Oregon’s quarterback situation took a major turn Monday night, and it all points to a season closing without Dante Moore under center again.
Ducks coach Dan Lanning said Moore is not expected to play the rest of the year after the concussion he suffered in the second quarter of Oregon’s win over USC on Sept. 26. Lanning also made clear that the decision was not Moore’s call and said the quarterback is expected to make a full recovery.
"I'm not anticipating him (Dante Moore) being back this season, no," said Lanning.
That leaves Oregon to sort out the rest of its season with Dylan Raiola, Brock Thomas and freshman Akili Smith Jr. in the quarterback room. The Ducks still have Northwestern, No. 2 Ohio State, Michigan State and Washington left on the schedule.
Lanning also said offensive analyst Jay Johnson will handle the play-calling duties in place of Mehringer.
For Moore, the likely end of his Oregon run comes with big numbers attached. In 20 games wearing a Ducks uniform, he threw for 4,450 yards and 39 touchdowns. His only full starting season for Oregon came in 2025, when he posted 30 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 71.8 completion percentage while averaging 237.7 passing yards per game.
This season, Moore was on pace for a much bigger passing average before the injury. In three full games, he averaged 283 passing yards per game and finished with 926 passing yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions.
His night against USC ended after a hit from Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens led to a targeting penalty and sent Moore out of the stadium in the back of an ambulance. Stephens was ejected, then suspended one additional game "as a result of his conduct." USC coach Lincoln Riley issued a statement, and Stephens also apologized publicly.
Oregon’s offense has been searching for answers all season, with or without Moore. Lanning fired Mehringer seven games into the year, and the Ducks have already had a rough stretch that includes a road loss to Oklahoma State with Moore at quarterback.
After Moore went down against USC, Raiola stepped in and helped Oregon beat the Trojans 41-27. But the results have not held up since then. Raiola has started twice and Oregon lost both games, falling to UCLA and Illinois.
The Ducks also alternated between Raiola and Thomas, even giving Thomas the start against Nebraska before Raiola came on in relief and sparked a 17-15 win over the Cornhuskers.
Through seven games, Oregon’s scoring offense is averaging 33.1 points per game, which ranks No. 40 nationally. Strip out the 84-point outburst against Portland State, though, and that average falls to 24.6, a figure that would slot near No.
95 New Mexico State and No. 96 Boston College.
Oregon’s third-down conversion rate sits at 35.4 percent, ranking No. 107 out of 138 teams.
That’s a sharp drop from 2025, when current Kentucky coach and former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein called the plays. Last season, the Ducks finished No. 10 nationally in scoring offense at 36.9 points per game and converted 46.8 percent of their third downs, good for No. 19 in the country.
Lanning said he has not yet spoken with Moore about a possible return next season. Moore could come back to Oregon in 2026, but the NFL Draft remains an option, and the coach declined to go further on that decision.
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What makes this set stand out is the history attached to it. Oregon has never before paired a black jersey with white pants, and the white wings on a black helmet are a first for the program as well. As with so many of the Ducks signature looks, the design came through a collaboration involving Nike, designers, Oregon football staff and athletes, adding another layer to a uniform reveal that arrives at an important point in the season. [Read more 🡒]