The 2024 season started on a high note for the Oregon Ducks. Dan Lanning’s boys made history with a 13-win season, but the national title dream fell short. Now, all eyes are on 2025—and their quarterback Dante Moore is generating serious hype. After all, he is preparing to take up the role as the full-time starter. While the CFB analyst shares his take on what the future holds for Moore, Lanning might be a bit panicked. The one to threaten him is Georgia Bulldogs QB Kirby Smart, who is stirring the pot as the Ducks go through tough times with their QB room.

Dante Moore has now got big shoes to fill. He will be taking over for Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel. The QB who led Lanning’s program to a Big Ten Championship and No.1 seed in the College Football Playoff. That too in his first and only season in Eugene. Woah! Now that must be too much for Moore. But he has already started the prep. Recently, a workout video has gone viral where Lanning’s QB is filmed working out with several receivers. So, does all this buzz mean Moore’s locked in as Oregon’s starter this season? Well, if it isn’t, here comes more assurance. On the Locked on Ducks (Oregon) podcast, analyst Spencer McLaughlin confirmed Moore’s fate: “Dante Moore likely to be the starter for Oregon.”

The former 5-star recruit and the No.1 QB in the 2023 class finished the 2024 campaign having gone 7 of 8 passing for 49 yards. He made four appearances against Oregon State, Michigan State, Washington, and at the Rose Bowl against Ohio State. McLaughlin stated that he is “cautiously optimistic” about Lanning’s QB. That’s because “he started at UCLA. It didn’t go super well.” He had spent only a year with the Bruins. During the short stint, he finished 114 of 213 passing for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. However, will he be able to change the picture in Lanning’s QB room? 

After all, by now there has been a tradition in the Ducks squad. Only veteran transfers get to hold the QB1 role. That has been the case with both Bo Nix and Gabriel. According to the analyst, there thus looms a big question. “Dante Moore is maybe the biggest question for Oregon. Is he the same guy he was that turned the ball over too much or is he now a completely new player?” Now this is not just the only dilemma that Lanning is facing. 

Dan Lanning hit with a QB exodus as Kirby Smart starts to haunt him more

There was a time when the Ducks could reap the sweet fruits of recruiting. Sadly, gone are those days. Now Lanning only gets to savor a bitter taste. Oregon lost their QB commit, Jonas Williams. Now where did he flip? No brownie points for guessing. He chose the USC Trojans. Now come on, what better option than to choose HC Lincoln Riley, who carries with himself the “quarterback whisperer” tag? However, this snub is nothing new for Lanning and Co.

At the beginning of the year, they lost the four-star Oregon quarterback signee Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who chose to take a plunge in the portal. Want to know the reason behind this flip? That’s where things start to get intense. In an ESPN interview, he said, “I just felt that I wasn’t a main priority [at Oregon].” So, he indirectly hinted at Dan Lanning getting head over heels for the 5-star QB Jared Curtis. But here too, the Oregon HC’s luck is likely to betray him. 

At the moment, Jared Curtis is gearing up for a summer tour. He has already planned his stops. But if anyone is going to rob away Dan Lanning’s chance to land the QB, it’s none other than Kirby Smart and Georgia. Already, there is a special place reserved for the Bulldogs in Curtis’ heart. As he stated, “My relationship with the coaches. Coach Bobo and (quarterbacks) coach (Montgomery VanGorder) most importantly. I think they’re a powerhouse and they have great coaches all around. They have the players up there and they’re very disciplined.” Can Lanning find the right fix to Oregon’s QB chaos?