Oregon’s season has taken a hard turn, and Dan Lanning now has two major problems to address. One involves the QB the Ducks expected to lead a national championship push. The other concerns an offense that has struggled badly enough to cost its OC his job.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the QB news on X, sharing Dan Lanning’s assessment of Dante Moore’s chances of returning. He is not expected to play again this season. 

“I’m not anticipating him being back this season,” Dan Lanning said Monday.

The coach explained that Oregon had gained a clearer understanding of Dante Moore’s situation over the past week. Even if the QB wanted to get back on the field, that desire alone would not settle the matter.

“Really got clarity for us this past week, for him,” he added. “And I think if it were up to Dante in any shape, way, he would want to be out there playing for guys. But unfortunately, it’s not really up to Dante. It’s not really up to me.”

Dante Moore suffered a concussion against USC on Sept. 26 after taking a hit from LB Desman Stephens II while sliding at the end of a 10-yard run. He entered concussion protocol and returned to practice during Oregon’s bye week, raising expectations that his absence might be brief. But he remained sidelined through three consecutive games.

Managing a long-term injury to a starting QB is uncharted territory for Lanning in Eugene. Up until now, his teams had avoided losing their main passer for extended periods, leaving the staff without a clear blueprint for this kind of setback.

Before Oregon’s latest loss to Illinois, Dante Moore told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he felt good and said he was taking things “one day at a time.” That uncertainty has now given way to a much tougher outlook.

Oregon’s QB situation was already difficult enough. Then came Saturday’s 21-10 loss to the Fighting Illini, their second defeat in three games without Dante Moore. The Ducks managed just 42 points across those three contests while rotating between Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas. Dan Lanning responded by firing OC Drew Mehringer on Sunday. 

Jay Johnson, who had been listed as an assistant QBs coach and offensive analyst, will now direct the offense. Pete Thamel reported the change, noting his extensive background as an OC and play-caller. His previous stops include Southern Miss, Louisiana-Lafayette, Minnesota, Colorado, Michigan State, and Wyoming.

This mid-season move marks a rare step for Lanning, who had never fired an offensive coordinator during his time at Oregon. His previous coordinators left on their own terms for head coaching jobs, making this his first emergency shake-up on offense.

Johnson has spent more than two decades coaching QBs and coordinating offenses. He also worked at Georgia in 2017 and 2018, overlapping with Dan Lanning’s time on the Bulldogs’ staff. Oregon brought him aboard before the 2026 season to help its QB room. Now, he faces a far bigger assignment than originally planned.

Dante Moore returned to Oregon for his senior season despite projecting as a first-round NFL draft pick. The decision came with expectations of a serious championship run, particularly after he threw for a career-high 378 yards and three touchdowns in the season-opening win over Boise State. But a 39-31 loss at Oklahoma State the following week exposed early cracks.

Now, at 4-3 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play, Oregon has watched its playoff hopes take a major hit. Northwestern, ranked No. 20, now visits Eugene, giving Jay Johnson an immediate test and forcing Dan Lanning to find answers without his starting QB.