Yahoo! Sports’ Caroline Fenton, Jason Fitz and Adam Breneman look ahead to Saturday night’s clash between two top-3 teams and if the Ducks quarterback has done enough this season. Hear the full conversation on College Football Power Hour and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
I watched that Oregon first half against Michigan State and it’s just not, it’s not right like the, the explosiveness isn’t right.
The timing isn’t right.
Dylan Gabriel is not right.
Like the number of times you just watch it and think Adam, man, everything’s a little out of pocket for this offense.
Everything’s a little out of pocket for this team.
It just, it shouldn’t have been that competitive for a half or Oregon is a much better team than Michigan State in every possible way and it took a little bit for them to pull away because they just couldn’t find rhythm.
Dylan Gabriel’s making a lot of boneheaded mistakes.
And frankly, I think most of us thought that he was gonna be this experienced quarterback that comes in with weapons he’s never had before.
And as a result, we get this dynamic offense and instead I feel like I’m watching a meh quarterback with really good players around him kind of playing me football like I, I thought this was gonna be the matchup of the year and right now I have a hard time not finding a double digit win for a state coming because I don’t trust Oregon.
It’s fair after watching the first half, but Oregon did what a lot of teams have failed to do and they did pull away in this game and, and ended up really dominating, dominating in the second half.
I see the issues with Dylan Gabriel and this offense right now they started slow in almost every game they’ve played.
But there have been a lot of bright spots for Dylan Dylan Gabriel.
He’s completing almost 80% of his passes.
There were two throws really in that fits that, that he wants back.
Now, both were in the red zone and both were interceptions, but both were really bad.
Like, dude, like there’s a difference between how did that get picked and know what the hell is he doing?
Like, there’s a difference.
Yes, both are on the quarterback and, and you can’t blame your receiver when you’re Dylan Gabriel in your, in your ninth year of college football.
You got to know better than that.
So Dylan Gabriel has to play better.
But the reason I, I have a hard time doubting or not believing that Oregon will find a way to have a great season.
I don’t know if they’ll beat Ohio State, but I believe in Dan Landing and Will Stein and Tas Le POY.
Most importantly, their defensive coordinator that Oregon defense was headhunting against Michigan State.
They can get pressure with four guys.
Their secondary is elite.
They have, they do so much unique, so many unique things, scheme wise that defense is really, really good and Dylan Gabriel doesn’t need to be Cam Ward.
He doesn’t like, he just needs into complete passes and not turn the football over.
He has the playmakers.
He’s completing 80 80% of his passes need to cut out the had of mistakes.
But I still see a path here with this Oregon team is, is one of the best in the country and it lives up to that number three ranking that they’re at right now.
Uh, it’s gonna be interesting to see how they play against, against Ohio State because now for Dylan Gabriel, like, you’ve had a great career, you go do it this season and you become one of the greatest of the last decade of college football, but now it’s, now it’s up to him.
