Dillon Gabriel posting career-best numbers heading into Texas showdown

NORMAN — Dillon Gabriel remembers last year’s Red River Rivalry very well.

The Sooner quarterback went through pregame warmups but ultimately couldn’t play due to an injury he suffered the previous week against TCU. Without Gabriel, the Sooners’ offense crumbled and Texas went on to win 49-0, the Longhorns’ largest margin of victory in the annual rivalry game.

Gabriel watched the first half from the sidelines as the Sooners struggled to generate offense.

“I think just being sidelined, being off the field, it’s just not fun,” Gabriel said after Saturday’s win over Iowa State. “I play the game because I love it. It's something I’m passionate about. You work so hard with a group of guys, and not being able to be on the field with them, it didn’t feel the best. I think you learn a lot from those moments as well, both as a player and as a group.”

Gabriel is relishing the opportunity to return to the Cotton Bowl on Saturday (11 a.m. ABC), this time as a player who can contribute on the field. But there’s one thing he learned from missing that Red River Rivalry and the struggles of last year.

He remembered how to have fun and play with confidence. That’s been evident in Gabriel’s play this season.

The Hawaii native has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country this season, leading the Sooners to a 5-0 record and a No. 12 ranking in the AP Poll. He ranks eighth nationally in passing yards per game (318.6), sixth in passing efficiency (189.4), fifth in completion percentage (75.2%) and tied for fourth in passing touchdowns (15). He’s also added 95 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Gabriel is simply playing at a different level compared to his start to last season.

That confidence was on display in the Sooners’ 50-20 win over Iowa State on Saturday, when Gabriel threw for 366 yards and scored five total touchdowns. He was particularly animated on his rushing touchdown in the first quarter, when he bulldozed a Cyclone defender on his way to the end zone.

“As we all know, when things are good and going good, it’s easy to be good,” Gabriel said. “We’ve seen the road of both sides, at least I have in my journey. I think you’ve gotta take this journey as long as you can go and continue to have fun with it. I think towards the end of the year last year, a big thing in my head (has been) continuing to have fun with this game. Although it was a rocky road, kinda going back to when you’re that little kid and just enjoying every second of it.

“I think I had lost it for a little bit, but when I flipped that switch and just started having fun, it allowed me to play free, have fun, play fast and then play with a free mind. I think that’s something that goes along with this whole journey. That’s something I’ll continue to do, kinda put that at the forefront of my offseason going into this year. So having fun is a big part of doing it.”

Gabriel’s teammates and coaches have noticed Gabriel’s increase in confidence.

“He's playing good in lots of ways,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “He's playing really good and leading with toughness. He's in a much different place as a leader and his confidence, just being here. All things considered, there's still 97 guys that are either in their first or second year here. He's a new guy. The way he has continued to develop, worked, led and played, I'm really, really proud of him.”

OU wide receiver Jayden Gibson has seen a change in him as a leader, too.

“I feel like he’s a really great guy at having everybody feel like they’re important,” Gibson said. “That’s a characteristic of a great team and a great quarterback. That’s the leader of the team. I go as he goes. I follow him. Every day I come up to him and say, ‘Hey man, throw me that ball man. Throw me that ball. I got you, bro. I trust you.’ As long as I got his trust I don’t worry about nothing else.”

It’s a good thing for Gabriel that he’s having fun and in a rhythm, because he’ll face easily the toughest test of this season this weekend in Dallas. The Longhorns rank eighth nationally in scoring defense (12.8 points per game), 10th nationally in total defense (290.8) and 30th in passing defense (196).

With both teams entering the game undefeated for the first time since 2011, Gabriel knows it’ll be a chaotic atmosphere, too. But like he has all season, he’s going to be focused on just having fun.

“This is something as a kid you want to be a part of,” Gabriel said. “...Just being in that environment, it's special. And not a lot of people get to do it. So I'm gonna embrace it and have fun with it.”