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Oklahoma QB Named to Another Preseason Award Watch List

The Sooners' starting signal caller was named to yet another preseason award watch list on Tuesday morning.
Randall Sweet|
Oklahoma QB Named to Another Preseason Award Watch List
Oklahoma QB Named to Another Preseason Award Watch List

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Oklahoma Sooners

Dillon Gabriel, OU's incumbent starter at quarterback, was named to the Manning Award watch list on Tuesday.

The Manning Award is handed out annually to the "top quarterback in the country after bowls". 

The OU signal caller is joined on the watch list by Quinn Ewers, Spencer Rattler and Jalon Daniels, amongst others

Gabriel's nomination comes on the heels of a solid first season in Norman that saw the UCF transfer throw for 3,168 yards and 25 touchdowns with only six interceptions on the year. Gabriel added 315 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, but still finished 2022 with the lowest quarterback rating in his four-year college football career.

Still, Gabriel had a good season and looks poised to have an even better season during his second campaign with the Sooners. If the Mililani, HI, native is able to improve his stats and help lead Oklahoma to a few more wins in 2023, then he will likely be in the conversation for the Manning Award following bowl season. 

With a largely unproven group of wide receivers on OU's roster, Gabriel will need his offensive playmakers to get open and help give the veteran QB easy completions.

Gabriel will also need to stay healthy this year in order to have a shot at winning the award. As a redshirt junior last season, Gabriel missed one game with a concussion after taking a hit to the head against TCU.

In 2021, the left-handed QB broke his collarbone while playing for UCF, resulting in Gabriel playing only three games that season. 

With what appears to be an improved offensive line in front of the redshirt senior, Gabriel should be able to stay healthy, and have a productive season for the Sooners.

College Football Watch Lists

  • Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award (top player; Dillon Gabriel)
  • Tue., Aug 1: Outland Trophy (top lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player; Danny Stutsman)
  • Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award (kicker) and Ray Guy Award (punter; Luke Elzinga)
  • Thu., Aug. 3: Paul Hornung Award (all-purpose) and Wuerffel Trophy (citizenship; Ethan Downs)
  • Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award (tight end; Austin Stogner) and Rimington Trophy (center)
  • Mon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award (receiver)
  • Tue., Aug. 8: Davey O'Brien Award (quarterback; Dillon Gabriel)
  • Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award (running back; Jovantae Barnes)
  • Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award (linebacker; Danny Stutsman) and Jim Thorpe Award (defensive back)
  • Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award (top player; Dillon Gabriel)
  • Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award (defensive player; Ethan Downs)
  • Tuesday, Aug. 15: Manning Award (top quarterback, Dillon Gabriel), Lombardi Award (top lineman, Ethan Downs)

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall is a recruiting analyst and staff writer at AllSooners focusing primarily on OU Football and the recruiting trail. Working as a journalist, Randall has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and high school sports across the state. A 2022 University of Oklahoma graduate, Randall hails from Lubbock, TX. While in college, Sweet wrote for the OU Daily in addition to working with Sooner Sports Pad and OU Nightly. Following his time at OU, Sweet served as the Communications Coordinator at Visit Oklahoma City before leaving to join the team at AllSooners. The West Texas native has bylines in the Norman Transcript and is a Staff Writer for Inside the Thunder. Randall holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK. 

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