INDIA — In a perfect world, Dillon Gabriel would be Ohio State’s quarterback in 2024 if the two teams had been on the same schedule for the previous winter.
After two seasons at Oklahoma, the Big Ten Preseason Offensive Player of the Year went onto the web in pursuit of his third home in six seasons. He was not in the mood to search far and wide for a new place to call home. He was hoping for a rapid pace, but the Buckeyes had other ideas.
“I know it’s a stressful time for anyone who has transferred, having gone through my third recruiting process,” Gabriel remarked. “New beginnings and all that, even though they are beautiful, come with stress,” It might be the moving, the moving firms, or the moving in. It just comes with a lot of stuff. Your ability to act appropriately is facilitated by your ability to make decisions quickly, feel good about them, and be decisive.
OSU wanted to postpone making any choices regarding its quarterback room after losing Kyle McCord to the transfer portal. Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz were still there, and Air Noland, a five-star recruit for the 2024 class, made an impression in January. With Brown about to enter his third season, it hoped to use the Cotton Bowl to see what it had in him.
However, Brown suffered an injury during the first quarter of Ohio State’s 14-3 loss to Missouri, forcing the team to consider its alternatives. While Gabriel might not have been present, there was another player who had won a Big 12 championship with his club.
Following his departure from Kansas State, Will Howard had to decide whether to enter the NFL or improve his surroundings in order to raise his draft stock, which he estimated to be anywhere in the third to sixth round. He could wait to hear from the Buckeyes because January 15 was the deadline for declaring.
According to cleveland.com’s preseason Big Ten media poll, the top two Big Ten teams now include veteran Big 12 quarterbacks who are attempting to increase their draft value while increasing their chances of taking home a national championship.
Gabriel remarked, “College football is different because it’s new.” “However, I also believe that the NFL was a single league, and Peyton Manning transferred from the Indianapolis Colts to the Denver Broncos.” Though it was different, life went on. It will be easier for the athletes to transition to the next level if there are less differences between the NFL and college, whether it is in-helmet communication, tablets on the sideline, or some form of free agency.
In one of the most anticipated college football games, the two will square off on October 12. Depending on how the season unfolds, this might be the first of many meetings. Both the quarterback who waited on the Buckeyes and the one who was unable to do so will have the opportunity to demonstrate whether or not OSU made the proper decision in choosing their strategy.
Gabriel remarked, “He throws the ball and runs the football really well.” Excellent leader who has performed admirably at K-State. It will be thrilling. It’s the kinds of matches that you anticipate.
