Like everybody else, Dillon Gabriel is adjusting to a different way of life.
Back home in Hawaii, the UCF quarterback is doing what he can to stay football ready by remaining virtually engaged with coaches and teammates while keeping up a regular lifting, conditioning and throwing regimen.
On Friday afternoon, or morning for Gabriel given the six-hour time difference between Florida and Hawaii, the sophomore-to-be answered questions from reporters.
What has this experience been like for you?
"Luckily, I thank God that everyone here has been safe. I'm fortunate to have a weight room in my garage I can work out in and being able to get to a park to run, throw, etc. From that side, I'm fortunate enough to do all that so I can stay in shape and do what I've got to do. The meetings, waking up at 8 or 9, I'm used to it. I don't mind it. It gets my dad going. Everything has been good."
What's your daily routine? Do you have a set schedule most days? Wake up a certain time? Do workouts? What's a typical day like?
"Monday through Friday I've been waking up around 8 or 9. We'll have meetings for however long Zoom lets us, which is about 40 minutes. After that, I'll clean my room, get ready and go workout with my dad. Whether it's lifting, we try to run, throw. Whatever we can. During this time it's good to have structure. I try to have some structure in my life. For the most part, I've got all the tools to be able to do so, so it's been good."
The level of spring camp you were able to go through, how was that helpful and how much time do you think you'd need to get ready for football season?
"Fortunately we were able to get four (spring) practices in. That's more than some other teams, so I'm fortunate for that. At the same time, practices, I'd love to get those 15 in. Personally, maybe in the summer before our fall camp. I think that would be beneficial. Maybe six weeks on, take a break, then do six weeks again. That's what I'd think would be ideal. Just to get your body in shape. Not lifting shape, but football shape. I think that would be ideal."
How are you adjusting to doing these meetings virtually through Zoom? Everybody is having to adjust to this one, but for football it's a little bit different.
"To be honest, it's not a huge learning curve. We talk about the same stuff. It's just virtual. It's tough if internet lags out or that type of deal. For the most part, everybody has been in the meetings. It's been easy to set the times, watch film and get things done. It's just virtual. It's different, but at the same time we're learning just like everyone else is. I feel like we have a good plan for it."
The NFL Draft is coming up. I wanted to ask about Gabriel Davis. How special is he and what will he bring to an NFL team?
"I think Gabe is a next-level guy, obviously. He's a fighter. He's a competitor. He keeps going. For me, being able to see him right by me every day, how hard he works, there's nothing that can deny that. I think whoever gets him will get a player that will play for a while just because of how hard he works, how he takes care of his body, how much he's willing to learn. Even though he was the best, he was still learning. That says a lot. As a rookie, he'll have to learn, but he's open to everything. That's why I think he'll have a long career ahead of him."
Missing out on most of spring football, how do you make up for those practices, get in sync with everybody and if you have a season in August, get going again?
"You really can't do much (right now). You're playing everything by ear. We're still doing meetings... We're doing as much as we can... I think once we're able to get back up there, it'll be just fine."
With the time change back in Hawaii, how does that make things difficult for you? Outside of the number of hours you're limited to, how often do you keep in contact with your teammates socially?
"I talk to a guy a day at least. With this whole Facetime thing, what we're able to do with our phones, I'm able to talk to guys whenever I can. That's been good. The time change isn't that bad. Just maybe meeting times. At the same time, we're able to contact each other. Everything is fine. I try to look at the positive side of it. I'm able to have meetings. That's the bright side of it."
When you're not lifting, studying or talking to coaches, what do you do in your downtime?
"I've been staying outside in terms of my background. There's a forest right by my house. We go and explore, me and my buddy. I've been doing that. Spending quality family time. That's the main thing I've been doing."
Is there a level of frustration? I know you want to be back on campus and with your teammates, focused on an upcoming season. Is there frustration with all this going on right now?
"I was a little frustrated when the news broke that we had to go home. I felt we had such a great start in the first four days (of spring practice). I felt we were on another level in communicating and also competing wise. Defense was playing at a high level. Offense. We would be able to do things we're not used to doing. From that standpoint, I was super excited at the potential I think we could have reached. At a certain point, there's stuff we can't control and we can't control this one. I still have a lot of belief in our guys because we're so experience. A lot of guys have played a lot of football. Meetings and us working ourselves out, we'll have to do that until we can get back together."
You talked about being in shape and working out. What's the difference in being in shape and being in football-ready shape?
"I think when you're in shape you're lifting a lot of weight, running and not getting tired. Football shape, can you withstand a drive. Going the full field, being able to throw 50-60 balls a day. It's just different. Playing the game, you're going to take hits. You've got to get used to hitting somebody. It's different with the pads on and all that. I think from that standpoint, obviously football shape is a little different."
Now that you've had more time to reflect on your freshman season, did you have a favorite game or moment looking back on your first year at UCF?
"I think my favorite moment was running out for my first game in the Bounce House. I can't really put those type of feelings into words. It was so surreal. Something you dream of. Obviously when your dreams come true, it's different. That was definitely one of the best moments for me."
What would it take for you to feel comfortable to play? A lot of colleges are saying they don't want to have football unless students are back on campus.
"As long as we get back, football team wise. I love the game of football. I think it would be ideal for us to get more practices before fall camp. I think that would be good as well. For the most part, I'll just be grateful to play this season."
Has there been an impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Hawaii that you've seen firsthand?
"It's just different. Staying home, I'm really not used to. Seeing people wearing masks all the time. Seeing people going on walks. Never seen that many people going on walks. It's something we're not used to. Maybe it's the new normal, wearing masks and gloves. We're going to have a lot more people worried about being clean and sanitary."
When football does come back, there seems to be a likelihood it would come back with limited fans or perhaps no fans in the stands. Can you imagine what it would be like to play in that sort of atmosphere?
"Like I said, it would probably be different. We're used to playing in front of a bunch of fans. I don't know. I think it might be like a scrimmage. We'd have a scrimmage in the Bounce House during fall camp. That's how it would be. It would football, but kind of weird. The whole atmosphere makes the games more fun. I don't know."
I know you know people who had their spring seasons cut short. How much do you feel for those people?
"I feel bad. Your season... obviously the seniors I feel bad for. That was maybe their last season to get themselves drafted or whatever it may be. I feel bad because if it was my senior season I'd feel that way."
Coach Heupel says you can control what you can control. What can you control?
"I can control how hard I work every day. Whether it's in the weight room or at the park. Running. Getting myself in shape. I can watch a lot of film. I try to control a lot from that standpoint. At the same time, I'm a home body. This is nothing super new to me. I love being home. It's good being able to spend some family time."
Are you guys that watches shows, Netflix? Have you caught up on anything like that? If not, maybe video games? What's some of the fun stuff you're doing when not working?
"To be honest, I'm not a huge Netflix guy. I'm very impatient. If I have watch one, I have to watch them all. At that point, I don't watch them. Video games, I'm really not that good at them. I try. If I'm not winning, I get frustrated and I put it down. Go outside. I've been in the backyard a lot. I've got some tortoises. Just getting some things done for them. I've been in the forest a lot, doing my hiking with my buddy."
When you're on campus, you have a meal plan and a dietician. Now that you're at home, how do you stay healthy with nutrition?
"My brother, we joke about it. He's my nutritionist right now. He's been cooking for me. He usually does that in Orlando when he's there. He told me, 'You've got to shape up and continue to eat right.' He's been cooking for me. I got breakfast from him this morning. Monday through Friday, he's cooking. He said Saturday and Sunday I can eat a little bit of rice. A little bit of local food, but not too much."
