Dan Lanning’s big playoff dreams just hit the Titanic iceberg after a brutal loss to Ohio State. For the Buckeyes, it was sweet revenge, but for Oregon, it snapped their 13-game win streak—ouch. Certainly, this could serve as the driving force behind a potential comeback in the upcoming season. However, let’s face the truth: without players, there will be no victories. The Ducks are suffering a significant loss of talent, and their exceptional 5-star quarterback, Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, is now sidelined. Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that every sequel requires a captivating cliffhanger, doesn’t it?

Jaron Keawe has been in total confusion since the start of the season. So firstly he committed to Cal, then changed his mind, flipping to the Oregon Ducks, and now once again he is back with the Golden Bears. That’s a funny story in itself. But there is even a serious side of it that insider Dustin Hopkins breaks for us on On3 Recruits. “Obviously, they’ve got Dante Moore, they’ve got Novosad, they’ve got Luke Moga, and Akili also came and enrolled. So you’ve got healthy competition at Oregon, and I think he came in, saw that, and decided maybe it wasn’t for him,” he said. That’s a straight fact: teams with such a long list of QBs will obviously have some confusion, but isn’t Jaron allegedly going to start for the Ducks?

At least it seemed like that, as Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele was all in when he showed up for practice with the team. Moreover, he was out there, putting in work, even participating with the team in the Rose Bowl prep, and then out of nowhere, he went out. It almost seems like he got a taste of it, liked what he saw, and then moved on. Or maybe it’s just too competitive there with all those other quarterbacks.

Even Insider Hopkins highlighted the same thing, saying, “So, you know, you go to a school like Cal, where he potentially could end up now, and there’s a pretty clear path to being the starter there. If that’s what matters most to Jaron, then I don’t think anybody wishes him badly—like, that seems to be a better fit. Go do your thing, man.” 

See, this desperation to be the starting quarterback always makes players lose opportunities. It’s evident that even Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele feels the same. “I just felt that I wasn’t a main priority,” he said. Now doubt Jaron is a great player ranked eighth among overall singer-caller prospects of 2025. But putting all your hopes into a freshman is not that straightforward. Many programs are facing a similar situation, as even the Buffs brought in veteran Kaidon Salter to ensure freshman JuJu avoids issues—because experience truly matters. Now let’s see what’s next for Lanning’s Oregon Ducks.

What’s next for Dan Lanning’s team?

The Ducks are really feeling the heat right now. After losing their alleged starting quarterback, Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, head coach Dan Lanning is back in the QB hunt, and let’s be real, filling Dillon Gabriel’s shoes isn’t a walk in the park. Well, this dude is a powerhouse of strength and resilience and even a Heisman contender. So if not Jaron, who’s going to take his place? Well, now the list is down to Dante Moore, Austin Novosad, and Luke Moga to step up and take charge.

Looks like the QB battle’s about to get spicy. Well, right now, all signs point to Dante Moore stepping up and taking the reins. It’s no shocker, though, as this dude’s got serious experience after running the show as QB1 for the UCLA Bruins last year before making his move to Oregon. Now that’s what sets him apart, as his leadership and game knowledge give him a huge edge.

But let’s not sleep on Austin Novosad; the guy’s been grinding and showing big improvements. Then there’s Luke Moga’s relative inexperience; he’s more likely to be QB2 or even QB3 this season. The Ducks QB room’s heating up real quick.

Wait, let’s not forget the wildcard entry, and that’s 2025 signee Akili Smith Jr. Now even his presence in the team could shake things up big time and give the other three QBs a serious run for the position. But despite all this, Oregon’s offense is straight-up struggling. First, Jaron Keawe dipped out of the program, and now RB Ellish Bynum is entering the transfer portal. With playoff hopes gone, Dan Lanning’s struggling team faces a tough rebuild, needing top talent—a prospect that appears unlikely.