By : Izaiah Ortiz
(Photo/ Ben Lonergan-The Register-Guard)
Redemption on the Horizon
After an impressive yet bittersweet 2024 campaign—including a perfect regular season, a Big Ten Championship win, and a playoff loss to Ohio State—the Oregon Ducks are eager to build on their success and chase redemption in 2025. Coach Dan Lanning emphasizes growth, resilience, and internal competition, notably between quarterbacks Dante Moore and Austin Novosad.
Enter Dante Moore: Oregon’s New Signal-Caller
Dante Moore, a redshirt sophomore who transferred from UCLA, officially earned the starting quarterback role for Week 1. He edged out Austin Novosad, leveraging his experience and high ceiling. At UCLA, Moore displayed flashes of brilliance: over nine games in 2023, he threw for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns paired with nine interceptions.
At Oregon in 2024, he appeared sparingly—completing 7 of 8 passes for 49 yards—and comfortably redshirted while serving as Dillon Gabriel’s backup.
Dominant Debut vs. Montana State
Moore’s first start was nothing short of spectacular. He completed 18 of 23 passes for 213 yards, threw 3 touchdowns, and had zero interceptions in Oregon’s commanding 59–13 victory over Montana State.
Coach Lanning applauded Moore’s poise, decision-making, and ability to work through progressions—even in plays where the first read wasn’t available. Reflecting Moore’s composure, analyst Jake Butt of Big Ten Network even remarked that Moore could be a future top-10 NFL Draft pick.
Season Outlook: The Road Ahead
Oregon and Moore face their next test on September 6 against Oklahoma State at home. As of Monday, following the opener, Coach Lanning praised Moore’s strong debut and highlighted both his execution and leadership under center.