Coaches have lauded sophomore Dillon Gabriel’s improvements from Year 1 to Year 2 as the quarterback of 14th-ranked Central Florida, but it is the Mililani High graduate’s own tenor of confidence that perhaps said it best Monday.

Gabriel was talking up Georgia Tech, the Knights’ Saturday season-opening opponent on national TV in a media conference, when he quickly and forcefully pivoted, adding, “We’re also a pretty damn good team, too.”

It was one of the most telling outward signs of how he has continually grown into the mantle of leadership over the intervening months.

Oddsmakers rate UCF as having the best chance of any non-Power 5 conference member of cracking the College Football Playoff this year and Gabriel’s emergence figures to have a lot to say about the Knights’ ability to, as he put it, “Prove what we’re all about.”

Gabriel quickly went from a lightly heralded freshman to the Knights’ starting quarterback in the second game of the 2019 season and guided UCF to a 10-3 finish.

The way he did it (3,653 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions), closing with a flourish to be named the offensive MVP of the Gasparilla Bowl, earned Gabriel national All-Freshman Team quarterback honors on several lists. Among them was Pro Football Focus, which said he graded out as the best in class across several categories.

Yet, as commendable as 10-3 was under the circumstances, UCF fans have come to demand a lot from a program that has gone 35-4 over the past three seasons.

“The expectations are never going to be higher outside of this building, we believe in what we’re doing and who we’ve got here,” head coach Josh Heupel said. “We don’t shake our head at a 10-win season. At the same time, our expectations are to win championships.”

After being denied CFP berths despite 12-0 records in 2017 and 2018, this shapes up as one of UCF’s best opportunities not only for its returning talent, but because the Pac-12 and Big Ten have, so far, yet to commit to playing this season.

And debuting Saturday at Georgia Tech, which knocked off Florida State last week, gives the Knights a stage to begin making an argument, one they were denied in 2017 when Hurricane Irma forced the cancellation of their game with the Yellowjackets.

UCF head coach Josh Heupel said, “(Gabriel) grew so much during the course of the (2019) season and continued that during the offseason. He has a better understanding and command of everything we’re asking him to do.”

Heupel said, “So much goes into playing that position, understanding defenses, recognizing them when you are playing with tempo, understanding how that (impacts) everything, where your weaknesses are…You could be changing plays from run to pass or changing a protection or understanding that you are hot. So many little things that he’s a lot better at that have a chance to make us a lot more efficient offensively.”

Gabriel said, “I think (all-around) I’m much more comfortable. I think being around the the guys for a whole year, or year and a half now, I just feel really good about the way we play together…it feels a lot different, you know, even with all this (COVID-19 era) uncertainty. I’m very confident in our guys and the team (that) we will do what we have to to finish this year.”

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.