DG rated by PFF #11

[Knight Strength]

Ranking CFB QBs by pro potential.

11. DILLON GABRIEL, UCF KNIGHTS
Year: Freshman

Gabriel is the highest-graded true freshman quarterback in the country this season. He has shown uncanny decision-making for a freshman, with only seven turnover-worthy plays. His long release and a UCF offense that saw almost all of his downfield targets be “go” balls will be points of concern going forward.

I feel like Heup will work on his release. It's interesting they say all of his targets being go balls is a point of concern.

https://www.pff.com/news/college-fo...e-football-bowl-quarterbacks-by-pro-potential

 

[clmssun]

Wouldn't it be nice to see see him throw some other deep routes?
.
One nitpick point: how can DG be "highest graded true freshman" at #11, when Sam Howell is #7?

 

[Stormthecourt?]

Wouldn't it be nice to see see him throw some other deep routes?
.
One nitpick point: how can DG be "highest graded true freshman" at #11, when Sam Howell is #7?

Maybe pro potential and highest graded are different things

 

[Poolside Knight]

 

[SCLSU Mud Dogs]

ffs

 

[80'sKnight]

"one of the best" does not mean "the best". There is a difference. So he comes in 2nd in fewest losses by true freshman, big deal.

 

[hendu1976fl]

"one of the best" does not mean "the best". There is a difference. So he comes in 2nd in fewest losses by true freshman, big deal.

I'll take the bait. Is that second fewest losses by a freshman in UCF history? What freshman finished 11-2 in their true freshman season?

Kid got much better in terms of pocket awareness and running the ball as the season wore on. Made some bad decisions at Tulsa but other than that, I got no complaints. I feel very good about DG going into next season.

 

[Shark19]

Very fidgity in the pocket, stares the primary read down, doesn't throw over the middle.....and Tre needs to have a book to read out there for as much as he gets ignored.

That said, he had a good season and a world of potential, and I'm curious to see how close he can get to a Milton-like transformation from Frosh to Sophomore.

 

[Knight_Light]

That said, he had a good season and a world of potential, and I'm curious to see how close he can get to a Milton-like transformation from Frosh to Sophomore.

Percentage wise... a leap like that would almost be impossible to do since Gabriel played so well as a true freshmen (compared to Milton's true Freshmen season).

Milton
194-336 (57.7%) for 1,983 yds (5.9 yds per attempt) 10 TDs and 7 INT's with 3 Rushing TDs.

Gabriel
236-399 (59.1%) for 3,653 yds (9.2 yds per attempt), 29 TDs & 7 INT's with 4 Rushing TDs.

 

[KnightRow]

Very fidgity in the pocket, stares the primary read down, doesn't throw over the middle.....and Tre needs to have a book to read out there for as much as he gets ignored.

He’s not staring the receiver down nearly as much (if at all) as it appears. A significant percentage of the plays that were run this year only had receivers
running routes on half the field-no need to look to the other side.

 

[Knight_Light]

He’s not staring the receiver down nearly as much (if at all) as it appears. A significant percentage of the plays that were run this year only had receivers
running routes on half the field-no need to look to the other side.

Yeah...he improved a lot as the season went on...including looking one side (seeing it covered) and then going to 2nd option on the other side).

Also, he fakes out some DBs by shifting his body from one side to another and unloading quickly.

 

[Poolside Knight]

ffs

View embedded media

Our fans snide comments towards DG is weird

 

[Tiemanster]

Our fans snide comments towards DG is weird

I just don't understand it. Some people haven't learned from the embarrassment that was our fans booing KZ as a freshman.

 

[SCKnight]

I just don't understand it. Some people haven't learned from the embarrassment that was our fans booing KZ as a freshman.

Some of our fans are just plain stubborn. They get something in their head like Heup should have played Wimbush or DJ was a better QB and despite the numbers, just will not let it go and admit that they were wrong. DG had a phenomenal year. Perfect? No. But for a true freshman just amazing. Made it look easy when it was not

 

[Knight Strength]

Some of our fans are just plain stubborn. They get something in their head like Heup should have played Wimbush or DJ was a better QB and despite the numbers, just will not let it go and admit that they were wrong. DG had a phenomenal year. Perfect? No. But for a true freshman just amazing. Made it look easy when it was not

I'm one who thinks we'd have a better record if BW started but don't take that to mean I booed Milton. I talked trash to the fans booing Milton and calling for Justin Holman at the Cure bowl. I acknowledge DG had a good season and he is the future but think BWs experience and running game would have got the team one or more more wins this season. I'm not being critical of any of our athletes.

 

[SCKnight]

I'm one who thinks we'd have a better record if BW started but don't take that to mean I booed Milton. I talked trash to the fans booing Milton and calling for Justin Holman at the Cure bowl. I acknowledge DG had a good season and he is the future but think BWs experience and running game would have got the team one or more more wins this season. I'm not being critical of any of our athletes.

For many of our fans it is not what you say, it is how you say it. We are an inexperienced fan base as well, who fails to recognize our limitations. I think if Heup sits DG for a series or two in the Pitt and Cinci games we win at least one of them. But we do not win either if he is not the starter. At no time did after the first game did I think BW was an option. DJ coming in off the bench would have been more appropriate. You have to think of the future and even if it might have won a game, in the end it is much more important to keep DG and DJ here for the long haul than it is to may be win one of those games.

 

[PhDee]

I think Gabriel improved a lot over the course of the season in terms of his progressions, pocket awareness, confidence, and mobility. I do think he has a lot to do in the off season, specifically improve his completion percentage

I'd like to see him turn his 59% into something in the upper 60's, this can be done by taking his same number of passing attempts per game, but flipping 2-3 incompletes into 2-3 completions each game

 

[MckenzieMilton10]

Some of our fans are just plain stubborn. They get something in their head like Heup should have played Wimbush or DJ was a better QB and despite the numbers, just will not let it go and admit that they were wrong. DG had a phenomenal year. Perfect? No. But for a true freshman just amazing. Made it look easy when it was not

These are fans who began watching UCF after 2017.

 

[PhDee]

Some of our fans are just plain stubborn. They get something in their head like Heup should have played Wimbush or DJ was a better QB and despite the numbers, just will not let it go and admit that they were wrong. DG had a phenomenal year. Perfect? No. But for a true freshman just amazing. Made it look easy when it was not

I don't think the numbers have anything to do with it and we don't have good numbers on Mack or Wimbush in a UCF offense, a few plays here and there are not enough numbers to make an interpretation...What fans believe is that Wimbush and Mack have tremendous ability running the ball and this ability can be very important to winning games

 

[Knight Strength]

If you're going to decide between DJ and BW, DJ wasn't an option until too far into the season.

Fully agree DG was the best option for long term success but should have put BW or DJ in for a series or two.

 

[Poolside Knight]

I think Gabriel improved a lot over the course of the season in terms of his progressions, pocket awareness, confidence, and mobility. I do think he has a lot to do in the off season, specifically improve his completion percentage

I'd like to see him turn his 59% into something in the upper 60's, this can be done by taking his same number of passing attempts per game, but flipping 2-3 incompletes into 2-3 completions each game

that can be accomplished if Jacob Harris is not w the 1s next season

 

[PhDee]

that can be accomplished if Jacob Harris is not w the 1s next season

He needs to practice end zone routes with maybe a barbed wire around the endzone

 

[Wings0fred]

If you're going to decide between DJ and BW, DJ wasn't an option until too far into the season.

Fully agree DG was the best option for long term success but should have put BW or DJ in for a series or two.

Good point about the Mack injury. There was no telling when he was actually healthy enough to play again.

And for BW starting, I recall rumors that BW didn’t want to play if he wasn’t starting - but that didn’t seem to make sense since he would come in on one or two plays a game.

personally, I think starting DG was the best call for the short- and long-term.

 

[Knight_Light]

Our fans snide comments towards DG is weird

Remember, most aren't even "fans"...probably "gamblers" who lost $$ betting on UCF.

 

[Stormthecourt?]

Remember, most aren't even "fans"...probably "gamblers" who lost $$ betting on UCF.

Gamblers should be more upset with JH than DG.

Although they should have learned 1/3 of the way through the season that we don’t score in the fourth quarter and live bet accordingly

 

[Knight_Light]

Gamblers should be more upset with JH than DG.

Although they should have learned 1/3 of the way through the season that we don’t score in the fourth quarter and live bet accordingly

Gamblers (especially when they lose) are sooo easy to spot. They have zero rational thought and the vent out against the world and target those who they think cost them money. (It was their own betting action that cost them the money).

 

[beelit47]

Percentage wise... a leap like that would almost be impossible to do since Gabriel played so well as a true freshmen (compared to Milton's true Freshmen season).

Milton
194-336 (57.7%) for 1,983 yds (5.9 yds per attempt) 10 TDs and 7 INT's with 3 Rushing TDs.

Gabriel
236-399 (59.1%) for 3,653 yds (9.2 yds per attempt), 29 TDs & 7 INT's with 4 Rushing TDs.

They were running slightly different offenses and gabriel had better weapons. But...that mfer is good! I hope milton can comeback next season. If we have a qb controversy between him and DG, we will be in great shape.