When Dillon Gabriel arrived at Oregon this year, he faced a tough decision.
Gabriel had worn No. 8 at Oklahoma before transferring for his sixth season. However, that number had special meaning at Oregon because it had been worn by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.
There were many similarities between the two quarterbacks: Both were dual-threat players who had earned many awards, as well as yards and touchdowns. They also both came from Hawaii and were shaped by the island culture.
Mariota had chosen the No. 8 because it represented the number of Hawaiian islands. His helmet’s facemask was also designed in the shape of 808, the area code of Hawaii.
So Gabriel decided to reach out to Mariota for permission. Mariota, who now plays for the NFL’s Washington Commanders, agreed.
Gabriel said, “You know, when you’re growing up and you have that kind of direct example, a guy from Hawaii, playing at a high level, at the DI level, and then you see him go to the NFL, it’s like you can see it, you can believe it.”
Gabriel has led the top-ranked Ducks (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) through an undefeated season and into the Big Ten title game on Saturday against No. 4 Penn State (11-1, 8-1) in Indianapolis.
Gabriel, who played his first three years at Central Florida before joining Oklahoma, became the NCAA’s all-time leader in total career touchdowns, with 183, including 149 passing, 33 rushing, and one receiving touchdown. He’s tied with former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix (now with the Denver Broncos) for the FBS record with 61 career starts.
Even though Gabriel has had an incredible career, he remains humble about his achievements. He said, “I think we’re in an interesting time that’s all about results. And so many people talk about the process but aren’t patient enough. I think if you look at my body of work, I’m a guy who’s eager and wants to get better but has had that time to develop and work in that way. I think you see it over time.”
As a Duck, Gabriel has thrown for 3,277 yards and 24 touchdowns in 12 games. He’s also rushed for seven more touchdowns.
Mariota played at Oregon for three years, throwing for 104 touchdowns and running for 29. He was Oregon’s quarterback in the 2014 season, the last time the Ducks played in the national championship game.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning said, “I mean, everybody would love to run out there with the experience that we have at quarterback right now. And I think that experience shows up consistently every Saturday for us. More than anything, just the ability for Dillon to be calm within the chaos that exists in a football game, and being a great decision-maker and understanding the scheme.”
The last time Oregon finished the regular season 12-0 was in 2010, when they played for the BCS national championship.
This season, Oregon had some big wins, including a 32-31 victory at home against Ohio State and a 38-17 win over Michigan at the Big House.
The Ducks finished the season with a 49-21 victory over rival Washington, finishing 9-0 in their first Big Ten season. Gabriel threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in that game.
Penn State reached the conference title game with a 44-7 victory over Maryland. They also benefited from Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan in Columbus.
Oregon and Penn State have only played each other once, in the 1995 Rose Bowl. Penn State, led by Joe Paterno, won that game 38-20.
The winner of this weekend’s game will earn a first-round bye in the expanded 12-team playoffs. Both teams are guaranteed a playoff spot, even if they lose.
On Tuesday, Gabriel was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.
Lanning praised Gabriel, saying, “He’s earned the trust and the admiration of all his teammates and the coaches around him. This guy prepares extremely hard. He is the calmest dude you’ve ever been around on the field, which is impressive, but I’m really proud of him and what he’s been able to do for this team.”
