No. 20 Oregon walked out of its heated matchup with No. 12 USC with a win, but the conversation afterward quickly turned to quarterback Dante Moore and a hit that left Dan Lanning fuming.
Lanning said Moore is still in recovery after the play that forced him out, though the Oregon coach added that the quarterback “is moving and he does have the ability to move." USC coach Lincoln Riley checked on Moore’s condition right after the game, something Lanning noted and appreciated.
The moment that drew Lanning’s strongest reaction came when he addressed the targeting penalty on linebacker Desman Stephens II. He did not soften his view.
“But, it's a disgusting play. You don't want to see it happen.
It's disappointing that it happened. I'm praying that our player's healthy, and I'm praying that their player can learn from that situation, because that's not a moment you want to be a part of.”
Lanning also said the play should never have reached that point.
“In my mind, that certainly could have been avoided, so it's disappointing that that would happen. But, I thought our players did a great job of resetting. And on that note, they still great violence and energy to make sure that they could take advantage of what happened to the team there.”
After the game, Lanning couldn’t resist a little recruiting theater either. He brought up his 3-0 record against USC and told players that if they want to win, Oregon is the place to be.
“3-0 against (USC). I guess if you're a good football player in the area you should come to Oregon. Or you can stay in LA and go to a Chris Brown concert.”
There was plenty for Lanning to like about how Oregon handled the game after Moore exited, and he spent part of his availability praising Dylan’s work. He said the quarterback stayed composed instead of trying to do too much.
“Dylan was great, man. I think a lot of times, when guys come into that situation, they fell like all the sudden they have to press.
I think what gave Dylan confidence is he's like 'I got great players around me, I'm gonna take what they give me.' Probably a couple decisions tonight where I'm like, 'OK that's probably not where we wanted the ball to go.'
Very few of those.”
Lanning pointed to Dylan’s poise, his scrambling, and his ability to keep plays alive while keeping his eyes downfield. He said the performance matched what Oregon hoped for.
“A lot of decisions where he made the great decision to get rid of the ball. I thought he utilized his ability to scramble at times, make plays. . . could have been sacks, but he did a great job continuing down the field and keeping his eyes downfield.
I don't know what he finished, but the guy operated. Threw for almost 300 yards, 19 of 25, two touchdowns.
I mean that's the kind of performance you get excited about.”
Lanning said he was proud of how Dylan handled the moment, especially because big-game pressure can go one of two ways.
“I'm very proud of Dylan, and we've all seen it. That that moment happens in sports a lot of times, when guys who weren't ready, and they stepped up.
And that becomes the story, and it's 'Oh that guy wasn't ready for his moment.' Regardless of how Dylan performed, I love that guy.
He works so hard, incredibly hard, to put himself in position to have success and be successful. And he came in and operated, man.”
He added that the preparation mattered just as much as the production.
“We've seen that go other ways before, and regardless of what happened, I would've been proud of him. To know that he put in the work, the prep, was ready for his moment.
And again, he didn't try to come in and force it. He just played the game.
I thought Drew (Mehringer) called an unbelievable game. Especially in the second half, really controlled the clock.”
Lanning closed his thoughts by making it clear how much he values Dylan’s work.
“I can't say enough good things about Dylan, and it's why he came here.”
In Other News...
Oregon Fans Are Livid Over Chris Simms After Dante Moore Hit
The hit on Dante Moore was the kind of moment that stops a game in its tracks, and it immediately put Oregon fans on edge as the Ducks quarterback ended up hospitalized after the collision with USC linebacker Desman Stephens II. Even before the broader debate settled in, the focus in Eugene was on Moores condition and the kind of physical finish that can change the feel of a rivalry game in an instant.
Chris Simms only widened the divide during halftime, when he defended Stephens to some extent and suggested Moore had slid late, leaving the linebacker in a no-win situation. That take lit up Oregon fans on social media, who were already furious over the play and had little patience for any explanation that seemed to soften it. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Response To The Dante Moore Hit Will Anger Oregon Fans
USCs punishment of linebacker Desman Stephens came down after a dangerous hit on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore in the recent matchup, adding another flashpoint to a rivalry that already had plenty of edge. Stephens was ejected from the game, then stayed on the sideline afterward, a detail that drew criticism in its own right, while his later public apology did little to quiet the noise around the play.
For Oregon, the bigger concern is Moores health, and reports that he is in good spirits after suffering a concussion offer at least some relief. Still, the one-game suspension for Stephens is the kind of response that will leave Ducks fans frustrated, especially after a hit that changed the tone of the game and raised questions about how the situation was handled in the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons USC Win Leaves One Big AP Poll Question
Oregons win over No. 12 USC gave the Ducks a rsum boost that should matter when the AP Poll comes out, especially since they managed to finish the job after losing starting quarterback Dante Moore to injury during the game. It was the kind of result that usually carries weight with voters, not just because of the opponent, but because of the way Oregon handled a difficult in-game turn.
The bigger question now is how far that pushes the Ducks up when the new rankings are released. A move into the neighborhood of 14th seems possible, but the picture is complicated by several other results around the country that could shuffle teams in front of or behind Oregon, leaving the final poll reaction a little less straightforward than the win itself. [Read more 🡒]