Oregon's Dan Lanning Shares Latest on Dakorien Moore Injury Recovery

Oregon Ducks freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore has missed the past four games due to injury. Will he make it back in time for the first round of the College Football Playoff against the James Madison Dukes?

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning talks with Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore during warmups as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Autzen Stadium. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks are officially set to begin their quest for a national championship after securing a berth in the College Football Playoff.

However, some questions still remain about the injury status of arguably the Ducks' top offensive weapon headed into the first-round matchup at home against No. 12 seed James Madison.

Oregon true freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore has missed the past four games but will now have some extra time to rest up before postseason play. Ducks coach Dan Lanning recently shared some comments about Moore's recovery but still isn't giving a solid answer about whether or not he'll be ready to face James Madison.

Dakorien Moore "Pushing" to Be Back?

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore warms up before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Autzen Stadium. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Lanning said Sunday that Moore and other injured players are "pushing themselves to be back," which could bode well for the true freshman moving foward as the Ducks try to go on a title-winning run.

The Ducks have also been without wide receivers Gary Bryant Jr. and Evan Stewart.

"I think it starts with mindset. Dakorien, like several other guys that've been in that position, realize they have a job to do as far as pushing themselves to be back in position where they can help this team," Lanning said. "And they can still help this team even when they're not out there on the field necessarily for us. So really proud of how he's handled that. Proud of several of those guys and how they've handled that situation."

These comments certainly indicate that Moore is not in dager of missing the rest of the season, but in typical Lanning fashion, he's keeping everyone guessing when it comes to injuries.

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Dan Lanning Previously Had Cryptic Update on Dakorien Moore

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore watches teammates warm up before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

This follows a somewhat mystery injury update that Lanning had when asked about the status of Moore and Bryant Jr. after the 26-14 win over the Washington Huskies in the regular-season finale.

"They're all healthy now, so we're good," Lanning said with a smirk. "I don't know."

Whether or not Moore is actually healthy or not for the first round remains to be seen. Regardless, the Oregon offense has grown accustomed to life without the dynamic true freshman on the field thanks to the combination of Dante Moore's poise along with some additional veteran talent at wide receiver.

Oregon Ducks Wide Receivers Have Stepped Up

Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson breaks away for a touchdown as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the win over Washington, Oregon got a big game from wide receiver Malik Benson, who had his best game as a Duck. The Florida State transfer finished with five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a 64-yard catch-and-run for a score on third down in the fourth quarter that iced the game for Oregon.

Benson finished the regular season with 31 catches for 526 yards and four touchdowns along with five punt returns for 109 yards and another score.