UCLA transfer Dante Moore is making serious waves as Oregon’s starting quarterback this season. After an up-and-down freshman stint at UCLA marked by some struggles, Moore landed at Oregon and has quickly become the centrepiece of the Ducks’ explosive offense. Early this season, vs. Oklahoma State, Moore made a slick throw on the run, hitting freshman standout Dakorien Moore for a 37-yard TD that quickly went viral.

Even top analysts like Joel Klatt have Dante Moore in their top three quarterback rankings and see him as a legitimate Heisman threat. But all this dynamic success and buzz around Moore could have very well been UCLA’s story. Only if the Bruins had managed their NIL game better under Chip Kelly’s reign. UCLA’s racked up over $200 million in athletic department debt in the last few years. And that figure became a major problem in 2021 when NIL arrived. The real turning point that set all these dominoes falling started with the NCAA’s recent transfer rule overhaul.

The new legislation, approved in 2023, became fully active by the 2024-25 season. Now, college athletes like Moore can transfer multiple times and still play immediately. Now, as per multiple sources, Moore ended up getting less than half the NIL money he expected from UCLA, per multiple sources. And it’s the same case of Kamari Ramsey. Ramsey, a highly talented four-star safety out of Sierra Canyon, started his college career at UCLA in 2023. He logged solid numbers with 40 tackles, a couple of sacks, and some key pass breakups. But UCLA under Chip Kelly never quite got its NIL structure fully wired.

Meanwhile, USC dove into the NIL era, hiring top staff like GM Chad Bowden to guide players through the process. The same financial and developmental frustration applied to quarterback Dante Moore. And Moore chose UCLA over top programs like Ohio State and Oregon. Because he saw a path to becoming a star, not just on the field but in the eyes of NFL scouts. He even dismissed NIL concerns early on, letting his dad handle those deals while he focused on perfecting his game. But reality hit hard. UCLA’s NIL machinery was far from humming.

Plus, Moore watched peers at other schools, especially Oregon, step into both major roles and NIL opportunities seamlessly. Lastly, Moore’s initial faith in the Bruins faded, and by December 2023, he made the bold move to transfer. And Oregon, on the other hand, never had any such worries about NIL or finances. Well, thanks in large part to their all-time booster and Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Beyond just cash, Knight helped build one of the most sophisticated and well-funded NIL operations in college football, known as Division Street Collective. This collective offers athletes lucrative NIL deals tied to Nike endorsements and a strong support system. And Dante Moore has fully utilized these benefits since becoming Oregon’s quarterback.

It was not just about the money!

Get into the heart of the matter, and you’ll realize that NIL wasn’t the main player in Dante Moore’s move. And it wasn’t the deciding factor in his eventual return to Oregon either. Chip Kelly’s vision swept Moore up when he first committed to UCLA. He was a seasoned NFL and college coach known for developing elite quarterbacks. And then the coaching staff. Kenny Dillingham, the Ducks’ offensive coordinator who had a meaningful relationship with Moore, left for a head coaching job at Arizona State.

And NIL wasn’t something he prioritized then. But as the 2024 season unfolded at UCLA, it became clear things weren’t aligning perfectly for Moore. While UCLA was talented, it was still in a rebuilding phase under Kelly. Plus, the competition at quarterback is heating up, and offensive pieces are figuring out their puzzle. Moore picked Oregon after Dillon Gabriel transferred in from Oklahoma, locking in the Ducks’ QB plans for 2024 and beyond.

“(Gabriel) has been in college football for quite some time,” Moore said. “When I first got here, there was no cold shoulder, no bad blood at all. I’m just thankful to be around him. He’s taught me many things. I ask him many questions.” Plus, the type of attention he got was absolutely commendable. Moore leaned on the whole Oregon staff for his development. Lanning helped him read defenses, while receivers coach Junior Adams sharpened his timing by breaking down routes.