When Dillon Gabriel left, the weight of the Oregon Ducks’ QB1 competition fell squarely onto the shoulders of redshirt sophomores Dante Moore and Austin Novosad. Moore, the former five-star gem, was widely viewed as the frontrunner given his longer time in Eugene. However, in a turn of events, a notable few now believe he doesn’t have the “hammer lock” on the starting job under Dan Lanning this year either. The Ducks are just weeks away from the season-opener against Montana State, and what once looked like Moore’s unquestioned role now feels like a two-man race that could bleed into the season itself.

First came the analyst buzz. During a Friday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Pete Thamel revealed that Novosad is making some real noise behind the scenes. “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,” Thamel said, according to Rivals’ Alex Byington. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if we do see some real snaps from (backup) Austin Novosad this year. Really talented young guy coming in. I would think that Dante Moore is ahead there right now, but I don’t know if it’s a hammer-lock on the job.” Needless to say, that last line hung heavy. Then came the coach’s perspective, and it didn’t exactly provide Dante Moore the comfort of clarity.

Harking back to the first scrimmage on Saturday, Dan Lanning said that it was all about defense, as they shrunk the offense’s explosiveness and kept Moore contained. “I don’t know that anything necessarily stood out,” Lanning said. “Like I said, I think defense won the day. They were able to get some three-and-outs. The [offense] operated efficiently but we just didn’t create any explosives and didn’t have some of the downfield passing attack that we have had in other days of fall camp. I’ve come in here before and told you that offense had won the day, but today I feel like defense won that.”

Moore’s pedigree, however, is the anchor in this debate. At 6-foot-3, the Detroit product was ranked No. 3 overall and the No. 2 QB in the 2023 recruiting class per Rivals. Novosad, in contrast, was 113th overall and the 10th QB in his class. On paper, it’s not close. But that’s the larger point bubbling beneath Eugene’s August headlines: recruiting rankings are billboards, not box scores. That’s what makes this duel so intriguing. Moore has the higher ceiling, the NFL frame, and the raw arm talent that made him a blue-chip headline. But Novosad’s rise is a classic Oregon subplot — the steady hand who doesn’t flinch when defenses show their teeth.

If Moore struggles to translate his talent into consistent Saturdays, Dan Lanning will have no hesitation turning to the kid who simply moves the chains. Even if Moore does secure the starting role at the beginning of the season, he could just as easily lose it at some other point in the year if he doesn’t perform at a high level. The leash isn’t long, not with a playoff-contending roster built to win now.

Whoever wins this battle isn’t just replacing a normal starter. We’re talking Heisman-sized shoes after what Gabriel did last year. During his single season at Oregon, Gabriel piled up 3,857 passing yards with 30 touchdowns and only six interceptions, a performance that propelled him into the 2025 NFL Draft, where the Cleveland Browns grabbed him in the third round.

This isn’t a situation where Oregon can afford to experiment deep into the season. So, what does coach Dan now think is the broader reality?

Dan Lanning’s camp somehow brings energy

Dan Lanning still likes how the “O’s” are shaping up in camp. Coach seems plenty satisfied with the overall vibe of his group. With Oregon’s season opener looming on August 30th, the big-picture question for Lanning is whether the Ducks are where he hoped they would be by this point. His response was telling.

“I love where our team’s at. I really love our progress. This is as fun of a group to coach as I had because there’s a lot of coaching going on in the field. Like there’s a lot of way we got to grow here. We got to get better. But I see that growth every single day in practice. I see players that are really eager to be coached and want to improve. So it’s been it’s been a really fun camp.”

A coach who sees the growing pains but also embraces them. Even though he doesn’t know if QB Moore will throw to 5-star WR Dakorien Moore, this camp has been about blending talent from multiple directions. Lanning and his staff leaned heavily on both the transfer portal and blue-chip high school recruits to construct a nearly new-look offense. At the same time, Oregon kept its defensive backbone intact, returning a seasoned front seven that looks like it’s ready to feast.

So yes, QB1 is still a question. But make no mistake, the Ducks are building something balanced—explosive potential on offense, married with a defense that has continuity.