For Dante Moore, this summer wasn’t just about getting ready for Oregon’s push toward a championship. It was about living a few lifetimes in a matter of months.
The Ducks quarterback made room for the football grind - adding nearly 20 pounds of muscle, deepening his grasp of Oregon’s playbook and sharpening both his deep ball and quick game - but he also leaned all the way into the kind of experiences most players only dream about. Moore said the plan was intentional.
"I told myself I was going to enjoy this offseason, and I did," Moore said. "I got to do things that I thought I'd never be able to do. It's been great and a little exhausting, but overall, it's been amazing."
That meant golf almost every day once he got back into it in February, after first picking up the game regularly the previous summer before setting the clubs aside for football season. Moore said he worked his handicap down to approximately 16, and the game became a way to slow things down.
"It's a great way for me to go out there, decompress and connect with nature," Moore said. "You know how gorgeous Oregon is, especially during the summer. Being out there gives me a chance to think a lot about football and my life."
His birthday trip to Bandon Dunes was a highlight of that stretch. Moore played Bandon Dunes, Old Macdonald and Pacific Dunes, and he singled out Pacific Dunes as the one that stuck with him most.
"Some of those views are insane, and you're right off the water," Moore said. "Bandon gets windy, but it was really nice. It's one of the best courses in the world."
Golf also turned into a bonding tool for Oregon’s quarterbacks. Moore and his teammates made a point of bringing along less-experienced players, including freshman Akili Smith Jr.
"It's a way for all of us to go out there and connect," Moore said. "Coach Lanning always speaks about the importance of connection and finding things that people enjoy doing together."
The summer itinerary kept getting stranger and bigger from there. Moore went to Tokyo with several Oregon teammates, took part in Nike-related events and helped introduce American football to young athletes from multiple countries. He visited the U.S. ambassador's residence, explored the city and saw his image on billboards around Tokyo.
"It felt unreal," Moore said. "We all thought we'd probably never be in Tokyo. Shibuya Crossing was great, and all the billboard stuff was nice."
The trip also included a youth football camp and a showcase aimed at growing the sport internationally, with children coming from across Japan and neighboring countries. Moore said the purpose was bigger than just the visit.
"It was about giving back and trying to grow the game over there," Moore said. "It was a great experience."
He also made time for the local culture, trying Wagyu beef, sushi and a sumo wrestling event that he called one of the trip’s most memorable moments.
Moore’s profile kept rising back home, too. He was chosen as one of the cover athletes for EA Sports College Football 27, a nod that hit especially hard for someone who grew up playing the game.
"It felt surreal," Moore said. "I grew up playing the game, so getting that phone call was great."
After the call from his agent came right after a workout, Moore later took part in the cover photo shoot and traveled to Chicago for promotional events tied to the launch.
Then came a different kind of spotlight at Autzen Stadium. When Zach Bryan brought his concert tour to Eugene, Moore was invited onstage. Even with all the big crowds he’s played in front of, he said this was its own thing.
He just wasn’t nervous.
"Everybody was looking for Zach Bryan," Moore said. "I was in the background, walking around and screaming. Whatever it was, it was great."
It was also his first country music concert.
Another stop took him to Seattle for World Cup matches between the United States and Australia and Belgium. Moore, who grew up playing soccer and still loves the sport, said the chance was too good to pass up, especially with the World Cup being played in the United States.
"I grew up playing soccer, and I had the opportunity to go to the World Cup, so I couldn't miss it," Moore said.
It was his first time inside the Seattle Seahawks' stadium, and he came away impressed by the atmosphere.
"It was pretty loud, and it was a great environment," Moore said. "There were a lot of great fans. I had a great time."
Now, after a summer filled with football work, golf rounds, international travel, a concert stage and a front-row seat to the World Cup, Moore’s attention shifts back to the part that has to come first. The next four to six months, he knows, will belong almost entirely to Oregon’s season and its championship chase.
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Oregon already has two linebacker commitments in its 2027 class, but the staff is still shopping for more help at the position and Miller sits near the top of that list. The Ducks have held the edge in recent prediction chatter, yet this one is far from settled, and the upcoming visit could go a long way toward showing whether Oregon can turn early momentum into something real. [Read more 🡒]