Gabriel’s feet give ‘O’ added dimension
With his laser-like throws and pinpoint accuracy, UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel has drawn obvious comparisons to fellow Hawaii native and teammate McKenzie Milton. But while both players have left their marks on the school record books with their arms, Milton’s mobility was always a key difference in their games.
Gabriel entered his sophomore season, however, with greater confidence running the ball, giving the Knights another valuable offensive option.
“Dillon’s feet are a weapon for us,” said UCF coach Josh Heupel, who averaged 0.5 yards per carry during his playing career at Oklahoma. “From where he started a year ago and his comfort level and his understanding of how to play the game — when it’s the right time [to run] — those are all things that take time.”
Gabriel’s mobility was clearly on display during the team’s win over Georgia Tech Saturday.
During the second quarter
with UCF facing a third-and-6 on its 39-yard line, Gabriel took advantage of a designed quarterback run and raced 15 yards to the Georgia Tech 46-yard line. Three plays later, the Knights scored to push their lead to 21-7 over the Yellow Jackets.
Gabriel finished with eight carries for 30 yards and could have had more if not for two sacks.
“Any time I can run the football or extend plays for the team, I think it helps and keeps the defense honest,” Gabriel said of his mobility. “I’m glad I could help in that aspect of the game.”
Heupel praised Gabriel’s decision-making and comfort leaving the pocket.
“Part of that is in designed quarterback runs and part of that is reading the pressure on the edge and some of it’s in the pocket when it breaks down and when something’s not there, going and making a play,” Heupel said.
That wasn’t always the case for Gabriel, particularly last year when he took over the starting quarterback job as a true freshman the second week of the season.
During his first six games, Gabriel had 24 carries for -38 yards and a touchdown. His numbers improved during the second half of the season, during which he had 47 carries for 116 yards and three touchdowns, with 35 of those attempts coming in the final four games.
“When Dillon came here, what we’re doing is a little bit different in the run game than what he’s used to and he’s gotten progressively and progressively better with what we ask our quarterbacks to do in the run game,” UCF co-offensive coordinator Anthony Tucker said. “Your starting to see it at the midpoint last year with some of the read-option things that we do.
“He’s bigger, he’s stronger and he’s faster.”
Whether by design or necessity, Gabriel’s rushing numbers are much better on third down, when he’s gained 94 yards on 28 carries for a 3.4 yards per carry average through 14 games. Against the Yellow Jackets, he
scrambled three times on third downs resulting in two first downs.
“As a runner, Dillon’s gotten a lot better,” said running back Otis Anderson, who led the team in rushing with 88 yards Saturday. “He’s done a phenomenal job of pulling the ball in and making the right reads when it comes to running.”
Senior linebacker Eric Mitchell, who faces Gabriel daily on the practice field, isn’t surprised by the quarterback’s ability to run with the football.
“You never know when he’s going to pull it, so you’ve got to expect something great,” Mitchell said with a smile. “That’s something he’s been working on throughout fall camp and practice. So when I saw that against Georgia Tech, I know once he pulled the ball back, he had a lane to go.”
Gabriel did fumble the football deep in Georgia Tech territory during the fifth offensive possession of the game, costing the Knights a scoring opportunity. It was the seventh fumble of his career and third lost fumble.
“The running backs got on him and I don’t think that’s going to happen again,” Anderson said.
Tucker said the coaches preach ball security to all the players, including Gabriel, during practice, emphasizing keeping the ball tight to their chests.
“We haven’t had an issue over the last three years with ball security, but I hope that doesn’t change,” Tucker said.