EUGENE - Dante Moore has already earned a reputation inside the Oregon locker room, and transfer tight end Andrew Olesh says one part of his game stands out in a way that’s hard to ignore.
Olesh, who arrived from Penn State this offseason, is building chemistry with Moore ahead of the 2026 season. What has jumped out most is how Moore handles tight coverage.
“He puts the ball in the perfect spot every time. It’s crazy,” Olesh told Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus. “You could get covered like a blanket on one play, and then the next thing you know, he puts the ball in a spot that you can make a play on it.”
That kind of precision is a big reason Moore enters the season with plenty of buzz. He’s been named to just about every preseason watch list, and after his best year yet in 2025, he has a chance to make history at Oregon in 2026. He’s also working with one of the deepest pass-catching groups the program has had in recent memory, a unit that includes tight end Jamari Johnson and wide receivers Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan.
Olesh is worth watching in his own right. Rated as high as the No. 1 tight end and No. 29 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, he was Penn State’s highest-ranked tight end signee ever.
At 6-5 and 235 pounds, he gives Moore a big target, even though he has not recorded a college stat yet. Pass-catching is already one of Olesh’s strengths, which makes the early connection with Moore even more intriguing.
“Dante’s a great quarterback,” Olesh said. “You can ask anybody on the team.
He’s good. He’s really confident....
I’m excited to keep building chemistry with him."
Teammates clearly trust Moore, and Olesh points to the work behind the scenes as a big reason why.
“I mean, he’s just working hard,” Olesh said. “At the end of the day, you come to Oregon, and if you put the time and put in the work, you’re going to develop.
And I think that’s what Dante is really good at, is, you know, putting in hard work. And that’s why he’s where he’s at.”
Moore’s 2025 season backed up that confidence. He completed 71.8 percent of his passes for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while leading Oregon to the College Football Playoff Semifinal game.
For Olesh, the opportunity in front of him is real. Oregon lost top tight end Kenyon Sadiq to the 2026 NFL Draft, where he was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round. Sadiq set the Oregon single-season record for catches by a tight end with 51 in 2025, leaving a major opening in the offense.
Olesh transferred after redshirting during his lone season at Penn State. He signed with the Nittany Lions over Oregon, Michigan, Florida and Notre Dame, among others. Penn State coach James Franklin was fired during Olesh’s freshman season, adding uncertainty around the program, but Olesh still reflected on his choice and his time there without regret.
Johnson is the clear starter at tight end, but the backup job is up for grabs. Intel gathered by Oregon Ducks on SI suggests Olesh is emerging as a strong candidate to make a quick impact. He’s competing with Clemson transfer Markus Dixon and 6-7 true freshman Kendre Harrison.
Olesh brought a strong high school résumé to Eugene, too. As a senior, he helped lead his team to a 12-3 record while finishing with 75 receptions for 1,105 yards and 10 touchdowns, along with 166 rushing yards.
Fans will get their first look at the Olesh-Moore connection on Saturday, Sept. 5, when Oregon hosts the Boise State Boncos at Autzen Stadium.
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