UCF football: 3 takeaways from season-opening win over Georgia Tech
By Riley Platt
3. Dillon Gabriel has serious Heisman potential
Taking over for the injured McKenzie Milton in 2019 as a true freshman was no easy task for Dillon Gabriel, but he never skipped a beat. There were certainly growing pains for the Hawaii native, but there was also a load of potential on display.
On Saturday, the sophomore quarterback had one of his best performances yet. Gabriel completed 27 of his 41 pass attempts, cashing in for four touchdowns. In total, he would amount for 417 yards on the day. While he did have some avoidable misses and an interception, it was still an incredible performance in the season opener.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t it a bit early to be designating someone as a Heisman contender? The answer to that is yes, it certainly is. However, if Gabriel can continue at this rate, we could certainly be hearing his name in Heisman talk towards the end of the season.
Any Heisman winner needs to have a supporting cast around him, and this is something that Dillon Gabriel does not lack. UCF may have lost star receiver Gabe Davis to the NFL, but there is a strong ‘next man up’ mentality in Orlando. He has a host of weapons, including receivers like Tre Nixon and Marlon Williams. The backfield is nothing to scoff at, as Gabriel also has speedsters Otis Anderson Jr. and Greg McCrae at his disposal.
One thing is for certain: UCF has a bona fide stud leading this team. Gabriel’s predecessor Milton should be able to return at some point this season, as it has been almost two years since he tore his ACL in 2018. This will certainly make things interesting as the decision of when and how to plug Milton back into the offense.
Nonetheless, don’t be surprised to hear Gabriel’s name in the running for the Heisman at the end of the season.