On a ‘just another Saturday’ on October 14, 2023, Oregon QB Dante Moore didn’t just have Oregon State to beat, but his personal demons, too. He was UCLA’s freshman QB1 then, had the playbook memorized, and dissecting an 84th-ranked passing defense should have been routine. But right from the first snap, then UCLA QB1 didn’t seem himself.

Those long-range passes felt heavier, every step in the pocket drained energy out of him, and simply remembering routes was like picturing a page out of an encyclopedia. Moore threw 3 interceptions, managed to complete just 42% of his passes, and was sacked 5 times. But just as analysts and fans alike were tearing off their predictions about the 5-star 2023 prodigy, only Moore knew about his mental state after his mother’s cancer diagnosis. That internal battle wasn’t something Moore spoke about publicly at the time. It only came into sharper focus later, when he wrote a letter to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.

“Early in my college career, I found myself struggling deeply: I was depressed,” Moore wrote, as shared exclusively with The Oregonian/OregonLive. “The pressure and expectations that come with playing quarterback at a high level felt overwhelming at 18. Around that same time, my mother was diagnosed with cancer.

“Watching her endure chemotherapy while I tried to stay focused on school and football challenged me mentally and emotionally. It was heavy in ways that are difficult to put into words.”

Moore’s mother, Jera Bohlen-Moore, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 during his first spring at UCLA, and Moore never felt ‘at ease’ with his game in that year.

Moore’s commitment to UCLA was as high-profile as it could be. He had flipped from Oregon to play for Chip Kelly’s UCLA, and the pressure was immense. Never mind that the 18-year-old had UCLA QBs Ethan Garbers and Collin Schlee breathing down his neck for the QB1 spot. And amid navigating his mother’s cancer diagnosis, everything felt overwhelming for Dante Moore.

Although Dante and his siblings were raised by his single father, Otha Moore, he still cherished a deep bond with his mother, Jena. In truth, Moore might have gotten his sporting instincts from his mother, who is still the fourth-leading scorer for Logan High School’s basketball team in Ohio. That bond remained intact, and Moore had regular, cheerful voice conversations with his mom. But one odd day, Jena’s text message brought only worry.

“My mom usually texts with her voice. So when I was reading the message, it was a long paragraph, and then she sent another message, and she was like, ‘I have cancer,’ Moore said. “And it said cancer, as she spelled it wrong, and I was just praying like she didn’t mean what she meant to say. She corrected the spelling and said she has cancer.” Upon reading the message, Dante dropped the phone, and tears started rolling down his cheeks.

But his mother’s cancer wasn’t the only setback Moore faced. His performance at Oregon State was his last as UCLA’s QB1. The 18-year-old QB lost his starting spot and featured the rest of the season sporadically. But during that time, his friends, teammates, and family rallied around him, and he got ample resources to get better. In his words, it’s not easy for a “young Black man” to reach out for help, and it felt like “climbing an uphill battle.” But Moore persisted and finally beat his demons.

In the summer of 2024, Moore’s mother was declared cancer-free, and ever since then, he has advocated for cancer awareness and mental health. The former UCLA QB1 transferred to the same Eugene program he once ditched in 2023 and humbly waited behind Dillon Gabriel for his turn. He didn’t get it in 2024, but that one-year break made him one of the best QBs in the country. Most of all, a more humble human being.

That advocacy found a more formal voice in Oregon. Moore used his platform to push for expanded access to mental health services, particularly virtual care, something he said directly impacted his own recovery. “These are not just statistics; they are frightening realities,” he wrote, pointing to the growing mental health crisis among young people and athletes alike.

Dante Moore uses his powerful story for a noble deed in Oregon

Coming to Oregon, questions around his setbacks at UCLA were echoing from every corner. After all, Moore had totaled just 53.5% completion rate for 1,610 yards and threw a whopping 9 interceptions doing that. Despite that, in that one-year break as QB2 at Oregon, then Oregon OC, Will Stein saw something not many were ready to see in Dante Moore.

Stein watched Moore’s tape, not for his interceptions, incompletions, or sacks. The Oregon OC quickly recognized the weak set of players around Moore and his status as a true freshman at UCLA. All Stein saw was Moore’s talent as a QB, and when he focused on that, Moore became a legit Heisman contender. “What I saw when I turned on the tape, like, ‘wow’ throws,” Stein said.

That reset, away from immediate expectations, allowed Moore to rebuild both his mechanics and his mindset, something his current head coach, Dan Lanning, understood as well, given his own family’s experience with cancer.

Now an accomplished QB, Dante Moore is a legit Heisman favorite this year. He also had a last laugh against Oregon State last year, passing at 76.2% accuracy for 266 yards, zero interceptions, as Oregon pummeled the Beavers 69-3. Off the field, he is involved in nobler deeds. His story about his mental health battles was a part of his letter to Oregon’s governor.

“Leadership is not just about what we do on Saturdays, it is about who we stand up for every day,” Moore wrote. “Learning how to care for my own mental health made me a better leader, teammate, and student.  I know what it feels like to struggle in silence. I also know what it feels like to be supported and to come back stronger. That support saved me.”

Moore has urged in his letter for comprehensive mental health coverage for athletes and increased access to such services in the state. If his suggestions are implemented, it would be a lasting tribute to his mother’s battle against Cancer.