247Sports sees Oklahoma’s QB room as one of the best in the nation
Most of Oklahoma’s 2023 hopes will rely on their defense’s ability to bounce back from a horrific 2022 season. They were in a transition year, learning a new defense brought over by then-first-year head coach Brent Venables.
While there’s a concern and noted apprehension about that side of the ball, offensively, the Sooners feel better about what they can accomplish. At the root of that belief is the quarterback room.
Dillon Gabriel returns to quarterback Oklahoma in his third season with Jeff Lebby as his offensive coordinator. Behind Gabriel, five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold prepares to be the backup and starter in 2024 as Oklahoma forges on to the SEC.
247Sports seems to believe in Oklahoma’s QB room as they ranked Oklahoma’s QB room sixth best for the 2023 season. Brad Crawford of 247Sports ranked the top seven QB rooms for the 2023 season and slotted Oklahoma sixth ahead of Oregon but behind the Tennessee Volunteers.
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby loves his situation at quarterback at a program that just seems to churn quality players at the position each and every year. Gabriel threw for 3,168 yards and 26 touchdowns last season after transferring from UCF, but the Sooners squandered that production with a wretched defense. He was pressed this spring by the five-star Arnold, who has mastered this scheme quickly. Insiders at Sooners Illustrated tell us there’s a chance the leash will be short on Gabriel and that Arnold is game-ready as a first-year player. Arnold, a product of Denton (Texas) Guyer, was ranked No. 10 nationally, No. 4 at quarterback and No. 1 in the state of Texas as a member of the Class of 2023. – Crawford, 247Sports
Gabriel is the unquestioned offense leader, but as Crawford suggests, Arnold’s talent is hard to deny. If Gabriel or the team struggles early, Arnold could get the nod to give Oklahoma a spark like Caleb Williams did a few years back.
Gabriel performed well en route to winning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and finished second in the Big 12 in passing yards per game (264.0).
Arnold has all the talent in the world but is very unseasoned. The early nonconference games will be pivotal for Oklahoma to win running away so that Arnold, the presumptive backup QB, can receive real game experience.
Gabriel’s most significant task this offseason is continuing to become more consistent with routine plays and opening his vision even more. There were times last season that Gabriel did leave meat on the bone, which he and Jeff Lebby will have to work on.
Nonetheless, Oklahoma is in good hands as a QB for next season. This Sooner offense will go where Doillon Gabriel takes it.
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