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Oklahoma football: Dillon Gabriel will turn Sooners around in 2023

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) throws a pass against the Florida State Seminoles in the fourth quarter during the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) throws a pass against the Florida State Seminoles in the fourth quarter during the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports /
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Brent Venables’ first season in Norman didn’t go quite as planned. Lincoln Riley took Caleb Williams with him to USC after leaving Oklahoma football so the new head coach was tasked with finding his replacement.

It turns out, the quarterback position was the least of Oklahoma’s worries in 2022.

Actually, it was the defensive side of the ball that was the problem. The Sooners gave up over 460 yards per game and 30 points per game which made them one of the worst on that side of the ball in the country. Gabriel didn’t get much help.

Under the direction of the defensive-minded Venables, I think Oklahoma’s defense will improve quite a bit next season. Add in a quality defensive transfer class led by Jacob Lacey, Dasan McCullough, Reggie Pearson Jr., Trace Ford, Rondell Bothroyd, and Devon Sears along with the nation’s No. 6 recruiting class and Oklahoma has major turnaround potential.

The defense will be better and even if Gabriel replicates what he does in 2022, Oklahoma will be one of the best teams in the country.

Gabriel will lead Oklahoma football back to the top

It was weird seeing Oklahoma out of the Big 12 title race last season. Gabriel wasn’t at fault, passing for over 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for a career-best 315 yards and three scores. But he’s going to be the main part of the solution in 2023.

Surely, the Sooners will be much better defensively next year and that means the offense just has to do what it did in 2022 to get Oklahoma back to the top of the Big 12.

If Gabriel can pass for over 3,000 yards with 25-plus touchdowns again while being safe with the football (like he was in 2022), Oklahoma is going to be a problem.

We saw the Sooners finish 6-7 this past season after a Cheez-It Bowl loss to Florida State, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Oklahoma was one of the biggest turnaround stories in college football in 2023, led by Gabriel, his solid receiving corps, reloading backfield, and elite tight end group.

Oklahoma’s struggles will be short-lived.

Next. Way-too-early Top 25 projections for 2023. dark

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