Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Gabriel focus is wins, not records
But sophomore QB’s name found on school lists
Daunte Culpepper, Ryan Schneider, Blake Bortles and McKenzie Milton.
Four quarterbacks whose names dot the UCF football record books with their impressive accomplishments throughout their careers. Four quarterbacks whose performances are as much a part of the history of the Knights football program as the records they hold.
Dillon Gabriel is 17 games into his career as the latest UCF signalcaller, but the sophomore already has added his name alongside many of those players in the school record books. His performance Saturday in a 50-49 loss to Memphis statistically is the best in school history.
Gabriel was 35 of 49 passing for 601 yards with five touchdowns. He added 49 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
The 601 yards passing is a new school record, surpassing the previous high of 497 yards set by Schneider on Sept. 13, 2003. The 35 completions were a career high for Gabriel, tying Shane Willis (Oct. 8, 1988) for the third most in a game in school history.
The 93-yard touchdown pass to Ryan O’Keefe at the start of the fourth quarter also gave Gabriel the longest pass completion in school history, surpassing a 91-yard touchdown pass thrown by Bortles against Akron on Aug. 29, 2013.
It was also his third game with at least 400 yards passing this season, breaking a record previously held by Culpepper (2), Schneider (2) and Milton (2).
Gabriel’s performance isn’t shocking to anyone on the coaching staff.
“His approach every day, he’s so locked into every detail of what we’re trying to do,” UCF co-offensive coordinator Anthony Tucker said. “He’s so locked into his investment in playing that position and what that means for us. He’s seemingly improving every single day and every week.”
This season, Gabriel has completed nearly 65% (122 of 188) of passes for 1,756 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. He ranks fourth in the nation in points responsible for (94), behind Sam Ehlinger (Texas), Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) and Zach Wilson (BYU).
“He’s doing a great job of playing within the system and what we’re asking him to do,” UCF quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle said after the Tulsa game. “Getting us out of bad plays has been a huge part of what we’re asking him to do. ... It’s been big time for us so far.”