Oklahoma State Coach Names Players Who Identified Dante Moore’s Tells

After the Oregon Ducks' upset loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, coach Eric Morris dives into who identified potential "tells" from quarterback Dante Moore.

Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris speaks during OSU Football Media Day in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Oregon offense and quarterback Dante Moore's tendencies have been a major topic of discussion in the wake of the Ducks' 39-31 upset loss in Stillwater to the unranked Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Moore and the offense's "tells" have gone viral as analysts and fans try to dissect what's going wrong for a Ducks team that was ranked No. 2 in the preseason top 25 AP Poll.

Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris speaks during OSU Football Media Day in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Through two games, the now No. 21 Ducks have looked anything but dominant... Is part of the problem that opponents have an upper hand via a "tell" from Moore and the offensive line? If so, it raises questions about how those details went unnoticed during Oregon’s self-scouting process?

Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris revealed some insight into how - and who - on his team identified Moore's tendency. According to Morris, two veteran linebackers may deserve the credit for recognizing what Oregon was showing before the snap, not his defensive coordinator, Skyler Cassity.

Oklahoma State Coach Eric Morris Says Who Spotted Dante Moore's Tells

During an appearance on CBS Sports Network’s Inside College Football, Morris was asked whether Cassity or another member of the coaching staff identified the potential tell involving Moore.

“I think it was our linebackers, Ethan Wesloski and Tate Romney,” Morris said. “Super, super sharp kids. Played a ton of football, and I think those guys are the guys.”

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore | Jake Bunn

This is notable intel in the upset of Oregon at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Cowboys held Moore to 14-of-29 passing for 191 yards and two touchdowns while sacking him four times. Oregon finished with only 281 total yards, 12 first downs and 90 rushing yards on 30 attempts.

Reports suggest that the Cowboys keyed in on Moore’s pre-snap footwork, whether his stance was more staggered before passing plays or his feet were closer to parallel on running plays.

Morris did not provide the exact detail that Wesloski and Romney identified, but he recognized how closely coaches and players study every movement for a possible advantage. He also made sure to state that identifying Oregon's tendencies is not the only reason Oklahoma State won the game.

“Coaches are always paranoid,” Morris said. “We’re paranoid about, ‘Are we getting our signals stolen?’ We’re paranoid about, ‘Are we tipping something off by a stance? An offensive lineman? By the way the quarterback stands?’ We always live in a state of paranoia.”

“Those things help a little bit, but execution is still the most important thing in this game,” Morris said.

Oklahoma State Head Coach Eric Morris tells @JonesN4mo how they identified Dante Moore tipping run plays and pass plays.#ICF pic.twitter.com/f71kowyAZG

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 16, 2026

After the game, Romney said they also noticed tendencies along Oregon’s offensive line during their preparation for the Ducks. It echoes what the Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Aiden Fisher said during the College Football Playoff last season.

The historic upset win snapped Oklahoma State's 21-game FBS losing streak, the longest such skid in the Power 4.

Dante Moore Responds To Tendancies Discussion

Moore addressed the potential tells in his footwork on Tuesday and said he is grateful they brought it up. The Ducks now have time to correct such tells before Big Ten Conference play begins on Sept. 26 vs. the No. 12 USC Trojans.

Oregon Ducks Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu | oregon ducks on si darby winter

“Every player has tendencies,” Moore said. “That’s why there’s coaches on staff that find little details. I’m glad they brought it up. I’m glad that they got it all into the media.”

“It just shows me as a player that I have things that I need to fix,” Moore continued. “Every player has it. It can be a great thing for a team, and I’ve got to make sure I don’t show it to a defense to help them get into a better check.”

Lanning said the Ducks have already addressed the issue. He also noted that offensive tendencies can occasionally be used to manipulate a defense if opponents become too confident in what they believe they see.

Moore made a similar point.

"Yeah, you can look at it in both ways. I mean, to fix it and, like you said, use it, you know, as an advantage. So just got to find the clues, the tips, and just make sure that you can, you know, don't keep doing the bad things. But, like you said, you can play it both ways. So it's a good point right there," said Moore.

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

The Ducks underwent a transition on offense this offseason, with new coordinator Drew Mehringer and quarterbacks coach Koa Ka’ai taking over. Looking ahead, the biggest concern is no longer whether those tendencies existed.

Oregon has acknowledged them and can now make the necessary corrections. The larger question is whether the Ducks can rise above a deflating loss with a long season ahead.

The season is far from over, and there are many reasons that Ducks fans should still have hope in Lanning, Moore and Oregon. First up, the Ducks return home to host the Portland State Vikings on Friday night in Autzen Stadium.

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