Dante Moore Forced Into Damage Control Over Partner in Crime as Dan Lanning Addresses Costly Oregon Mistake

Oregon’s season opener against Montana State went along expected lines. In simple terms, a rout. That’s what happens when an FCS team faces a B1G juggernaut. In their 59-13 victory, the Ducks led at the half by 38-3. That presented Dan Lanning the opportunity to give some snaps to his receivers. In total, Oregon fielded 10 pass catchers. Dante Moore looked in rhythm with a revamped offensive line, signaling optimism for the Big Ten schedule. But one wrong block by a promising true freshman WR has been the talk postgame, which has led Dante Moore to clarify the whole incident.

With 6:43 remaining on the third quarter clock, Dante Moore threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Gary Bryant Jr., which led to a misread play execution by true freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore. Dakorien pancake blocked the wrong defender instead of the one he was instructed to block on a wide receiver screen. But it still drove Montana State’s defense back 10 yards into the end zone, leading to the touchdown. Despite that, Dakorien celebrated the block, not knowing that he had blocked the wrong guy.

Dante Moore appeared in the post-game press conference and was asked about his thoughts on the play. The Oregon QB, without any hesitation, praised the true freshman WR and commended his willingness to bring out his 100%. “Yeah, he did block the wrong guy. It’s crazy how it happens, but I mean, at least he did it the right way. You basically want to get on the ground. He’s always had that toughness. We’ve always had that swag when my hands are on a defender that they’re not going to make the tackle, that I’m going to finish the play.” Even Dan Lanning gave his thoughts on the wrong play by Dakorien Moore.

Coach Lanning, despite the “wrong block,” praised the hard work that Dakorien Moore put in his plays and was “proud” of the job the WR did in that Montana State game. “I’m really proud of that play. He’s blocking the wrong guy, but he’s blocking his a-s off. That’s what’s exciting—we can make full-speed mistakes and still do an unbelievable job for our team,” said Lanning.In total, Dakorien Moore rushed for 17 yards on 2 carries and had 26 yards on three receptions, becoming an all-around threat. The big news is that the Moore-to-Moore connection has officially begun for the Ducks.

A consensus 5-star recruit and the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2025 class, Dakorien Moore’s commitment to Oregon was a huge coup for the team. Despite standing at 5’11” and 195 lbs, “don’t get fooled by his size,” as Dante Moore said. Because the guy can stretch the field in the vertical game and can make bigger plays despite his size. Dakorien’s performance and experience as a track and field athlete in high school bring out the explosiveness and athleticism Oregon would want. His 1,460-yard reception season in 2024 at his high school, averaging 19.7 yards per catch, is a testament to his ability. Now, about Oregon’s chances for the future, Dante Moore has a message!

Dante Moore calls his Oregon offense “unstoppable‘

Dante Moore had an impressive outing in Week 1. He passed for 213 yards, at a stellar 78.3% efficiency, for three touchdowns. The QB also proved pivotal in the ground game, rushing for 18 yards, including an 8-yard run for a first down. Not just that, we also saw Moore’s exceptional decision-making on a critical third-and-goal play. Moore opted to run out of bounds rather than force a risky pass, giving the team a field goal opportunity. Of course, all of this was against an FCS defense, but according to Moore, it has given the team a much-needed boost.

“We don’t want anybody jumping on the train later, you know, when things are going great. But overall, I feel like when we’re always a unit together and we care about each other in that room, we’re unstoppable…. We’re not thinking about whether we’re going to come out flat. We’re just thinking about how we’re going to attack as a whole unit when it comes to the first drive. And of course, on offense, you’re hoping you get the ball first because you want to make sure you score first and get the drives going,” said Moore.

Oregon is set to face Oklahoma State in Week 2, followed by Northwestern and Oregon State. All these games would still be relatively easy, and neither Dante Moore nor Dan Lanning will face any difficulties in overcoming this set of teams. The real test then comes in Week 5 against Penn State (on the road), followed by a challenge against Indiana. Both teams are ranked and are coming after an incredible 2024 season.