EUGENE, Ore. — Following Oregon's recent victory, quarterback Dillon Gabriel took the time to assess the team's performance, emphasizing the need for continued improvement as the season progresses.

"Film review just shows you guys on Sunday," Gabriel said, acknowledging the areas that need work. "Yeah, just a lot to fix and a lot to clean up. But that's good things as well. Practice has been fiery, and it's been good. So, yeah, we needed that. We needed just to keep getting better.

Gabriel pointed out the importance of learning from both the positives and negatives of the game. "You look at the film, and you just keep diving into how we can improve," he said. Reflecting on the team’s performance, particularly in the passing game, Gabriel noted, "I thought in the pass game we did a good job of catching and just being efficient in the pass game, taking what they gave us."

Oregon’s ability to mix up formations was another highlight Gabriel mentioned. "I felt like, you know, we mixed up a lot of formations and stuff like that, which I think is very beneficial to what we want to do," he explained. However, he remained grounded, adding, "But, yeah, I think overall just a bunch to clean up."

The intensity of practice leading up to the game was not lost on Gabriel, who described it as "fiery." He said, "You go through camp, you go through a week of prep, and then now you're kind of getting into the thick of things of getting into the season. I just love seeing everyone compete through it."

As a leader on the team, Gabriel has taken on the responsibility of rallying his teammates. "Getting better, you know, and I think that's whatever the outcome, you know, the process of getting better and finding ways to improve," Gabriel stated. He underscored the importance of pushing one another: "Of course, pushing one another to be uncomfortable and get better and keep pushing, pressing."

When asked about the correctability of the issues they faced, Gabriel was optimistic. "For sure. I just think in general, it's a lot of things, you know, on offense is about execution and on defense is about being in the right spot at the right time," he said. Gabriel took accountability for the team's performance, saying, "It starts with me for sure. I'm the guy who snaps and gets us in the right looks and, you know, pushing the tempo or controlling it."

Addressing concerns about the offensive line and protection, Gabriel emphasized the importance of creativity and execution. "I think just being creative in what we do, and I think we did that," he said. Reflecting on a specific play, he mentioned, "We look back, like, on that first sack. Pat kind of chipped him right into an open B gap, and, you know, they took advantage of that."

Gabriel recognized the fans' expectations following the game, which many felt should have resulted in a more decisive victory. "I think there's a bunch of missed opportunities, you know, on our end that we didn't maximize," he admitted. He highlighted the importance of converting on crucial plays, saying, "Two fourth-down conversions that, you know, we should have been converting on."

The quarterback also discussed the impact of penalties and missed opportunities on the game’s outcome. "You talk about pre-snap penalties, and that's negatives within a drive that you just can't have," Gabriel said. He stressed the importance of staying ahead, both in play execution and in avoiding setbacks: "We want to create positive plays; you want to stay ahead."

In closing, Gabriel summed up the team’s focus moving forward. "That's the main message—how do we maximize the opportunities we get? Because it's going to be four to five, maybe six plays in a game that could be the difference. So why leave it up to chance?"

With a clear sense of purpose and determination, Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon Ducks are setting their sights on refining their game and making every opportunity count.