College GameDay Crew Unsure About Oregon Ducks Quarterback Competition

Though widely considered by Oregon Ducks fans to be the starting quarterback for the upcoming season, Dante Moore has yet to be solidified for the top position with the program. In fact, just recently, Oregon coach Dan Lanning continued to hint at the quarterback battle being ongoing.

“But we got to figure out what they can handle," Lanning said on ESPN's Greg McElroy's show, Always College Football. "Whether it’s Dante or Austin [Novosad] or Luke [Moga] or whoever’s out there for us at quarterback, each one of them is going to be a little bit different."

Recently on ESPN's College Gameday Podcast, analysts Rece Davis and Pete Thamel posited the question: is Moore the secure pick for the Ducks?

Fighting Ducks quarterback Dante Moore throws out a pass as the Fighting Ducks face off against Mighty Oregon in the Oregon Ducks spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“The other one you mentioned, you sent a list of something you were thinking about that I sort of looked at as being settled in Oregon. Oregon is set with Dante Moore, right?” Davis asked Thamel.

“[Novosad], he was one of the guys, I believe, at Manning [Passing Academy], who popped a little bit,” Thamel said in response to Davis. “There’s some raw talent there. Dante Moore, they paid seven figures to be the backup last year. So they like him, and they had chances [two pivot to another quarterback], right? They could have gone after John Mateer. They could have gone after some of these, you know, bigger, higher profile guys, and they and they stuck with him [Moore]."

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Moore has played in four games over the past year while shadowing former Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Prior to his transfer to the Ducks, he played a lackluster season with the UCLA Bruins. Though there's been plenty of positive news coming out of Oregon's' practices with Moore, Novosad also presents as a promising option.

Sep 14, 2024; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) calls a play during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Novosad has only played six games for the Ducks in his two year tenure, but his efforts during the spring game and offseason were applauded by media members and coaches alike.

"I think the guy's just a winner. I mean, he has become really comfortable in our system," Lanning said about Novosad in April. "He understands it, you know. And I think that Coach Stein and the offensive staff do a good job of continuing to push that, but he's just really level-headed."

Thamel made his case for Moore despite the rough time he had while starting at quarterback for UCLA.

“He did have some struggles [with the Bruins] … but sometimes that’s good. I don’t always think struggling is bad, like you know Tom Brady struggled [at Michigan]. As you come along, some callous, I think, helps reset your trajectory. I just think there’s enough at stake in Oregon where they’re gonna you know they’re gonna roll the right guy," Thamel added.