Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was a five-star recruit and a top prospect in the 2023 recruiting class who originally committed to UCLA.
As a freshman at UCLA, Moore was immediately thrown into the fire, starting nine games. He showed flashes of potential but also endured major growing pains, finishing with 11 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
After a difficult freshman season, Moore entered the transfer portal and committed to Oregon. In 2024, he backed up Dillon Gabriel, gaining valuable experience while learning from the future third-round NFL Draft pick who guided Oregon to a 13-1 season.
Now, after patiently waiting, Dante Moore has gotten his shot. And he has certainly made the most of it thus far.
Three games into the 2025 season, Moore has quickly established himself among the nation’s top quarterbacks, completing 78.1% of his passes for 657 yards, seven touchdowns, and just one interception.
As FOX Sports noted, Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning has given the former five star a lot of praise for his development as a quarterback:
“The work has made Dante different,” Lanning said. “I think about it myself, like what was I like as a coach when I started coaching? I wasn’t very good. … Things change over time. Dante’s a great example of someone who’s grown over time, learned how to prep and learned the answers to what defenses are doing.
Dan Lanning Explains What Sets Dante Moore Apart
Appearing on The Joel Klatt Show on FOX Sports, Dan Lanning highlighted just how much Moore has matured since his freshman year:
“I think you look at a guy his freshman year, it’s like, ‘OK, these protections are a little bit different. These packages are a little bit different.’ Now, you’re looking at a guy who is calm within the chaos and makes big moments seem small with the way he handles them.”
Led by Moore, Oregon’s offense has been nearly unstoppable this season, scoring touchdowns on 17 of their 22 drives so far this season. Through three games, the Ducks have outscored their opponents 162-30, an incredible start to the year.
Oregon Looks to Take Next Step
In just over three seasons at Oregon, Dan Lanning has built an insanely impressive 41-6 record. His run includes an 11-1 campaign in 2023 capped by a Pac-12 Championship appearance, followed by a historic 2024 season where the Ducks went 12-0, won the Big Ten title, and advanced to the Rose Bowl before falling to Ohio State.
Now, Lanning and the Ducks have their eyes set on a national championship.
After a rivalry game tomorrow afternoon against a struggling Oregon State team, the Ducks will travel to Happy Valley to play Penn State, a game many are calling the “Game of the Year”.
With a relatively favorable schedule following their matchup against Penn State, the Ducks are well-positioned to make a run toward the Big Ten Championship Game and ultimately contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
With Dante Moore at the helm, Oregon has the talent, the schedule, and the belief of its head coach to chase the program’s first national championship in nearly a decade. If the early weeks are any indication, the Ducks may finally be ready to take that next step.
Dan Lanning has made it crystal clear that he has complete confidence in his young quarterback.