Oregon QB Dante Moore dominated out for remainder of 2026 season

s quarterback e will miss the remainder of the season, coach Dan Lanning introduced Monday evening.

“I’m not anticipating him being again this season,” Lanning stated.

“Actually received readability for us this previous week, for him,” Lanning added. “And I feel if it had been as much as Dante in any form, manner, he would need to be on the market taking part in for the fellows. However, sadly, it’s probably not as much as Dante. It’s probably not as much as me. We will management the setting and apply the place he’s capable of do issues for us, however that’s not all the time the case within the sport.”

Lanning stated he expects Moore, who has run scout-team offense in apply, to completely get better.

“That hasn’t modified,” Lanning stated. “Positively really feel that manner, however for him to be on the market on the sector for us proper now, that’s not gonna occur.”

Lanning added that Moore would stay concerned with the crew.

“He’s nonetheless going to be an enormous a part of this crew and serving to us transfer ahead and discover alternatives for us to be higher,” Lanning stated.

The announcement comes days after the reeling Geese misplaced 21-10 at Illinois on Saturday within the third straight sport Moore missed whereas in concussion protocol.

Earlier than the Illinois sport, Moore informed The Oregonian/OregonLive that he felt good however didn’t know if he’d return this season and was taking it “sooner or later at a time.”

“That’s all I can do,” he stated.

He then started throwing passes on the sector in shorts and a sweatshirt.

Saturday’s loss all however knocked Oregon (4-3, 2-2 Huge Ten) out of the nationwide playoff image and led Lanning to fireside offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer on Sunday.

With out Moore, Oregon scored 42 factors over three video games and misplaced twice whereas rotating between backup quarterbacks Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas.

Moore was injured on Sept. 26 at USC whereas sliding to finish a 10-yard run to the USC 13-yard line. As Moore started to slip, Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II hit him within the head along with his shoulder.

Moore was taken off the sector in a cart and loaded into an ambulance.

Following Moore’s damage, Raiola entered the sport and led the Geese to a 41-27 win.

Moore entered the concussion protocol however returned to apply the next bye week.

Hypothesis was that Moore would return as soon as he cleared the protocols. However every subsequent availability report listed Moore as out.

On Oct. 10, Oregon misplaced 17-15 to UCLA, with Raiola struggling by three quarters earlier than being changed within the fourth quarter by Thomas.

Thomas began the next week in opposition to Nebraska, however he performed poorly earlier than Raiola entered the sport within the fourth quarter and led the Geese to a 17-14 comeback win.

Oregon’s reasonable nationwide playoff hopes remained alive at 4-2 — till the loss to Illinois.

At 4-3, the Geese should win their closing 5 video games to succeed in 9-3 and hope sufficient playoff contenders end with three losses so the Geese can obtain a berth.

If Moore enters the 2027 NFL Draft, his announcement will finish his temporary Geese profession, throughout which he led this system to considered one of its finest seasons.

Lanning stated he wasn’t positive what Moore’s plans had been after this season.

“That’s not honest for me to say or speculate,” Lanning stated. “Clearly, he’ll have a call once more on the finish of the season and what that appears like. I feel all of us can acknowledge that Dante is a superb participant and he’ll get a possibility to get drafted. However what that appears like sooner or later, I feel that’s a call for a later date. I don’t know the place his thoughts is at on that. We haven’t had a dialog. That’s not the place my focus is at. I don’t assume that’s the place his focus is at proper now. There’s a cause you get time to make that call afterward.”

Moore dedicated to Oregon in the summertime of 2022. Later, he flipped to UCLA in December of 2022 slightly than again up Geese quarterback Bo Nix in 2023.

That summer time, Moore discovered that his mom had been identified with most cancers, including to the strain he was feeling whereas making an attempt to carry out as a extremely touted freshman.

Moore had a tough freshman season at UCLA. His midseason struggles led Chip Kelly to bench Moore.

Following the season, Moore entered the switch portal and dedicated to the Geese in December 2023.

Moore transferred to Oregon to develop whereas backing up the crew’s new starter, Oklahoma switch Dillon Gabriel.

That plan paid off in 2025. Moore handed for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions whereas main the Geese to a 13-2 file and the playoff semifinals, the place they misplaced to eventual nationwide champion Indiana.

Moore, a projected first-round decide within the 2026 NFL Draft, returned to Oregon for his senior season to maintain bettering with a crew that returned eight defensive starters and was anticipated to contend for a nationwide championship.

Oregon entered the season ranked No. 2 — the best preseason rating in program historical past — and defeated Boise State, 34-27, within the opener.

Moore handed for a career-high 378 yards with three landing passes.

The season started to unravel the next week when the closely favored Geese misplaced 39-31 at Oklahoma State.

The next week, Oregon received 84-0 over Portland State. Subsequent got here the USC sport.

The Geese, who host No. 20 Northwestern (6-1, 3-1), may proceed to start out Raiola or flip to former four-star recruit Akili Smith Jr.

Likelihood is, Lanning will go along with whichever quarterback he believes can win video games.

Within the offseason, Oregon is predicted to hunt a quarterback within the switch portal. With excessive expectations at Oregon, Lanning possible received’t financial institution on Raiola or Smith because the starter in 2027.

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