Drew Mehringer Offers Honest Perspective on Dylan Raiola

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola has been making headlines over the past week for controversial reasons. However, whether he was throwing shade at Nebraska or not, that aspect of his media attention may not be as relevant to the 2026 season as what Oregon offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer said about the former Cornhusker during Oregon's first week of fall camp.

"Dylan's a super smart player, great arm talent," Mehringer said. "Excited about where he's grown. I think he's done a tremendous job of working to get his body right, working on his own to not only know the offense but also like integrate into the team. And I think that a guy like that, it takes a it takes a sense of humility to be him, and so I have a lot of respect for him and for what he's done and how he's integrated into this team."

Dylan Raiola Oregon Ducks Drew Mehringer quarterback Dante Moore Nebraska college football transfer portal 2026 season — Oregon offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer during a press conference on March 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Raiola joins the Ducks for the 2026 season after a 2025 campaign where he started all nine games as Nebraska's primary quarterback. His role in Eugene will be much different.

Rather than entering the season as the unquestioned starter, Raiola is anticipated to back up established quarterback and early Heisman Trophy favorite Dante Moore while focusing on his own development.

Raiola's decision to go from a starter to a backup speaks volumes about his priorities. He could have remained at Nebraska and continued as a starting quarterback or transferred somewhere that offered him an immediate QB1 opportunity. Instead, he chose to take a step back, spend a year developing and put himself in position to potentially take over Oregon's offense in 2027.

That mentality of focusing on development rather than hype is something that stands out to Mehringer.

"He's growing and doing a great job. Love where he's at. I think that we all knew he was talented. It was never an issue of whether or not he was talented, but it's harnessing all of that and getting it to go in the right direction for him. And I think he's embraced that and is continuing to grow that way. And that for us, that's been really exciting," said Mehringer.

Following Oregon's Quarterback Development Blueprint

Raiola's decision to spend a season behind Moore is not a new concept at Oregon.

Bo Nix transferred to Eugene and used his time in Oregon's system to refine his decision-making and footwork before becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick. Dillon Gabriel followed that path as well, spending a season behind Nix before taking over the offense and putting together a Heisman-finalist season.

Then there was Moore. A former five-star recruit, Moore chose Oregon after his freshman season at UCLA and voluntarily spent the 2024 season behind Gabriel. Rather than viewing a season on the bench as a step backward, Moore used it to learn the offense, adjust to the program and prepare for his opportunity.

A year later, he took over as Oregon's starter and emerged as an early Heisman contender. Now Raiola is hoping to follow the same path.

A Rare Mindset

Perspective is rare in today’s instant-gratification era of college football.

The transfer portal has made it easier than ever for players to find a new opportunity when their current situation is not exactly what they want. For quarterbacks in particular, sitting behind another player can feel like a lost year when there are programs around the country looking for someone to step in and start immediately.

The pressure to play now is only amplified for players like Raiola. With the expectations that come with being a former five-star quarterback, taking a year as a backup could easily be viewed from the outside as a step backward, but Raiola does not see it that way.

“I think everybody wants everything now. When everything's thrown at you, and you're alway in the microscope … you can kind of lose sight of the process and of football and the journey and enjoying it," he said.

Raiola is willing to spend a season learning from Moore, developing within Oregon's offense and preparing himself for a potential starting opportunity in 2027. That requires him to trust that the work he puts in now will be more valuable than the immediate recognition that could come with starting somewhere else.

Dylan Raiola Can Learn From Dante Moore Beyond the Field

The biggest thing Raiola can learn from Moore may not necessarily come from on-field performance. Moore has experienced what it is like to have nearly every decision surrounding his career dissected publicly. His recruitment, his decision to flip from Oregon to UCLA, his freshman season and eventual return to Eugene all became subjects of constant discussion on social media.

That experience could make Moore an important resource for Raiola as he navigates his own transition.

College football has become an environment where a player does not have to be on the field to be part of the conversation. Social media has made it easier than ever for fans, journalists and complete strangers to directly interact with athletes, and that can create a level of outside pressure that did not exist in the same way before.

Raiola is already experiencing that. His recent comment that Oregon has "a lot more talent than we did at Nebraska" quickly became a topic of discussion. Navigating outside noise is something Moore understands.

During his time at UCLA, Moore dealt with the pressure that came with being a former five-star recruit and the criticism that followed when his freshman season did not immediately live up to expectations. Instead of allowing the outside noise to dictate his path, Moore eventually chose development and patience.

Raiola can now learn from that experience firsthand. He has already shown the humility Mehringer praised by choosing development over an immediate starting opportunity. Now, with Moore in the quarterback room, Raiola has someone who understands both sides of being a highly touted quarterback: the expectations that come with the spotlight and the value of stepping away from it.

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