Oregon Season Ends for Dante Moore

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore will not play again this season.

Head coach Dan Lanning announced the decision on Monday, stating that the team does not expect Moore to return to the field. Moore has missed every game since September 26, when he suffered a concussion following a late hit to the head from USC linebacker Desman Stephens II.

Lanning said the staff gained clarity on the injury over the past week. He explained that while Moore would prefer to play, the medical decision does not rest with the player or the coach. "We can control the setting in practice where he's able to do things for us, but that's not always the case in the game," Lanning said. The coach emphasized that while the injury is serious, Moore is expected to make a full recovery.

Moore will remain at the team facility to support the defense. Lanning noted that the quarterback helps the scout team in practice, providing what Lanning called "one of the best scout team looks every single week." Before the injury, Moore completed 69.7 percent of his passes for 926 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception. In the 2025 season, he earned third-team All-Big Ten honors with 3,565 passing yards and 30 touchdowns.

The Ducks have struggled offensively since Moore left the lineup. The unit ranks among the weakest in the Big Ten while backups Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas share duty. Lanning said the team needs more consistency at the start of games. "We've been a really good quarterback room off the bench," he said. "We haven't been a very good quarterback room consistently at the start of games."

Oregon is 4-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The team travels to face No. 20 Northwestern on Saturday. Lanning said he has not discussed the 2027 outlook with Moore but acknowledged that the quarterback faces another decision when the current season ends.

Under NCAA rules, Moore can return to Oregon in 2027. He remains a projected first-round NFL Draft pick, though his stock has fluctuated due to the injury and a slow start to the year.