In SI’s 2027 NFL Mock Draft 2.0, Dante Moore is one of the three top quarterback prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft. So, this season, the focus is all on him. However, the Oregon Ducks quarterback took a terrifying hit against USC on September 26. It was so bad that the former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III tagged it as one of the dirtiest hits he witnessed during his playing career while holding USC linebacker Desman Stephens II accountable in his controversial statement.
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“You know, this hit by USC linebacker Desman Stephens on Dante Moore is one of the most dirty hits I’ve ever seen,” said Griffin. “And it’s because you have to understand his intent. Dante Moore slides. Does he slide late? Yes, he does slide late because he’s trying to get as many yards as possible. The hit is not Dante Moore’s fault. He did slide late. But when you go and watch the play, Desman Stevens II had more than enough time to avoid hitting it. You can say it’s a bang-bang play all you want. His intent was to hit Dante Moore in the head.
“If you don’t believe me, go watch the play and watch his reaction afterwards. He knew he had done something wrong. He didn’t close his eyes and just hope and pray that he hit him in the ankle. He saw Dante Moore slide, understood this is his opportunity to put that wham swamble on him, lowered his shoulder, and went through his face. That, to me, is dirty.”
In the second quarter, as Griffin noted, Moore was sliding at the end of a scramble when he had a clash with Stephens, who made contact with Moore’s head and chest. The Trojans player got flagged for targeting immediately after the collision. Griffin argues that it may come off as a bang-bang play with the defender having little time to react, but to him, that was not the case.
After all, he believes that Stephens had enough time to change his course. What he did instead was lower his shoulder with the intention of making contact around Moore’s head or face. Griffin’s strongest evidence of intent: Stephens’ reaction after the hit. The celebration that followed.
Even after being flagged for targeting and ejected, Stephens continued to celebrate the hit, first on the field and then with his teammates, while Moore lay on the gridiron after going down into the fencing position.
Soon, medical staff attended to him, and eventually he was put on a stretcher and taken by an ambulance to Los Angeles General County Hospital. It was then confirmed that the quarterback suffered a concussion and there were no additional injuries.
Like Griffin, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, too, addressed the elephant in the room.
“It was a disgusting play,” he said after the game. “The energy changed. A lot of guys on the sideline, they were emotional in that moment, including myself.”
Going by the latest reports about Moore’s condition, he is “healthy and doing well.” As per the September 30 updates, the Ducks head coach is hopeful about Moore’s return to the gridiron.
Meanwhile, USC had already taken action against Stephens and suspended him for one game. He will be sidelined for USC’s Week 5 game against Washington on Saturday, Oct. 3. However, the 20-year-old Stephens did regret his move.
“I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during yesterday’s game,” Stephens, 20, said in a statement on Sunday, September 27. “Seeing a player injured like that is incredibly serious, and my reaction in the moments afterward was completely inappropriate and inexcusable. Regardless of what was going through my mind at the time, there is no justification for smiling or celebrating while another player receives medical attention.
“I take full responsibility for my actions. That is not the person or teammate I want to be, and I will learn from this. I am deeply sorry to Dante, his family, and everyone who saw my reaction. It is not representative of USC or our program. I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery.”
Oregon’s bye week comes at a sweet time for Moore, with the Ducks set to face UCLA at Autzen Stadium two weeks after his concussion. Still, there’s no indication yet whether he’ll return early in the two- to four-week window or closer to the end of it. His status will be monitored day by day.