Dillon Gabriel was the heartbeat of Oregon’s offense in 2024, a steady-handed maestro who turned Dan Lanning’s playbook into poetry. With his sharp reads, veteran calm, and timely scrambling, Gabriel helped transform the Ducks into one of the most dominant attacks in college football. His passer rating stood at 166.5, placing him among the top quarterbacks nationwide. Gabriel’s performance earned him a spot as a Heisman Trophy finalist and propelled Oregon to a 13-0 record leading into the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. But with Gabriel entering the draft and subsequently landing in Cleveland, it left a gaping hole at the QB slot, one that many expected Lanning to fill in the transfer portal.

However, Lanning made an eyebrow-raising move—he didn’t chase a new star QB in the transfer portal. No flashy replacement, no headline-grabbing recruit. Instead, he doubled down on the talent already in Eugene. Following the Ducks’ spring game last weekend, he reiterated his stance, showing his faith in Dante Moore and Luke Moga. Though Moore is a clear favorite and additions have been made to equip him, there are still areas that are far from being a guaranteed recipe for success.

The third-year coordinator, Will Stein, expressed strong optimism about the Ducks’ quarterback and running back rooms as they approached spring practice. He believed the Ducks’ ultimate offensive strength lies in their ability to dominate the running game. After the spring game concluded, observations were mixed. True freshman running back Duerre Hill caught attention with his elite speed during practices, which Noah Whittington described as his superpower. Whittington also praised the dynamic pairing of Hill and another freshman running back, Jordon Davison, calling them a “destructively beautiful” combination of thunder and lightning.

However, it’s important to note that most of these hopes and predictions are based on the potential they possess rather than the results they have demonstrated so far. Focusing on what we’ve got on the plate, insider Spencer McLaughlin assessed that while the running backs were good, they didn’t do enough to catch the eye.

Speaking on Locked on Ducks on April 30, he said, “I thought the running game had some nice moments. I didn’t think it was anything spectacular. I thought the offensive line played better than I expected them to. I expected them to give the mixing and matching that always goes on in a spring game format. But also just shout out to Dan Lanning and the staff, not just for having the spring game, but making the format simple.” 

However, in a room full of untested talents, the Tulane transfer Makhi Hughes deserves a special shout-out. There is no one but him who convinced McLaughlin as a future leader of the position group. “Coming into the spring game, I expected Makhi Hughes, who we didn’t see a ton from, and I think he looked fine. I didn’t still expect him to be a thousand-plus yard rusher this year,” the insider quickly checked his hopes. ”They worked in a lot of other guys, like Dierre Hill saw a good amount of run.”

Makhi is likely the most underrated player the Ducks have ever encountered in the transfer portal. He anticipated being a ready-to-go starter at running back for the Ducks. He’s someone who prefers to put his head down, stay quiet, and focus on his work. However, regarding the spring season, McLaughlin did not observe any standout qualities that would inspire hope.

“I thought Hughes looked solid. But definitely didn’t wow me with anything. Didn’t have a huge opportunity to necessarily. Only getting a handful of touches. I think that’s really the biggest takeaway with the running backs here. But yeah, going into the game, I expected Hughes, Noah Whittington, to be the starters,” the Ducks insider spoke sense.

The Ducks do have depth in the RB room. Jayden Limar and Da’Jaun Riggs largely watched from the sidelines last season, but they sprang to the spotlight in the spring game.

Limar kicked off the scrimmage in explosive fashion, bursting through the defense for a 31-yard touchdown on the opening drive, setting the tone with the game’s first points. He went on to lead all rushers with 43 yards on the day, while Riggs contributed with seven carries for 21 yards. Jay Harris also got a couple of short touchdowns.

Notably, the Ducks have seven scholarship running backs, and six of them saw the field during the spring game. While Hughes and Whittington will be expected to do the heavy lifting, McLaughlin contemplated, “I wonder if a third guy gets involved, whether it’s Jayden Limar or if he’s more of a special team’s player as he was last year…or if Jay Harris becomes a goal lineback I I could definitely see it. Jay Harris looks good, especially inside the 10. Da’Jaun Riggs looks good all the time.

Lanning needs to make sure the RB room is able to support the quarterback room, with Moore the likely candidate to take the QB1 mantle. After all, he has invested heavily in his prowess.

Dan Lanning put Dante Moore through a big test 

Lanning and his team bet a dime on Dante Moore, the QB1, in 2025. The Oregon head coach slept on the QB hunt in the portal. While rival teams closely monitored the top-tier quarterbacks entering the portal, Lanning maintained confidence in his veteran QB, Dante Moore, following Gabriel’s costly move to the NFL. They have deployed him twice and poured in a massive $341k even before he could contribute to a single game. The motive? Simple. It would create a huge moral and financial burden on his shoulders to pay back.

He couldn’t do it last year, as Gabriel was on a mission. So, Moore, in his third year, is bound to make some strides under the center. According to On3’s J.D. PicKell, “Oregon knows quarterbacks. Dan Lanning knows quarterbacks based on his track record, and they love Dante Moore.” There have also been talks about Moore garnering some early Heisman hype. If the hype translates into reality, the Oregon offense can be a real force against the rivals.

The sophomore QB racked up a total of 1659 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions in his two years at Eugene. But with his standout skill, he is screaming more. The kid is just an inch away from a perfect opportunity to hit a banger. Lanning ensures that room for him.

“They’ve recruited him twice and then paid him to sit out a year. You know how much you’ve 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?” PicKell continued, “You’ve got to like Dante Moore.” Even if you don’t like it, watch out for his graph taking a drastic turn if the RB room falls into sync.