A big hole to fill at QB1 position this season, as Heisman Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel moved on after a stellar 2024 campaign. This leaves either Dante Moore or Austin Novosad to lead the Oregon Ducks. Anyways, in less than two weeks, coach Dan Lanning will have to name a starting man between the two. Euguene is preparing to have a new starting QB, RB and top receiver, plus a revamped offensive line and defense. That’s a lot of turnover for a program that still expects to contend in the Big Ten immediately.

When asked what he’s analyzing between the 2 passers, Dan Lanning didn’t shy away from painting a clear picture of his philosophy. To SI reporter Bri Amaranthus he explained, “Well, we got a competition at every position. I think that’s part of what makes our play special is there’s no expectation or thought that hey this is just the way it’s going to look. Ultimately each position we see who’s going to perform the best and if we have guys that are playing above the line winning football at multiple spots then maybe you see a couple different guys out there.” It’s a coach’s way of saying no one has this locked down, and every snap still matters.

On the specifics of the battle, Dan Lanning doubled down on what he values most. “At quarterback specifically we want guys to take care of the ball. We have enough talent around that that you don’t have to make every play yourself. Great decision makers that are able to make great throws and we have some guys that can do that.” That line says plenty. Oregon doesn’t need a hero. It needs a steward for an offense loaded with firepower. The Ducks’ blueprint is to lean on depth and explosiveness at the skill positions, but only if the quarterback avoids costly mistakes.

Many expected Dante Moore to seize control of the room by now. The former five-star, ranked No. 3 overall in the Class of 2023, transferred back to Oregon with the pedigree and the paycheck to suggest this was his job to lose. But so far, he hasn’t separated himself from Novosad, who by multiple reports has mounted a legitimate late push in camp. As ESPN’s Pete Thamel explained last week on The Pat McAfee Show,

“That’s the one thing that the quarterback can impact is the confidence of everybody on the field because a quarterback’s job is to get everybody around him to play better. I think that’s the expectation right now, as you look at Oregon, (Moore’s) obviously been in the program. They paid him a lot of money to be the backup last year. But it wouldn’t surprise me if we do see some real snaps from (backup) Austin Novosad this year.” For a fan base that assumed Moore was the heir, the suggestion of a platoon could be unsettling, or a necessary wake-up call.

It’s not just about the QBs, though. The Ducks’ offense is reshuffling everywhere. That puts even more pressure on them to serve as the glue. Complicating matters, prized transfer receiver Evan Stewart is working through injury, leaving the load to be carried by five-star freshman Dakorien Moore and a collection of younger targets. That’s asking a lot from a rookie, but Oregon believes in his ability to stretch defenses immediately. If Moore or Novosad can build chemistry with Dakorien quickly, it could be the accelerator this offense desperately needs. The challenge is obvious but not insurmountable.

Dan Lanning’s WR Room faces its defining test

Offensive drama may be stealing most of the spotlight in Eugene, but another wrinkle is a major hole at receiver. Star transfer Evan Stewart, the former Texas A&M standout who was expected to be Gabriel’s replacement’s top target, is sidelined for the foreseeable future. That leaves the Ducks in a tricky spot—waiting on a timeline, leaning on depth, and banking on young stars to accelerate their growth curve.

“He’s going to be down for a while,” Dan Lanning said. “I don’t want to put a timeline on Evan. I don’t know how long that’ll be, but he’s on the road to recovery and he’s done a lot for the Ducks. We love having him be a part of our team and hopefully at some point he can make an impact for us. But I don’t know exactly what that looks like.”

It’s the kind of blow that could derail a less talented roster. But Lanning sounded far from rattled. Instead, he turned to the glass-half-full outlook, challenging his locker room to treat Stewart’s absence as an opening. “I think we have a lot of guys that can play winning football. Evan had a huge role for us. So somebody’s going to get an opportunity. They’re going to have an opportunity to step up and make some plays. But I think we have a group that can do that.” Lanning sounds confident as he looks to line up all his ducks in a row for 2025.