Former Oklahoma, Mililani star Gabriel transfers to Oregon

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Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel runs for a a first down on Nov. 24.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel runs for a a first down on Nov. 24.

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Like another star quarterback from Hawaii once did, Dillon Gabriel will rock the No. 8 for the Oregon Ducks next season.

Gabriel, a former Oklahoma and UCF quarterback and All-State Offensive Player of the Year from Mililani in 2018, announced Saturday he is transferring to Oregon, where former Saint Louis star Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 while wearing jersey No. 8.

“MARCUS APPROVED! (eight ball emoji) #DIMETIME,” Gabriel wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Gabriel, who, according to on3.com, wears jersey No. 8 in honor of Mariota, was in the Heisman Trophy conversation most of this season until Oklahoma fell out of the playoff picture.

Gabriel directly follows another transfer QB in Bo Nix, who flourished for the Ducks after arriving from Auburn two seasons ago and was in New York on Saturday as one of the Heisman Trophy finalists.

Gabriel will be in his sixth season of college football. The left-hander is considered the top quarterback available in the transfer portal, with similar skill sets to Nix and Mariota.

Gabriel sits at No. 8 on the NCAA’s career list for passing yardage at 14,865, 24 yards behind Nix. He is 4,352 behind record-holder Case Keenum of Houston and 2,207 behind UH coach Timmy Chang, who is in second place with 17,072.

This past season, Gabriel passed for 3,660 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 69.3% completion percentage. He also rushed for 373 yards and 12 TDs. In Mariota’s Heisman Trophy-winning season, the current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback passed for 4,454 yards, 42 touchdowns and four interceptions with a 68.3% completion percentage. Mariota rushed for 770 yards and 15 TDs.

In his two seasons at Oklahoma, Gabriel threw for 6,828 yards and 55 touchdowns and ran for 18 scores. He played his first three seasons at UCF, passing for 70 touchdowns. He has already started 50 games in his college career and is within reach of the record for career starts. Nix has started 60 games, with the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl remaining on Jan. 1.

Other high-profile quarterbacks in the portal who are still uncommitted include Cameron Ward from Washington State; Kyle McCord from Ohio State; Riley Leonard from Duke; Will Howard from Kansas State; Tyler Van Dyke from Miami and Dante Moore from UCLA.

Gabriel is the son of Garrett Gabriel, the former University of Hawaii quarterback who authored two of the school’s biggest wins against then-rival BYU. One of those victories came against Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer. Oregon will open its 2024 season in Hawaii on Aug. 24.