarterback is how composed he is on the field with this being his sixth season at the collegiate level.

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“For me, the thing that stands out about him? You know, it seems like he’s been playing college football for like the last ten years,” said Franklin. “He’s just so poised and relaxed. You watch him play. He just looks so relaxed. He looks so poised. You’re not going to give him a whole lot that he hasn’t seen before.

“He’s played a ton of football. You’ve got an experienced quarterback,” Franklin continued. “He looks very comfortable and relaxed and, because of that, he’s thrown for a very high percentage.”

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On Saturday in Indianapolis, Gabriel will break the NCAA record for quarterback starts, which Bo Nix set just last season while in Eugene. It will be the 61st of his career while at UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon. In that time, he has also put himself in the top-two of all-time passing yards and passing touchdowns and first all-time in total touchdowns. That’s with his lone season with the Ducks as Gabriel is posting a career-best in completion at 73.5% while throwing for 3,275 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Gabriel is then only that much more useful as the quarterback for an offense like they have at Oregon.

“He’s surrounded with really good talent. The running backs are really good, the tight end is really good player, the receivers are dynamic. So, you know, he’s put himself in really good situations,” noted Franklin. “The playcaller does a really good job of getting people in space.”

Gabriel will be the best quarterback that the Nittany Lions will have faced this season by far. A lot will now go into defending him this weekend in hopes of them winning in Indy.

“You very rarely ever see him get rattled, and he’s throwing to guys that can make plays for him. So, it’s a combination of skill, it’s a combination of scheme, and it’s a combination of the guys that he has around him plus experience,” said Franklin.