Dante Moore Gets Candid on Dierre Hill Jr.’s Big Change

Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr.’s true freshman season played a key role in the program’s College Football Playoff semifinal finish in 2025.

Hill drew attention with his six total touchdowns and highlight plays in ranked matchups against Penn State and James Madison. While Ducks fans are anxious to see how his rushing totals improve during a potential sophomore- year leap, it’s Hill’s off-the-ball skill improvement that he and quarterback Dante Moore spoke about ahead of Week 1.

The Skill Dierre Hill Jr. Worked on in the Offseason

oreogn ducks dante moore dierre hill running backs quarterback dan lanning boise state broncos fall camp noah whittington — Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (23) celebrates with Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Alex Harkey (71) after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hill told the media before the No. 2 Ducks’ Week 1 matchup against the Boise State Broncos that pass protection is the skill he’s most excited to show his improvement in.

“I didn't have to block as much in high school. I really got to fall a lot, where I was running a route. I never really had to pass pro a real for real a lot of the times. But coming here, coach Samp seeing that was the issue off the rip,” Hill said.

“He knew I could run, but pass protection is everything. I can't be out there if I can't be trusted to protect our guy, our number one guy, which is Dante,” Moore added. “He has to be protected at all costs. Just going into it, it's really just a lot of technical things. The physicality part's not really an issue.”

Moore addressed the media after Hill and said that the running back has taken his offseason improvement seriously. Moore said that he’s paid attention to doing the correct blocking and having the knowledge of where a team is blitzing from and knowing the coverages.

“Dierre's done a great job, and it's just been watching the film of last year, watching the film of Noah (Whittington) from last year, just all these vets that have done it at a high level and he's done a great job just really appreciating it and taking it serious,” Moore said.

“He's always making sure every time we go out there and take the field, he's like, ‘I got your back, I'm going to protect you.’ And as a quarterback, you've got to love that,” he continued. “I think that room has done a great job just making sure that's something they emphasize, and they've been doing a great job."

Hill rushed for 656 yards on 75 carries and made 16 receptions for 137 yards in 2025. The Ducks can always count on Hill to break away for long gains and contribute as a receiver – but being able to assist the team without the football is something that coach Dan Lanning and the offensive staff have emphasized to take the program to the next level.

Dierre Hill Jr.’s Praise of Dante Moore

Hill had his own praise for the area he’s seen his quarterback evolve in the offseason.

“Coming in my freshman year, Dante was more so quiet … But coming into the second year, Dante has been more of a huge vocal leader for us. He knows he's the guy,” Hill said.

“He knows he's our quarterback, and you know it starts with him … Him staying dialed in and focused on the next play helps the whole offense stay on it, focus on the next play because when we see (Dante) doing the right things and we see (Dante) handling the situation well, we have no choice but to do the same,” Hill added. "I mean, that's our quarterback.”

While Hill is just beginning his second season of college football, Moore is entering his redshirt junior year after forgoing a shot at a top-five selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Moore spent his true freshman season with the UCLA Bruins before transferring to Oregon ahead of the 2024 season.

Moore redshirted the 2024 season with Dillon Gabriel starting at quarterback and took over as the Ducks’ starter last season. Now that he comes into his third year in the Oregon system and has the confidence of one full season as a starter, it seems that Moore has stepped into his role as a leader on this offense.

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