Ohio State had conversations with Dillon Gabriel about becoming its quarterback for the 2024 season before Will Howard transferred to OSU.
Gabriel was one of several quarterbacks Ohio State contacted after it decided to pursue a transfer quarterback this past winter, but the Oklahoma transfer chose to take his talents to Oregon instead.
While Gabriel didn’t want to get into detail about his conversations with other schools during his interview session at Big Ten Media Days on Thursday, he said he considered two other programs in addition to Oregon before announcing his commitment to the Ducks. One of those programs was Ohio State, and Gabriel said he had positive conversations with the Buckeyes.
“It was good,” Gabriel said. “I think with anything, throughout that process, it's just gaining information on one another. But I think the recruiting process is what it is, and I think everyone that was a quarterback in the portal was able to have conversations with different schools.”
While Gabriel committed to Oregon on Dec. 9, just five days after the transfer portal opened, Ohio State waited until January to take a commitment from Howard. The Buckeyes wanted to see how Devin Brown performed in the Cotton Bowl against Missouri in his first career start, which was cut short due to injury, before deciding whether it would add a transfer quarterback.
Asked whether that was a factor in his decision to commit to Oregon over Ohio State, Gabriel indicated that it was.
“I think going through my third recruiting process, I know it's a stressful time for anyone who's transferred. Although there's beauty in new beginnings and all that, everyone knows the stress and a lot that comes with it, whether it's the moving, the moving companies, the moving in, there's just a lot that comes with it,” said Gabriel, who previously transferred from UCF to Oklahoma in 2022. “So the faster you can make a decision and feel good about it, be decisive, then it allows you to act accordingly.”
Ultimately, Gabriel was sold Oregon was the right fit for him after making a visit to Eugene.
“The alignment of everything that I was looking for,” Gabriel said when asked why Oregon was the right fit for him. “Most importantly, right when I needed it, whether it's that conversation with Coach Lanning, I remember it like it was yesterday, and it wasn't necessarily a matter of if, it was just how we're going to get it done. And just now being at this point through seven months, everything we talked about has come to fruition. And he's been a man of his word. So we could talk about guys on the team, offensive fit, the whole nine, but I think the relationships, leading with my heart, I think that's never led me down the wrong path.”
Now, Gabriel will present perhaps the biggest threat to Ohio State’s Big Ten championship hopes rather than trying to lead the Buckeyes to a championship. Projected to be the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in multiple preseason polls and the preseason betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy at multiple sportsbooks, Gabriel will look to lead the Ducks to a win over the Buckeyes when Oregon hosts Ohio State at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 12 in a game that’s expected to have massive Big Ten title implications.
While Gabriel said he and his teammates are focused on living in the moment and winning their first five games before they host the Buckeyes, he said he’s expecting that game to be “electric” when it happens.
“I think it's going to be fun,” Gabriel said. “I know (Ohio State and Oregon have) played before in non-conference, but like I said, I think so many people look forward to those non-conference games and cool matchups, and you'd have to wait 10 years to make it happen, but now you get it more consistently. And I think fans, players, coaches, everyone involved in college football are looking forward to that kind of stuff.”
Gabriel and Howard never played against each other during their two years together in the Big 12 – Howard didn’t play in Kansas State’s 41-34 win over Oklahoma in 2022, while the Sooners and Wildcats didn’t face each other last season – but Gabriel got to know Howard this summer when they attended the Manning Passing Academy together. He thinks highly of Howard, who still has to earn Ohio State’s starting quarterback job in preseason camp but earned second-team All-Big 12 honors behind Gabriel last season.
“Extremely talented,” Gabriel said of Howard. “I think he does a great job of running the football and throwing the ball. Great command and has done a great job at K-State. It'll be exciting. Those are the types of matchups you look forward to when that week rolls around.”
