Everyone’s asking the same damn question: who’s taking the first snap for the Ducks in 2025? Oregon just came off a monster 13–1 season, a Big Ten title in their debut year, ranked 3rd in the AP Poll, and a playoff run that had the whole country talking. Dillon Gabriel did his job and dipped for the NFL, and now the Ducks are staring at a QB battle that feels more like a waiting game than a mystery. The spotlight? It’s blindingly fixed on one name: Dante Moore. And he has a pretty good reason why he should be QB1 over Austin Novosad and Luke Mooga.
Moore, the former UCLA five‑star who took his lumps in Westwood, has had himself a camp. On August 19th, he stepped up to the mic and made it clear: leadership, preparation, and command of the offense are what separate him from the pack. “This camp has been my best camp. Spring ball here this year was great as well, I’m really close with the team, but this fall camp, especially during the hot days when we’re all pushing with each other. Understanding that we have to connect with each other really well, of course it’s been pretty good. Been playing pretty well, but I feel like the best thing for me is being a leader, communicating with the team really well.” Moore said. Translation: he’s not just gunning for QB1, he’s trying to own the locker room.
And that’s the thing. Oregon’s QB legacy ain’t light work. From Marcus Mariota to Justin Herbert to Bo Nix, every era has had a QB who could put the team on his back. In fact, 2 Heisman finalists in the past 3 years came from Eugene’s QB room. That’s the bar Moore has to clear. Dillon Gabriel kept that tradition alive last year, slicing up defenses for 3,800-ish yards and 30 touchdowns while leading the Ducks to their first Big Ten title. Now it’s Dante’s turn to prove he belongs in that lineage.
Moore’s journey hasn’t been smooth. At UCLA, he looked like a freshman with promise who got tossed into a blender. The former 5-star threw for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns but also 9 picks in just 9 games. His completion rate? A rough 53.5%. To be fair, his O‑line let him down, giving up 42 sacks—ranked 122nd in the country. But you can’t ignore that San Diego State game, where he threw for almost 300 yards and 3 tuddies.
Fast forward to Eugene, and the environment couldn’t be more different. Stable coaching staff, elite weapons, and an offensive coordinator in Will Stein who has basically built his rep turning quarterbacks into Sunday players. In just two seasons, Stein polished Bo Nix into a first‑rounder and coached Gabriel into a third‑round NFL pick. Oregon’s offense last year? Nasty. No. 1 in points per drive (2.97), top in third‑down conversions (50.7%). Stein doesn’t just run plays—he manufactures highlight reels.
Moore seems to know it, too. “I feel like my preparation this year is going to be off the roof,” he said, name‑dropping Gabriel as a mentor. Watching Gabriel dissect defenses last season clearly rubbed off. Moore added, “Of course every quarterback can make the right check, but I feel like just the preparation, understanding what the defense is going to bring” is what separates him. That’s maturity talking, not freshman jitters.
OC will Stein reveals QB1 date!!
Here’s where it gets spicy. Will Stein, the Ducks’ offensive coordinator, isn’t in the business of tipping his hand too early, but he gave fans just enough to start the countdown. “Really competitive. Every single one of those kids comes in and works their tail off… it’s a really healthy room. Guys are bought into the process. Guys are bought into each other. They’re their biggest fans, but they’re also competing,” Stein said when asked about the QB battle. He even compared it to his own time dueling Teddy Bridgewater back in his playing days. Respect—that’s a battle scar talking.
Stein doubled down on what separates a real QB1: running the offense without chasing highlights. “Dante make a big play. Somebody else might say, oh I gotta make a big play too. No, just do your job,” Stein explained. That’s classic Stein—dropping gems that are part philosophy, part QB clinic.
And the timeline? Stein teased it straight up: “It’s been really competitive… but I think it’s starting to kind of shape out a little bit for us, and we’ll see here in the next week or so where we’re gonna go.” Connect the dots, and that means somewhere between August 25–28, fans should expect the nameplate on QB1’s locker to go up. Just in time for the Ducks’ opener against Montana State on August 30.
The decision’s coming, and the room knows it. Austin Novosad has thrown some haymakers in camp, but the writing’s on the wall. Dante Moore is shaping up to be the guy, and the staff is just waiting to make it official. As Stein said, it’s all about running the offense, not outshining teammates. And Moore? He’s finally learned that patience and preparation are as deadly as a perfect deep ball.
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