What turns a QB room? Well it happened in December of 2023 when Dante Moore announced his commitment to the Oregon Ducks. Will Stein was suddenly coaching not one but two of the highest-profile passers in the portal, with Moore’s decision arriving just nine days after Dillon Gabriel traded his crimson for green. Just like that, Dan Lanning had what every coach claims to want and few actually manage: real competition in the QB room. But now with the 2025 season fast approaching, and Gabriel lost to the pro game, the situation has changed.
The concern was voiced loudest by Big Ten Network’s crew during Las Vegas Big 10 Media Days. What happens when the veterans are gone? Each finishing their final year as Heisman finalists. Now the Ducks will be turning to someone younger, greener, and likely making his first true run as QB1. When asked about how that shift affects his process, Dan Lanning didn’t dodge the question. “Yeah, we’ve got some great competition there,” he said.
Lanning went on to add, “Luckily both those guys have had the opportunity to have great mentors in front of them… they’ve had the chance to watch a Bo Nix operate. They’ve had the chance to watch a Dillon Gabriel operate. So, that’ll be the piece that’s missing, but I’m not concerned about the talent or the decision-making that’s in that room. We just got to get them experience.” That word ‘experience’ is the point of concern here. Lanning acknowledged the very issue critics are circling: his next starter. It is likely Moore or Austin Novosad. With either choice, it will still be the most inexperienced to lead Oregon’s offense since redshirt sophomore Tyler Shough in 2020.
Still, he’s not hitting the panic button. When asked how that lack of game reps changes his evaluation process, Lanning laid it out clearly. “Yeah, I don’t think the process changes. I think the communication elevates though, right? There’s some things you expect with a guy that’s a veteran… but when you’re dealing with somebody that’s coming in, it’s going to be a new experience. I got to do a great job of making sure I’m on the same page as our quarterback. Coach Stein, our offensive coordinator, does a great job of communicating that he’s on the same page, and letting those guys do what they do.”
Syndication: The Register Guard Oregon coach Dan Lanning greets Fighting Ducks running back Jayden Limar before the game as the Fighting Ducks face off against Mighty Oregon in the Oregon Ducks spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Eugene , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBenxLonergan/ThexRegister-Guardx USATSI_26021554
All signs point to Moore being the clubhouse favorite. A former five-star and one-time Oregon commit who ended up starting as a true freshman at UCLA, Moore has lived through the fire already. His stat line in Westwood wasn’t dazzling (11 TDs, 9 INTs in 2023), but the raw reps were invaluable. “Luckily, Dante’s had some experience in the past at UCLA that he’s able to build off of,” Lanning said. “Both those guys have some game experience for us from last season. So, excited to see what they do.” The edge Moore has isn’t just pedigree, it’s the maturity that comes with being in the spotlight, failing publicly, and walking back into a new room with confidence.
But all the talk was not optimistic in media-day banter. Dan Lanning made it clear he’s tired of the chaos in the transfer landscape. When pressed about tampering, a not-so-subtle elephant in every coach’s room, he didn’t mince words. But that’s the modern QB1 carousel.
The one thing Dan Lanning sounded off in the Media Day
If Oregon coach Dan Lanning had it his way, tampering in CFB would come with more than just a slap on the wrist. He understands the impact of a good recruit. Speaking in Las Vegas, Lanning was candid in his thought when asked about the growing trend of programs meddling with players still on another team’s roster.
“Yeah. Just play the game the way it’s supposed to be played, right?” Lanning said. “There has to be consequences to actions, and if there aren’t consequences, then there’s going to continue to be issues like that.” Lanning’s comments come in the wake of Wisconsin’s unprecedented legal move against Miami, accusing the Hurricanes of tampering with former Badgers DB Xavier Lucas. The lawsuit, a first of its kind, was filed after Wisconsin claimed they had credible information that Miami had improperly influenced Lucas, who eventually transferred to the Hurricanes this offseason.
While Lanning didn’t endorse legal retaliation directly, he was crystal clear in wanting some kind of real accountability. And he’s not alone. More coaches are growing frustrated as the transfer portal becomes a free-for-all with little oversight.
The post Dan Lanning Delivers Blunt Message on Dante Moore Concern After Demanding Strong Tampering Action appeared first on EssentiallySports.