If there’s one thing that has been said about Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel since the day he arrived on campus a few months ago, it’s that he gets it.

He understands what it means to be the quarterback at the University of Oklahoma. He understands the responsibility, the accountability. If he needed a reminder, nothing better than last weekend.

The spring game was about ushering in a new era under first-year head coach Brent Venables, but it was also about welcoming back one of Norman’s favorite sons in Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield is the latest Heisman Trophy winner to now be etched in bronze with his statue being unveiled, joining fellow quarterbacks Jason White, Sam Bradford before him and Kyler Murray after him. Murray’s statue will be next at a to be determined date.

Will there be one down the road for Gabriel, the transfer from Central Florida, who is once again reunited with offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby?

“For me, it’s never been a goal of mine, right? It comes with the mindset of going to win a championship, going to be the best teammate and leading that locker room,” Gabriel said. “All those guys that won that award have been able to play at a very high level. Not necessarily for the Heisman, but just a high-quality person and teammate. So never been a goal of mine. But man, if it happens, it happens.”

If it happens, it happens, and he couldn’t have arrived in Norman with a better mindset. On and off the field, Gabriel has taken the reins of the program and made it his own.

Just another example was on display Saturday when Venables said Gabriel and wide receiver Marvin Mims spent the end of halftime cleaning up the locker room. It’s the standard. It’s the everything matters motto.

Every little thing.

“The past two years it’s been crazy, the quarterback situation,” Mims said. “For him, I think he’s just wired different mentally. He doesn’t care about the glitz and glamor or all of that stuff. I think that’s why we gel so well as a unit. He’s stepped up into a leadership role like that. There was no living up to the hype or anything like that. He just came here to handle business. That’s what we really needed after this last crazy year.”

The weekend was the first time Gabriel met Mayfield. Their stories clearly have some differences, but the transfer mindset, the work ethic, that remains the same.

If there’s something about Gabriel that Mayfield can see, it’s the leadership ability that Mayfield exhibited all three seasons he steered the Sooner ship.

“Just from our little bit of talking, he’s a great leader,” Mayfield said. “He knows how to get the best out of his guys and that’s something I relate to. My only words of advice would be the same thing I told Kyler: Be yourself. Don’t try to be anybody else. There’s no reason to.

“He had success at his other place and this is a great place for him to continue on and make that next step to the next level potentially and see where it goes from there. Just be himself. That’s more than enough.”

The spring game had Gabriel in a bit of a unique situation, playing quarterback for both sides. He ended up completing 19 of 28 passes for 250 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Gabriel threw the pick, and then immediately stayed in the game to be QB for the other side and responded with the touchdown pass to Mims.

Venables has preached a lot of things. Responding is absolutely one of them, and Gabriel showed he can do just that.

“I loved his command. Such a selfless guy,” Venables said. “The game's easy for him in so many ways. Good decision maker. Quick decision maker. Plays with great anticipation.

“Been really pleased from beginning to end with Dillon and where he is. And he's probably his own worst critic. Coach Lebby probably would be too. I'm looking at just his entire body, his leadership, his consistency and he's done a great job all spring.”

Consistent is another word teammates have used to describe Gabriel. It’s one reason why wide receiver Theo Wease said he’s not sure he can really evaluate the improvement of Gabriel from practice No. 1 to the spring game.

Gabriel is the same person every day and has come in with a top-notch attitude and backed it up with production.

The wind. The 75,360 fans for a spring game. It’s not everything, but it was another box to check as it pertains to Gabriel feeling at home in Norman.

“When you walk in that stadium and those guys are looking around and hear the chirping, they’re paying attention,” Venables said. “Some guys freeze up in those moments, there’s no doubt about it. He’s like a stealth bomber, man. Probably no surprise to many of us in this building but he’s like an assassin, he really is. He doesn’t let any circumstances affect him.”

The collarbone injury last year might have made people forget just how established Gabriel was in his first couple of years at UCF.

He’s winning the locker room, on and off the field. And with every passing day, you get the impression the spotlight isn’t too big for him. Everything that comes with being the quarterback at OU? It’s something Gabriel can handle.

“I’d say the man makes the brand,” Gabriel said. “There’s a lot of great people here. Lot of great human beings. Whether it’s players in the locker room, coaches, the support staff, man to all the people in the equipment and training room. They truly care about this university.

“And the people in the building, and likewise, you see, Sooner Nation, 75,000. People care about this place. Something I’ve realized is, this is special. I’ve played football a lot, been around football my entire life, but this is something that can’t be replicated.”