Oregon’s playoff hopes were dashed in the Rose Bowl, Ohio State delivering the final blow. But Dan Lanning secured a Big Ten title in his first year—a result Oregon’s administration would likely have accepted gladly. Now, with Dillon Gabriel pursuing an NFL career, Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein are focusing on the quarterback competition. Dante Moore is taking most of the snaps, leading the offense, and solidifying his position as the starter. However, Luke Moga’s impressive speed and playmaking ability are shaking things up. Insiders are paying close attention to him. Oregon’s quarterback battle? Remains unsettled, but somebody’s about to grab the reins, fast.

Well, we all saw Luke Moga turning heads during Oregon’s annual spring game, emerging as the ultimate MVP player of the game. Yes, that’s right, this guy showed incredible pocket presence while completing 6 of 13 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown against a strong pass rush despite tackling with the drops by his receivers. Best part? When blitzes were thrown his way, Moga showed outstanding mobility. And now Locked on Ducks (Oregon) host Spencer McLaughlin applauds him for his speed, where with just six completions, he averaged an impressive 18.6 yards per play.

“He’s so fast. Like, if you were to go through and say who are the best athletes—speed, acceleration, you know, agility—I think Luke Moga would be top five on the team.” That’s not something Dante Moore would like to hear, right? However, that’s not the worst part. Spencer drawing a comparison between Luke Moga and Bo Nix is what will send shock waves to him. “I think Moga is faster and has a little bit more burst than Bo Nix, who can definitely run,” Spencer said. Now, we all know Bo Nix is one of the talented QBs of Oregon, and this comparison carries a lot of weight.

Look, after serving as backup for Dillon Gabriel, it’s Dante Moore’s time to shine. And it’s not like he isn’t fit for the QB1 job role. Even his spring performance caught many eyes. When he completed 12 out of 20 passes for 140 yards. Plus, his poise under pressure is a reflection of a leader. Even Dan Lanning has full faith in him. “Dante has all the ability in the world and has the arm talent,” Lanning said. “I’ve been really pleased with his intelligence to get us checked into a positive play. A lot of times playing football, it’s advantage offense, advantage defense based on the call. He’s done a great job of getting us in an advantage call. Whenever he sees a certain look, he is able to adjust and adapt to that.”

And on top of that, Coach Lanning also listed out some noticeable changes in Dante Moore from the time he transferred to Oregon from UCLA back in 2023. And that’s ‘leading by his voice’. During the spring session, Moore was taking charge of the team and leading the offense. So, he is already developing into a leader. That’s exactly what Lanning’s team needs right now. “The other piece I think is his poise. He’s calm and collected. He plays with a swagger out there, which I think you want to have in a quarterback. He’s done a really, really good job of that… He has a mentality right now about how he wants to go attack things,” Lanning said.

So, Dante Moore holds a strong chance to lead Oregon this year, but with Luke Moga’s increasing hype and excellent skills on the field, the race isn’t going to be that easy. However, Dan Lanning’s decision backs Moore up.

Dan Lanning’s $341,000 gamble

Oregon coach Dan Lanning isn’t bluffing. After Saturday’s spring game, he reaffirmed his decision—one that raised eyebrows—to skip the quarterback transfer portal. While other teams aggressively pursue experienced quarterbacks, Lanning remains committed to Dante Moore, investing heavily in him financially, developmentally, and strategically. “I like who we have on our roster. I like the guys that we’ve got right now.” Lanning said.

While that confidence may seem bold, Oregon’s bet on Moore is far more significant than a simple spring press conference suggests. In a closed-door meeting, the Ducks committed significant financial and strategic resources to their young quarterback. And now, they need it to pay off. That’s a $341,000 wager that puts a huge target on your quarterback before he even attempts a pass in Autzen as the starter. J.D. PicKell of On3 explains that the strategy behind the gamble is now apparent. “Oregon knows quarterbacks. Dan Lanning knows quarterbacks based on his track record, and they love Dante Moore,” PicKell said.

It’s worth noting that Moore’s involvement with the program wasn’t just about one recruitment; they sought him out again following his UCLA stint. That level of loyalty has a high price. “They’ve recruited him twice and then paid him to sit a year. You know how much you got to be in on a quarterback to pay them — I have to believe a pretty good sum of money — to watch somebody else play quarterback while you’re paying the starting quarterback as well on Dillon Gabriel? You got to like Dante Moore.” PicKell added.

Even Eugene’s supporters expect Moore to give in soon. “I would get used to this if I’m an Oregon fan. I would get used to seeing Dante Moore deal darts,” PicKell added. Plus, he even teased Heisman buzz on Dante Moore. “Kaiden Smith and I talking before the show, and Kay’s like, ‘You know what man, I wish you could bet someone being a Heisman finalist because right now I’d bet Dante Moore.’ And y’all to be real, I would. I would ask Kaiden whatever he’s putting down on that, and I would say, ‘Hey, go ahead and lump me into that. Let’s both go in on Dante Moore being a Heisman finalist because I think he’s going to be that good.’”

With Will Stein coordinating the offense and a wealth of talented players, Moore enters a system designed for success. However, high expectations mean high pressure—Moore now carries the weight of a $341,000 commitment.