Dante Moore won’t be available when Oregon lines up against Nebraska this week, and that decision keeps the Ducks’ quarterback picture wide open.
Moore has been sidelined since taking a hit while trying to slide in the USC game, a play that sent him off the field on a cart and into an ambulance. He did return to practice last week, but Oregon held him out against UCLA and is continuing to treat his recovery cautiously.
The latest availability report, released Wednesday night, made the call official for this weekend: Moore is out.
That leaves Dan Lanning with a real competition on his hands. Oregon has spent the week giving reps to Brock Thomas, Dylan Raiola and Akili Smith Jr., and the Ducks appear willing to let the battle play out a little longer. Lanning has already said that everything is on the table, and it’s clear Moore’s absence could shape the rest of the season.
The Oregon offense looked like it could survive without Moore after Raiola helped the Ducks beat USC, but that theory cracked hard against UCLA. Raiola struggled badly, and Oregon turned to Thomas, who brought a different kind of life to the offense.
Thomas was 11-for-15 for 156 yards and a touchdown against the Bruins, nearly helping Oregon rally all the way back. He has already won a game for the Ducks before, and his performance last weekend gave him the strongest case heading into Nebraska week.
Still, this is not a settled race. Raiola’s success off the bench against USC did not carry over against UCLA, and Oregon knows better than to assume one strong relief appearance guarantees anything in a starting job battle.
There’s also a wrinkle in the matchup itself: the possibility that Raiola could start against his former team. With Nebraska on deck and the emotion that would come with that scenario, the Ducks may be better served leaning on Thomas.
For now, though, Oregon seems prepared to keep Nebraska guessing. The competition may stretch deep into the week, and the Ducks could wait until kickoff to reveal who gets the first snap.
In Other News...
Oregon Faces A Bigger Question Than Nebraska In This Big Ten Test
After close losses to ranked opponents, Oregon and Nebraska arrive in Eugene looking for the kind of Big Ten win that can steady a season and sharpen a rsum. The Ducks are expecting quarterback Dante Moore back from a concussion, and that matters as much as anything on the schedule, because Oregon has spent the past stretch trying to figure out how much its offense can lean on him in a game with conference consequences.
Nebraska brings its own intrigue after Anthony Colandrea has thrown 13 touchdown passes this season, and the trip adds another layer to the night. It will be the Cornhuskers third straight West Coast appearance and their first night game out there, which means Oregon is dealing with more than just a matchup of teams coming off losses. The bigger question may be whether the Ducks can use this moment to settle their quarterback situation and reassert themselves before the Big Ten grind gets any tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Akili Smith Jr. Is Suddenly A Real Factor In Oregon's QB Battle
Akili Smith Jr. has gone from a name mostly tucked into the background of Oregons quarterback room to someone worth watching in a hurry. Dan Lanning confirmed the sophomore is being considered as a potential starter against Nebraska, a sign that Smiths recent progress has caught the staffs attention even after limited game action this season. With his size and arm talent, he has the kind of physical tools that can keep a quarterback race interesting well past the point when it first seems settled.
The bigger picture is that Oregon still has not closed the door on the competition. Dante Moore remains in the mix, along with Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas, and Lanning has left the decision open as the Ducks sort through their options. For now, Smiths rise is the latest reminder that depth charts can shift quickly, especially when a coach sees enough improvement to start seriously weighing a player against the field. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Has A Safety Decision That Could Test Its Season
Aaron Flowers season is over after the Oregon safety underwent surgery, leaving the Ducks with an unexpected hole in the back end of their defense at a point in the season when stability matters. Head coach Dan Lanning had already left the door open to uncertainty around Flowers status before the announcement, and now Oregon has to sort through a position group that suddenly looks thinner than it did a week ago.
The next move is likely to come from inside the building, with veteran Peyton Woodyard in the mix along with younger options Trey McNutt and Jett Washington. For a team that leans on its defense to stay on track, the decision at safety is about more than one lineup card. It could shape how Oregon handles the coming stretch, and how quickly the Ducks trust unproven depth in a role that asks for communication, range, and poise. [Read more 🡒]