The Oregon Ducks got flowers laid on their proverbial coffins the last time they played a competitive game, at the Rose Bowl. That famous Pasadena sunrise became the backdrop to the sun setting on their season. But despite that blowout loss to Ohio State, HC Dan Lanning can take some solace from their season. If you offered the Oregon brass a B1G championship in year 1 post-realignment from the Pac-12, they probably would’ve snapped your hand off for it. The season, overall, was a success. But Lanning and his OC, Will Stein, can’t rest on their laurels. Starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel has moved on to the NFL, and they now need a successor. The QB1-elect, Dante Moore, has been solidifying his case in the off-season. But Oregon’s spring game has just thrown a spanner in the works.

Dante Moore’s path to being pencilled in atop the depth chart has been far from conventional. A 5-star recruit out of high school, he was initially committed to Oregon. However, he sensationally flipped to fellow West Coast dwellers, UCLA. Moore was actually the starter for the Bruins in the back half of his true freshman year. But he hit the portal and came to Oregon, which was odd enough. But he did this less than a fortnight after Dillon Gabriel also moved to Eugene. Moore inadvertently sat behind the uber-experienced Gabriel as the backup. Which was almost unprecedented, since he’d proven he could be a starter at a Power 4-level program already. So why take what was essentially a backward step? Alas, it seems like his time to spearhead the Ducks’ offense is finally here. Or is it?

The spring game was Dante Moore’s first real litmus test. On paper, he had the starting job secured. He has that 5-star repertoire, had bided his time in the QB room, and even become privy to the system and schematics. However, there’s never a dearth of talent at Oregon. Not in Nike’s backyard, not with the resources they possess in tandem with the coaching acumen on campus. Moore’s QB contemporary, Luke Moga, made waves in the spring game. He even won the Ducks Wire MVP. There’s a cautious optimism that the class of ‘24 recruit has thrown his name in the hat. Or, at the very least, give Dan Lanning some food for thought. Not ideal if you’re Dante Moore. It wasn’t just Oregon fans who were left impressed by Luke Moga. Even a neutral analyst reckons Moga will eat into Moore’s minutes. 

Jason Piacelli of the ROC Boys Football podcast is well and truly on the Luke Moga bandwagon. Breaking down Oregon’s spring game, he addressed the pivotal talking right off the bat- the QB battle that Dan Lanning has to pick a winner for. “You make no mistake about it, it’s a quarterback battle,” said Piacelli. Who acknowledged that Dante Moore will likely be the starter in week 1, but that he still may have to share reps with Luke Moga. Who, by all accounts, can move the chains with his legs better than any QB in that building?

“You talk about a player that [has taken] a massive step in the right direction… Luke Moga. We go back 12 months ago, we weren’t sure if this kid was going to stick at quarterback. Phenomenal athlete. [But] wasn’t the best thrower of the football. Yet, he’s taken that step,” said Jason Piacelli. For context, Moga came to Eugene as a 3-star recruit. An athletic specimen, but very raw. Piacelli proceeded to say, “Do I think Luke Moga is going to be QB1 in 2025? No. But are there ways you can use this kid in 2025 to enhance your offense? Because the way I look at it, you want the most gifted, pure athletes on this Oregon team. Which I don’t say lightly, because this Oregon team is full of good athletes.” So what did Luke Moga do to earn this praise?

While Dante Moore simmered along in Oregon’s spring game, Luke Moga exploded

Before the spring game even began, everyone in Autzen Stadium knew about Luke Moga’s rushing prowess. But what’s made things interesting, or concerning if you’re Dante Moore, is that he seems to have connected the dots in the passing game, too. Moga was airing that pigskin at a high clip. He threw just 13 passes, completing 6. But he still managed to conjure a whopping 112 yards. That’s almost 19 yards/play. Plus, Moga even had a house call to go with that yardage. A 56-yard bomb to Dillon Gresham down the middle. 6 very impactful passes, all things considered.

In addition, Luke Moga had two carries for 11 yards on the ground. But he did tease a chunk play in that aspect as well. To subvert the risk of injuries in spring games, plays are called dead the moment a defender lays hands on the carrier of the football. The whistle prevented Moga from making what would’ve been – under normal circumstances – a huge gain with his legs. 

Dante Moore may be leading the race, but the gulf has shrunk after this weekend. Dan Lanning, for one, wouldn’t mind that one bit. A healthy competition will only make each player strive for improvement. Iron sharpens iron. It does feel like this battle will not be cut and dry till fall rolls about. Moore needs to be wary of Moga’s threat, while also making sure there’s no animosity in the QB room.