Dan Lanning Reveals How Quarterback Dante Moore Has Evolved Since Joining Oregon Ducks

Quarterback Dante Moore is establishing himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation through the first few weeks of the season. While he’s impressed early, many had their doubts about the Oregon Ducks quarterback entering the season.

The last time Moore started for a team was during his freshman season with the UCLA Bruins. He struggled in 2023, but it’s been a different story two years later.

Moore: Then vs. Now

oregon ducks dante moore dan lanning quarterback big ten transfer portal recruiting nil ucla bruins autzen dillon gabriel — Oregon quarterback Dante Moore warms up as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coach Dan Lanning spoke about Moore’s growth on “The Joe Klatt Show.”

“The work has made Dante different,” Lanning said. “I think about it myself. What was I like when I first started coaching? I wasn't very good. What were you like as a broadcaster when you first started?”

Moore threw nine interceptions along with his 11 touchdowns as a freshman. He was also sacked 25 times and completed 53.5 percent of his passes.

“Dante's a great example of someone that's grown over time and learned how to prep, learned the answers to what defenses are doing,” Lanning said. “I think you look at a guy his freshman year, these protections are a little bit different, these packages are a little bit different.”

“Now you look at a guy that's calm within the chaos and makes big moments seem small with the way he handles them,” Lanning continued.

In comparison, Moore has thrown seven touchdowns and just one pick through three games this season with Oregon. His competition percentage is up to 78.1 percent, while he’s been sacked zero times.

Some of his success with the Ducks has to do with playing within a much more polished offense than he had two years ago. Oregon rosters some of the Big Ten’s top offensive linemen, such as Isaiah World, Emmanuel Pregnon and Iapani Laloulu.

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Mindset Shift

The adversity that’s Moore’s faced this season has been minimal, however, he threw his first interception of the year against Northwestern in week 3.

Moore’s response to the pick displayed how he’s matured since he was a true freshman.

"It's been a little while since I threw a pick. First of the season. It's been about two years,” Moore said. “I know my freshman self was like, 'Damn, it's chewing me alive.' I'm looking at the play over and over, devastated after the pick. But now the mindset is just, next play. Of course, I didn't have the chance to play the rest of the game.”

The quarterback added that even the greatest quarterbacks of all-time threw interceptions. What matters is getting the win, not the individual statistics.

After Moore transferred from UCLA to Oregon last season, he spent 2024 learning from his predecessor, current Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Moore redshirted in 2024 and proved his willingness to back up one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the history of college football.

“The biggest thing he taught me was preparation,” Moore said when asked what he learned from Gabriel. “The way he just prepped Monday through Friday and on Saturday. How he just went out there and got the job done. Another thing I learned from him is you gotta enjoy this process.”

So far, Moore’s preparation has paid off and allowed him to enjoy early success with the Ducks, who remain undefeated heading into a rivalry matchup with the Oregon State Beavers.