Anthony Wilson
Dillon Gabriel is a left-handed Bo Nix.
That may have sounded like an insult a few years ago, but after two impressive seasons at Oregon, Nix became a first-round NFL Draft selection by the Denver Broncos this spring. Whether that same fate awaits Gabriel is up for debate, but when it comes to the interests of Oregon, which makes the Big Ten this season, it shouldn’t matter.
There are many reasons why I believe the Ducks are the Big Ten newcomers best suited to compete for a title in their first season. Oddsmakers certainly agree with the idea; the Ducks are behind only Ohio State and ahead of three-time champion Michigan, when it comes to conference title odds. There is talent on the roster that has been accumulated over the years by Mario Cristobal and now Dan Lanning, and it includes depth along the lines of scrimmage. That was always important in the Big Ten, no matter which schools called the conference home.
Gabriel is another big reason.
The quarterback situation across the league is wide open. Ohio State brought in Will Howard from Kansas State, but he has not yet been named a starter. We have no idea who Michigan’s starting QB will be. Of the conference’s 18 teams, 15 will likely have a new starter at the position this season. Oregon is in the 15, but unlike the others, the new starter in Eugene has plenty of experience.
Gabriel was a member of the same 2019 recruiting class that included Nix (as well as other players like Spencer Rattler and Jayden Daniels), although Gabriel was much lower ranked and didn’t show up at UCF with the same enthusiasm that Nix had at Auburn. Now, five years and several stops later, Gabriel replaces Nix on an Oregon team with ambitious goals. It’s a great option because, like I said, Gabriel is essentially a left-handed version of Nix. Sure, there are some differences, but they pale in comparison to what the two have in common. Just check their career numbers.
|
Dillon Gabriel |
159.8 |
63.1 |
8.9 |
8.11 |
10.2 |
7.5 |
1.6 |
151 |
26 |
|
Bo Nix |
149.6 |
66.4 |
7.9 |
7.27 |
7.7 |
5.8 |
1.3 |
151 |
26 |
Having the same total number of touchdowns and interceptions is a fun coincidence, but overall, they are similar across the board. What about those areas where there is a considerable gap, such as tentative air yards? Well, look what happens to Gabriel’s numbers when you take away his time at UCF before he suffered a broken collarbone that cost him most of the 2021 season.
|
Gabriel in Oklahoma |
163.4 |
66.0 |
9.1 |
8.14 |
9.4 |
7.3 |
1.6 |
|
Nix in Oregon |
177.8 |
74.9 |
9.2 |
8.68 |
6.6 |
8.4 |
1.1 |
As you can see, Gabriel threw shorter passes with the Sooners than he did with the Knights, which leads to an area where I’m concerned about Gabriel matching Nix’s production with the Ducks. Like Gabriel at Oklahoma, Nix’s passes were shorter at Oregon than at Auburn. Unlike Gabriel, Nix did a better job completing passes downfield on the rare occasions he made those shots.
This has been my main concern regarding Gabriel since he suffered his collarbone injury. He never had a cannon to begin with, and the eye test suggests he’s lost some power in his throws since then. It will be interesting to see how this impacts him and the Ducks’ offense in 2024 as they hope to compete for a Big Ten title or an at-large roster spot. College football Pay.
Potential impact of allegations against James Franklin
Scott Lynch, former orthopedic consultant and director of athletics medicine at Penn State, is suing his former boss, Dr. Kevin Black, for wrongful termination; however, he is Lynch’s relationship with coach James Franklin it made headlines. A key component of Lynch’s testimony is that he refused to allow Franklin “to interfere with his medical treatment and return-to-play decisions.” Another former Penn State doctor, Dr. Pete Seidenberg, alleges he was pressured by Franklin and then-athletic director Sandy Barbour to disqualify a player after a suicide attempt to free up a scholarship.
I have no thoughts on the legal implications of this situation — it’s important to note that Franklin is not a defendant in the case — but in regards to Franklin’s position as Penn State’s coach, these lawsuits could have a significant impact regardless of the outcome. It always seems like Franklin is under pressure to win at Penn State, and now that there are 12 teams in the College Football Playoff, that pressure increases even more. It was one thing to fail to make the playoffs when Ohio State and Michigan were routinely on track to win the Big Ten, but now that there are open spots, Penn State is seen as one of the programs that can benefit the most from the expanded field.
But what if Penn State doesn’t reach the PCP in 2024? It’s not hard to imagine a scenario in which these lawsuits are used to help Penn State move on from Franklin while also possibly mitigating a takeover. Right or wrong, fair or foul, we’ve seen similar situations like this happen before.
New helmet alert
Illinois will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium this season with helmets from the program’s past. I’m a big fan of the star-numbered helmets, but seeing these helmets is a great reminder of how limited Illinois’ options are when it comes to uniforms.
Since the school is no longer allowed to use images of Native Americans, making the Block I logo interesting is practically an impossible task. When forced to work with something basic, wearing something like numbered helmets makes you unique as each player on the field will have a “different” helmet.
Say something nice about Ohio State
Last week, I spent an entire flight sitting next to an Ohio State fan named Dale, who recognized me from the Cover 3 Podcast. We spent much of the flight talking about the 2024 Buckeyes and “those cheaters” (Dale’s words, not mine) in Ann Arbor. Dale also told me I’m very negative about Ohio State on the podcast. I explained to him that if I’m negative, it’s only because I have higher expectations for the Buckeyes than they’ve achieved in recent years. Still, Dale asked me to say something nice about his Buckeyes when I had the opportunity. So, since Dale was a good guy, I’ll do it now.
For a group of delusional psychopaths, Ohio State fans are usually nice in person.
I hope that’s enough, Dale.
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