Dillon Gabriel: "You can't come out sleepwalking."

feel to finally G to be like to take the field here feels good I think everyone's excited um I think everyone around the country saying that but I think uh more than anything I think just playing against someone else um but also preparing and getting in that mode that's just a lot of fun that's why you play the game um but yeah it's been a blast it's been a blast every second so when the world has all the expectations of you you undoubtly have your own y all right so what are your own for this fight where it seems like no number that anybody comes up with by production by completion percentage by touchdowns by yards it's all going to be Outlander so what's what's your own yeah it's I keep it simple right and it's like find a way to win you know I don't care how we do it um what it takes um but just find a way to to get a w and be plus one you know on the scoreboard so um that'll be the mindset of course there's things you want to be better at within the game to help that um that you focus on but uh you know I I look at that as as a huge category um in my book of of you know getting the dove that's all that matters so you studied pring for this game what stands out about just their defense what are the challenges that they present yeah I think uh just they've done a really good job um you know past year uh and not only defensively but offensively so they're a really good team um and know how to win so I think that um comes with his challenges but also uh just a a team that that wants to win and come in and prove themselves you know I've been at a a lower program in in UCF and uh you know when you look forward to these kind of games um so I'm very aware that people come in and uh you know want to want to play their heart out for the game um but uh you know for me it's it's maximizing opportunity executing every day um and just focusing playto play that that'll help us how you make sure like this program on ATL hasn't overlooked an opponent in two years how do you how do you ensure that happens continues to happen yeah you can't come out sleep walking you know I think uh that happens uh from year to year you know people just come out sleep walking and um if you fall to that then you know you just you dig yourself in a hole so uh it's all about starting fast dominating the middle L and then finishing strong so um Clear Vision for that but uh got to get it going for sure what is about Dan you think that maybe does a good job of avoiding those issues with the team yeah uh not taking anyone lightly um like I said uh you got to go prove it you know every week and uh you know logo isn't going to save you nothing um it's it's all about what you do on the field um and we know that um but I think just as a program we're we're very uh clear on preparing and preparing as best as we can and uh going out there and executing you know it's a combination of those on on Saturday what's it been like for you to be able to sort of share the the benefits of the nil because you got with your teammates and obviously the headphones backing up minan everything else did you like that by the way you like the uh no I shoot I I love it you know that's that's part of it you know uh you got to bring people in on what you do you know as a like I say I always say this but as a person who touches the ball every every single play like you got to have trust and belief and and confidence in that person so um any way I can do that but just my teammates I love them to death and you know if we can do fun things like that let's do it so yeah I mean that's part of what you've talked about before with trying to you know build chemistry with these guys and friendships and everything how do you feel like that's gone now leading into this you know it's it's gone really good um you know I think with the eight months that we did have uh I think we maximized it um and just were around each other a bunch um but I think that in turn with you know going through practices and scrimmages and workouts you just build a lot of camaraderie and have a lot of respect for the people that uh kind of go through the same you know sweat and uh Blood Sweat and Tears so um I think within the eth month we definitely have gotten super close what kind of feedback did you get from your teammates when about getting those getting those beats oh they love it I mean Beats does it right you know what I mean the the design the whole thing and then little touch with the van you know we're going to try and plug that um cuz the van's been I don't know what about it it's just been killing it so for the people who love the van I guess let's more more van content tell Scott that so your teammates say that you like to change the song like every 30 seconds you get in the van Terence I'm oh gosh Pat also Pat also said it but what what's your lineup like what's the first song you go to I'm more of a categories guy so I like to build my music like an offense like families you know country we got you know some EDM sometimes to get people going hip hop R&B I call it one high school you know so that 2014 to 2019 era um just try to just try to mix it up you know I think uh if that tells you anything I I like to uh you know move from song to song move from you know play to play play Fast score a bunch of points listen to a bunch of songs you know you try to get as much as you can and the car ride you have what's the excitement level for you getting behind the Harley running out of the tunnel like is that started to hit you that it's game we you're GNA be doing that at oon Stadium yeah I mean I did in the spring game and I think that was just a little taste honestly but um it's just a lot more real you know something about you know as athletes when this week you know your body's just all of a sudden feeling good and and ready to go and you just kind of got an extra pep in your step um but I think you know when you run out there gosh this ball it's fun you know it's it's while you put all the work in so you can just go play free and have fun and uh I think what what better way to do it than here in Aon and with all my boys that you know we've been grinding together so um we'll put on a show for James and we'll make sure that we let this thing RI but um no I think I I feel really good about it I do and I think uh just as we execute and and keep that the focus you know through the ups and downs just having a clear level focus and and trying to create completions trying to score a bunch of points coach sign said after the second scrimmage that you wanted the quarterbacks just to get better at taking the easy money you feel like that's been a big Focus for the quarterbacks like leading up into game week and where do you feel like you guys are at with that now yeah I think that's that's a part of it you know I I think we learned that within scheme and you know we definitely were heavy on the front end um of install and uh continue to put in as much as we can that we felt was right but um when it comes to creating completions you got to take the easy money you know whether it's setting it up or um just going through your progressions and getting to where you need to and uh I think we've been really good at that of course as quarterbacks uh I think in our room we're aggressive um we throw it aggressive and want to play that way um so it's just a a balance right of being smart aggressive and and went to to push it down the field when to take the easy money when you're looking at their defense I know their top Corner comes from Weaver State but how much his film particular because as good as he is on special teams he also is really good on D I think he's got like five or six career as well yeah I think he's just played really well um and I think even you know one of their safeties just on the back end I think they've played a lot of ball and and uh have had production um and I think that just creates confidence um you know within their scheme but with within themselves as a player um but definitely you know I think as we get into it it's it's maximizing the matchups um and taking care of the football you know so that you know that doesn't happen when so much the spring and the offseason we talking about snaps and Pono just been like to build up that chemistry that same way with Charlie here these last couple of weeks to to be ready for either case on on Saturday yeah I think we've done a good job of of getting everyone snaps um and I think that's important you know in in having you know guys be able to you know go under Center and feel comfortable um but I think everyone's been really good I've shoot I get snaps at margus Harper I get snaps with I mean everyone should maybe even a little bit of Lombardi but uh it's it's just part of it it's CQ exchange and um as many people as you can get it with and get comfortable with then you can learn each other whether it's under Center or how they snap it um but they've they've done a good job of it how do you handle like outside expectations you're viewed as the Heisman favor of what do you do to to stay away from falling into thinking that's just going to happen yeah I I I've been not even within talks I've been at the top of the talks or everything in between um and I just realize that none of it matters you know and um I think just like people it's like what what do you have you done for me lately what kind of person have you been to me lately um and uh that's kind of what I pride myself on um you know you're only as good as your your last you know game or or practice or um performance so um that's what I'm focused on uh the rest will take care of itself and like I said I'm I'm so you know obsessed with just just winning like that's the main focus and goal and the rest will take care of itself so you guys have made it clear that you're excited to take the field um this weekend obviously but more you know specifically from a ex's and's Personnel perspective are you guys excited to kind of try things out and see what sticks against Idaho yeah I think uh it it all comes to game planning I think you're able to uh everyone's finding balance in in uh you know things that you've worked on throughout Camp uh things that you you game plan um and everything in between finding a mixture and balance but um yeah I think uh we'll go out there and and play ball and we'll definitely um put on a show that's that's why you know we play balls to to go score a bunch of points win games so