Dan Lanning isn’t handing Oregon’s quarterback job back to Dylan Raiola just yet.
With the Ducks heading into a Week 7 home matchup against Nebraska, the situation under center is murky. Dante Moore is still working his way back from a concussion, and Lanning wouldn’t lock in a plan for next weekend. That leaves Oregon weighing its options at the most important position on the field.
Raiola is part of that conversation, but his case depends entirely on which version shows up. The quarterback who lit up USC two weeks ago gives Oregon a chance.
The one who looked overwhelmed in a start against UCLA does not. And then there’s Brock Thomas, the former walk-on who stepped in for Raiola in the fourth quarter and looked good enough to make the Ducks think harder about the depth chart.
If Saturday’s game is the standard, Oregon has to seriously consider opening the job up and letting Thomas compete for it. But the decision is not simple. The Ducks have put significant NIL money into Raiola, and moving away from him after one brutal outing could strain things and chip away at what had been viewed as a strength for 2027.
Lanning was asked directly about the bind Oregon finds itself in this week, especially if Moore can’t play. Would Thomas take over QB2 duties from Raiola? Would the Ducks go back to Raiola against Nebraska?
His response left the door open.
"It would be worth evaluating regardless. It would be too early to make a decision there."
That kind of answer says plenty. If Lanning already knew Raiola would be the choice, there would have been no need to dance around it. Instead, Oregon is clearly not locked into bringing him back.
And after what unfolded Saturday, that makes sense.
The Ducks’ offense produced some of the ugliest numbers anyone has seen from the program in a long time. The performance belongs in the same conversation as the Peach Bowl last year against Indiana, the Rose Bowl against Ohio State in 2025, the Rose Bowl in 2020, the Red Box Bowl against Michigan State in 2018, and the Boise State disaster to start 2009.
Without the late spark Thomas provided in Raiola’s place, it would have been Oregon’s worst offensive showing since that Boise State game to open the 2009 season.
In Other News...
Oregon's Quarterback Crisis Just Got Harder To Ignore
Oregons quarterback situation was already under a bright enough spotlight with Dante Moore sidelined by a concussion, and the fourth quarter against UCLA only sharpened the concerns. After Dylan Raiola struggled with turnovers, Dan Lanning turned to Brock Thomas, a move that underscored how little margin the Ducks had as the offense searched for a rhythm. Even with a touchdown and a field goal on the board, the Ducks were still chasing the game late.
The trouble was not just the score, but the way the offense kept putting itself in difficult spots. Multiple turnovers and other offensive issues left Oregon trailing 17-9 entering the fourth quarter, and the shuffle under center made the depth chart feel unsettled at a moment when stability mattered most. For a team built to compete at the top of the conference, the quarterback conversation is suddenly becoming impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Win Now Comes With A Big Ten Question For Bear Alexander
Oregons win over UCLA is already producing a bigger aftershock than the final score, because a viral clip from the game has put defensive tackle Bear Alexander in the middle of a possible Big Ten review. The video appears to show Alexander striking Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava during a tackle, and Iamaleava later left with a lower body injury, leaving the play under fresh scrutiny as the conference weighs its next step.
The Big Ten has a sportsmanship policy that can allow for discipline in cases like this, and Oregon is waiting to see whether the league decides to act. The situation also lands in a sensitive spot for Dan Lanning, who recently condemned a similar incident involving another player, making the conferences response to Alexanders case the next development that could shape how the aftermath of the game is remembered. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Heads To Nebraska With A Quarterback Problem And Bigger Questions
The late push from Brock Thomas gave Oregon something to hang onto after a 17-15 loss to No. 21 UCLA, but it also left the Ducks with a familiar kind of uncertainty as they head to Nebraska. Thomas stepped in for starter Dylan Raiola in the fourth quarter and helped lead scoring drives, yet the bigger picture was hard to ignore: turnovers, penalties and offensive line problems kept the offense from ever finding a steady rhythm, even as the defense did enough to keep the game within reach.
Now the attention shifts to the quarterback picture, and it is not getting any clearer. Oregon could also be waiting on the possible return of Dante Moore from injury, which only adds another layer to a situation already made messy by the loss to UCLA. The Ducks leave with a hard-earned defensive performance to build on, but with the offense still searching for answers, the trip to Nebraska feels like a test of both depth and direction. [Read more 🡒]