Dante Moore Explains Oregon's Plan to Fix Fourth Down Woes

Six attempts, six passes and zero conversions have the No. 21 Oregon Ducks searching for answers.

Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dante Moore speaks with reporters at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene. | Olivia Cleary, Oregon Ducks On SI

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore dropped back to pass on a crucial fourth-and-8, trailing 36-31 to Oklahoma State with 6:52 remaining on the game clock.

The Cowboys applied pressure, however, forcing Moore into a hurried throw intended for running back Dierre Hill Jr. that fell incomplete five yards downfield.

Sept. 12, 2026; Stillwater, OK; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore is sacked by the Oklahoma State Cowboys defense at Boone Pickens Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It was the sixth time No. 21 Oregon (1-1) has gone for it on fourth down this season, including its third attempt of the afternoon. And it was the sixth time the Ducks failed to convert.

Oklahoma State (1-1) capitalized on the turnover on downs with a field goal to effectively seal the historic 39-31 win.

Oregon has traditionally been efficient on fourth down under Ducks coach Dan Lanning. Yet two games into the 2026 season and Lanning’s squad finds itself doing some serious soul searching.

Oregon’s Vanishing Fourth Down Act

Lanning took over the Ducks in 2022 and quickly established the program among the nation’s elite when it comes to converting on fourth down, peaking in 2023 with a 76.0 percent success rate.

Sept. 6, 2025; Eugene, OR; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore throws a pass against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Autzen Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oregon entered the 2026 season having converted 64.2 percent (70-of-109) of its fourth-down attempts during the coach’s tenure.

The Ducks on fourth down, 2022-2025:

2022: 20-of-32 (62.5 percent)
2023: 19-of-25 (76.0 percent)
2024: 13-of-20 (65.0 percent)
2025: 18-of-32 (56.3 percent)

That doesn’t mean that Lanning has historically been characterized as a gunslinger on fourth down.

In his first four seasons, the Ducks averaged 27.3 attempts per season, with a high of 32 (twice) and a low of 20 fourth down attempts. That’s roughly two attempts per contest.

Oregon’s six attempts early in the season aren’t enough to sound any alarms in Eugene. But failing to convert on all six of them is difficult to dismiss.

Six Attempts, Six Passes

Oregon has called a pass on all six fourth-down attempts this season, despite four of them coming on either fourth-and-1 or fourth-and-2.

Sep 12, 2026; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore throws a pass during the first quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In fact, the Ducks have managed -7 total yards on fourth down entering Friday night’s contest against Portland State (0-3, 0-1 Big Sky) at Autzen Stadium.

Oregon on fourth down in 2026:

Boise State
Fourth-and-2: pass to wide receiver Evan Stewart for -2 yards
Fourth-and-1: pass to running back Dierre Hill Jr. for no gain
Fourth-and-2: pass incomplete to wide receiver Dakorien Moore

Oklahoma State
Fourth-and-1: pass incomplete to Dakorien Moore
Fourth-and-7: Dante Moore sacked for -5 yards
Fourth-and-8: pass incomplete to Dierre Hill Jr.

It’s a stark contrast to last year when Moore, along with running backs Jordon Davison and Noah Whittington carried the ball on fourth down.

Davison punched in an eight-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1 against Penn State, while Whittington broke a fourth-and-1 versus Washington for 17 yards.

Knowing When to Go For It

Perhaps it’s better to characterize Lanning as more of a believer than a gunslinger.

“Knowing him as a head coach, he loves to go for it on the fourth down,” Moore said. “And as an offense, you have to appreciate that. A head coach that trusts in you and the offense.”

Sept. 12, 2026; Stillwater, OK; Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning watches against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

But there’s a difference between being aggressive and choosing the right moment to go for it on fourth down.

“Wrong decision on my part,” Lanning admitted during Monday’s press conference.

Now his squad, which began the season No. 2 in the AP preseason poll, is tasked with improving its fourth-down efficiency, while also addressing any “tells” that Oklahoma State potentially exposed.

“Yeah, it hasn’t been the best thing for us,” Moore said of the Ducks’ struggles on fourth down, “but we’ve been attacking it every single day, even today, just fourth and threes, fourth and fives, whatever it is, to make sure that at practice we get to do it so many times and rep it. That, come game time, it just goes out there and happens cleanly for us. So, yeah, it’s been a struggle for us, but we’re attacking it for sure.”

Fixing Fourth Down and Beyond

Oregon’s fourth-down work extends beyond the repetition of drills.

“Just communicating fronts, points, just making sure that we’re all clued in on protection,” Moore said. “Just, you know, helping Poncho (Ducks center Iapani Laloulu), helping the guys up front. Just what I see from the back end of my view, that for sure can help. And we’ve been attacking that this week.”

Sep 12, 2026; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore hands off to running back Jordon Davison and Davison for a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In crunchtime, however, it all comes down to making plays.

“You have to make a play,” the junior quarterback said after missing Ducks wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan during a practice drill. “You have to make something happen.”

Oregon gets its first opportunity to translate that fourth-down work into actionable game experience Friday night when the Ducks play host to the Vikings. Kickoff takes place at 7:30 p.m. PDT at Autzen Stadium.

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