Dillon Gabriel, the current Oregon quarterback, is a graduate student in his sixth year of college football eligibility for the 2024 season.
Dillon Gabriel's Eligibility for the 2024 Season
Dillon Gabriel, who was announced on Tuesday as the 2024 Big Ten Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and the 2024 Big Ten Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year, is utilizing an additional year of eligibility for the 2024 college football season with the Oregon Ducks. This extended eligibility is a result of a combination of a medical redshirt year and the NCAA's COVID-19 pandemic waiver.
Gabriel's collegiate journey began in 2019, and his path to a sixth year demonstrates the complexities of college eligibility rules.
Career Timeline and Eligibility Progression
Here's a breakdown of Dillon Gabriel's college football career and how he arrived at his current graduate student status for the 2024 season:
| Year | School | Athletic Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | UCF | True Freshman | Played a full season. |
| 2020 | UCF | Sophomore | Played a full season; benefited from the NCAA's COVID-119 eligibility waiver. |
| 2021 | UCF | Redshirt Junior | Played only three games due to injury, qualifying for a medical redshirt. |
| 2022 | Oklahoma | Redshirt Junior | Transferred to Oklahoma. |
| 2023 | Oklahoma | Redshirt Senior | Played his final traditional year of eligibility. |
| 2024 | Oregon | Graduate Student | Utilized the additional year granted by the COVID-19 waiver. |
This trajectory means that by the 2024 season, Dillon Gabriel has completed his undergraduate degree and is continuing his athletic career as a graduate student, often referred to as a "super senior" due to the extended eligibility.
