The Oregon Ducks were among the best teams in the nation last fall, dominating the regular season and wrapping up undefeated. With a well-rounded offense and a dominant defense, they averaged almost 39.6 points per game and, as the No. 1 seed, they easily advanced to the first round bye to the 12-team College Football Playoffs. They were eliminated in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, losing in the Rose Bowl to the ultimate national champions, Ohio State. So is a comeback on the way in 2025?
Even though the lineup, schedule, and faces have changed by 2025, the expectation hasn’t dipped a bit. The focus is now on who will step up next, especially at quarterback and wide receiver, as head coach Dan Lanning rebuilds following roster shifts and injuries. Wide receiver Troy Franklin, a top target, and seasoned quarterback Bo Nix left Oregon for the NFL, and Evan Stewart, who tore his patellar tendon in June, is probably going to miss the 2025 campaign.
In a recent interview with the Big Ten Football, tight end Kenyon Sadiq answered questions about Oregon’s receivers and the evolving quarterback competition. Talking about the freshman Dakorien Moore and the WR situation, he said, “This camp has been a great start for us, just the chemistry all around. All those guys getting in and out. Just there for each other, we are really explosive, we have a lot of speed, so it is going to be a lot of fun.” Moore is one of the “weapons” the Ducks have. Moore was a top-ranked wide receiver in the 2025 recruiting class. Talking of speed? He recorded 100-meter times of 10.40 and 10.45 seconds, and a 200-meter season-best of 21.70 seconds in high school.
When the QB battle came up, Sadiq played it cool and praised that both Dante Moore and Austin Novosad can start Week 1. He remarked, “They have the ability to make every throw in the book. They both do a really great job… it don’t matter who is playing the game, we know that they will do their job at the end of the day.” For someone like Dakorien Moore, who is expected to stretch the field from Day 1, that is crucial. Sadiq made it obvious that both quarterbacks have the arm strength and confidence to feed a receiver with that kind of explosive talent.
Dante Moore’s and Austin Novosad’s 2024 seasons at Oregon have been quite contrasting. Novosad, a sophomore transfer from Baylor, hardly saw the field; he just attempted 2 passes, both of which went for 7 yards with 0 touchdowns. In the meantime, Dante Moore showed promise in a few snaps, going 7-for-8 for 49 yards, completing 87.5% of his passes, and recording a perfect passer rating of 138.9. Ultimately, under Moore and Novosad, the Ducks’ offense appears ready to continue to thrive in 2025 regardless of who ends up taking charge.
Evan Stewart’s injury opens the door for Dakorien Moore
For Oregon, Evan Stewart’s injury was devastating. After transferring from Texas A&M and recording 48 receptions for 613 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, the senior wide receiver was expected to be the man in charge of this receiver room. The Ducks are now facing a full season without the him who was supposed to be their WR1 after a torn patellar tendon in June. Stewart hasn’t downplayed how difficult his recovery has been. “Mentally, it’s just been long. It’s just a bunch of time occupied,” he admitted.
The fact is that this isn’t Stewart’s first setback. He had a back injury that kept him from the Rose Bowl, so adding a serious knee injury to that makes things even more difficult mentally. Stewart still maintains his faith. In one rehab post, he wrote, “I mean, God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, am I right?” That line reveals a lot about his mental state: frustrated, yes, but also attempting to channel the fight into something larger than himself.
For Oregon, however, someone must step up. Stewart’s absence leaves behind 600+ yards of passing ability that will not appear overnight, which is why true freshman Dakorien Moore has taken the spotlight. What was supposed to be a slow build for the five-star newcomer has turned into a trial by fire. The bright side? Dante Moore and the coaching staff are already beginning to trust Moore.
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