Oregon Football QB Dillon Gabriel and Coach Will….

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel and offensive coordinator Will Stein have a budding chemistry that is integral to Gabriel’s success in the 2024 college football season.

The working relationship between Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and offensive coordinator Will Stein is an underrated storyline of the 2024 Oregon Ducks football team.

On paper, the two relatively-newcomer Ducks appear to be a nearly perfect match. After the Oregon football spring game on Saturday, Gabriel raved about Stein.

“Great communication and great trust, and I think that is really the biggest thing with the quarterback and (offensive coordinators) relationship,” Gabriel said.

Stein is entering his second season with the Ducks. Prior to coming to Eugene in 2022, he was the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Stein’s coaching style is defined by his ability to develop dynamic quarterbacks and maximize offensive potential. For proof, consider the success of the Ducks and, specifically, Heisman Trophy Finalist, Bo Nix in Stein’s first year. The Ducks were ranked second nationally in offense and scoring. Stein ended the year as one of five finalists for the 2023 Broyles Award presented to the top assistant coach in college football.

Gabriel is in his first year with the Ducks. The 6-foot, 204-pound quarterback has started 49 games over his five-year career that includes stops at UCF and Oklahoma. His stats jump off the page… Gabriel boasts a 63.1 completion percentage for a total of 14,865 (!) passing yards with 125 touchdowns against just 26 interceptions.

Gabriel’s 49 career starts (in 50 total games) entering 2024 are just 12 behind the NCAA record for a quarterback of 61 set by former Duck Nix. Gabriel is also an early favorite for the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

How Gabriel and OC/quarterbacks coach Stein develop will be a key factor in Gabriel’s continued growth.

Gabriel added that “this is a great environment to walk into. Coach Stein is the main man, and I can’t thank him enough and how blessed I am to be coached by him, be pushed by him. He demands a lot but the connection we have is huge.”

First look at Gabriel in a Duck uniform at the spring game was encouraging. All eyes were on Gabriel as he finished 14-of-21 for 163 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also exhibited the patience and discipline he will need as the Ducks prepare for their inaugural season in the Big Ten.

The development of Gabriel will continue into the summer and then fall camp. Any comparison to former Duck Bo Nix is premature. Yet Duck fans should be encouraged by the initial returns—although the sample size is small. By all accounts, coach Stein and Gabriel are on the same page and that is what is tremendously important in the development of a new quarterback.

The Oregon football spring game was a success for Dan Lanning and a dream come true for Mat Kearney.

The Oregon football spring game was an electric affair in Eugene, Oregon. In Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s third spring game, he decided to switch it up and turn up the entertainment.

Lanning invited fans down to the field at Autzen Stadium after the game for a Mat Kearney concert. The Eugene native and fan-favorite artist is the singer of ‘Coming Home,’ a happy song that the Ducks play at the end of every first quarter.

Kearney “killed it,” according to Lanning who exclaimed that Saturday was an “epic day” on social media.

“What an honor. This was the thing I never dreamed could happen,” Kearney said on the Pac-12 broadcast. “I wrote this song and it’s been really amazing to see what it has become. I don’t get out here (to Eugene) as much as I would like because I live in Nashville but this is really special.

The 45-year-old Kearney grew up in Eugene and attended South Eugene High School. In a full circle moment, fans were overjoyed to attend his postgame concert. The reaction on social media looked like a great time.

In appreciation of the military, the spring game also was highlighted by a halftime tribute to Gold Star Families and in-game veteran recognitions. An F-15 flyover delighted fans. A postgame gift exchange between the Oregon football team and active duty military is sure to be memorable forever.

Oregon’s next game day isn’t until August 31st, when they host Idaho. It is a “stripe out game” and fans are encouraged to wear green if in an even section and yellow if in an odd section.