Oregon Fans Will Love What Dante Moore, Dylan Raiola Said About Quarterback Room

Oregon Ducks fans had plenty to be excited about at the quarterback position in the Dan Lanning coaching era, even after Bo Nix exited the program in 2024. Heading into his third season in Eugene, Lanning picked up two high-profile transfer quarterbacks in one offseason: Dillon Gabriel and Dante Moore.

While Gabriel led the Ducks to an undefeated record in the regular season that year as the starter, Moore took a redshirt year with high expectations ahead. Not only did Moore seize the starting role in 2025, but he led Oregon to its deepest postseason run since 2015.

oregon ducks quarterback dante moore dylan raiola dillon gabriel transfer portal dan lanning college football playoff bo nix — Oregon quarterback Dante Moore speaks during the Oregon Ducks media day ahead of Orange Bowl on Dec. 30, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Two years after Gabriel and Moore transferred, the Ducks once again find themselves in a unique quarterback situation. Former Nebraska Cornhuskers starter Dylan Raiola transferred to Oregon knowing there was a good chance he’d back up another quarterback for a year.

Both Moore and Raiola explained the benefits of staying patient at Oregon Media Day.

Dante Moore Gives Insight Into Backup Role

Gabriel starred for the Ducks in his lone season with 37 total touchdowns. Meanwhile, Moore played in just four games in 2024, throwing 7-for-8 for 49 yards and rushing the ball once for six yards.

"I loved Dillon Gabriel. He was somebody that when I first came in, we sat down and talked. And at the end of the day, I said, 'I'm not just gonna come here and lay down. I'm gonna make sure I push you in the weight room, on the field, anything we do.' And he said the same thing to me,” Moore said. “And never, I ever thought I'll be a second-string guy when I got here. I've always wanted to push, of course, to be the guy.”

Moore added that he made sure he did what was needed to make sure Gabriel was prepped for the game each week. He said that Raiola has taken on the same approach.

"He just came in, we talked, and he's been pushing me on the field. If it's certain throws, if it's certain things we're doing in the weight room, certain whatever. And he's been doing a great job,” Moore said. “His weight, his speed, his attention to our playbook's been great. So at the end of the day, we've been pushing ourselves and make sure that we all want to get to that same goal and make sure we all attack it.”

Dylan Raiola Speaks Openly About Waiting His Turn

The decision to transfer to a school like Oregon with an established starter after having two years of starting experience at the Power Four level under your belt is an untraditional one – especially with rule changes now allowing five total years of eligibility.

Raiola explained at Oregon Media Day why it’s important for athletes to have patience and take on a growth mindset.

“I think everybody wants everything now, and you asked the question about when's the last time I even started,” Raiola said. “I processed that over this last six months that I've had, and I just think that when everything's thrown at you, and you're always in the microscope, and everything's always thrown at you very fast, you can kind of lose sight of the process and of football and the journey and enjoying it.”

“So, to be able to not just sit back, like watch and learn from a guy that does it at a high level, and not to mention we have other guys in the room that also participate in the growth as a unit,” he continued.

The Ducks’ reputation for developing quarterbacks, combined with the proven results of Moore’s decision to transfer and redshirt, could mean that Raiola’s not the last quarterback to make that type of decision.

Outside of just the development aspect, the entirety of the Ducks’ quarterback room should have an impact on the team’s success in 2026, with the competition in practice likely leading to improvement.

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