Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore Wants To Follow Marcus Mariota in More Ways Than One

EUGENE - Marcus Mariota's Oregon Ducks legacy is impossible to miss in Eugene, from the program’s facilities to the game of starting quarterback Dante Moore.

Mariota's Heisman Trophy glistens beneath the lights in the lobby of Oregon’s $138 million football complex, immediately drawing the eye of players and recruits who walk through its doors. Nearby, the Marcus Mariota Sports Performance Center bears his name while providing the current team with high-tech spaces for training and recovery.

Marcus Mariota and his daughter wander the set as Duck fans flock to the set of ESPN’s College GameDay on the campus of the University of Oregon on Nov. 22, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“Every kid we’re recruiting nowadays… they know Marcus Mariota. Everyone knows Marcus Mariota," Oregon quarterbacks coach Koa Ka'ai said.

Mariota remains the first and only Oregon player, and the first Hawaii-born athlete, to win college football’s most prestigious individual honor. More than a decade after he lifted the trophy in New York, his influence reaches beyond the fans who still don his No. 8 uniform in Autzen Stadium.

Mariota’s impact can be seen in Moore’s preparation and even his footwork as the Oregon quarterback enters a season filled with Heisman Trophy buzz of his own.

Marcus Mariota Has Direct Impact on Dante Moore’s Game

Oregon’s Dante Moore celebrates during the first half of he Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oregon quarterbacks coach Koa Ka’ai and Mariota have a long, shared Oregon history.

“When we were 17-year-old freshmen as roommates and teammates, (Mariota) was the dude who wasn’t going to play, who was up at 5 o’clock in the morning going through his cadence and going through call sheets,” Ka’ai said. “Just to see him kind of mature from these young 17-year-old kids and now living out his dream. I think it’s year 12 in the NFL at this point, which is pretty impressive.”

Ka'ai is now wearing an Oregon coach polo instead of a uniform, and Mariota’s film has become one of his teaching tools inside the quarterback room.

Moore has taken a specific element from Mariota’s game and incorporated it into his own.

Oregon QB coach Koa Ka’ai has known Marcus Mariota since they were 17-year-old roommates and teammates.

Before the Heisman Trophy and NFL career, Mariota was waking up at 5 a.m. to practice cadences and study call sheets.

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“Watch the way Dante uses zone read or his footwork on read-zone plays,” Ka’ai said. “That’s something that he got from Marcus, just watching his tape from college and in the NFL.”

Mariota’s connection to Oregon’s quarterbacks is not just symbolic. He frequently visits the program when he is in Eugene, joins meetings and works directly with the players. Most of Oregon’s quarterbacks have his phone number, according to Ka’ai, and some have developed personal relationships with him.

“When Marcus is in town in the spring, he comes around,” Ka’ai said. “Those guys get to work with him... He’ll pop into meetings. He’s a resource to be around.”

Dante Moore Wants To Follow Marcus Mariota’s Footsteps

Moore has studied Mariota’s Oregon and NFL film, and what stands out is his ability to quickly read defenses and create plays with the signature speed Ducks fans remember all too well.

Nov 14, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) swipes his hand over the letter “O” during the “March to Victory” team walk before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Marcus is a special talent,” Moore said. “You watch his college film, you watch his NFL film. It’s just the way he plays the game with his speed, whether it’s mentally going through progressions or using his legs to make plays.”

But the man, husband and father that Mariota has become, is what truly stands out to Moore.

“I think the biggest thing with him is just how he is in this world outside of football. The way he carries himself, the way he loves his family, the way he is as a father,” Moore said. “I just get to learn from him.”

Moore detailed watching Mariota interact with his daughter and son on the range, a moment and an example of the life he hopes to build away from the field.

Jan 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota at press conference after the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game against the Florida State Seminoles at Rose Bowl. Oregon defeated Florida State 59-20. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"That just makes me think he's doing great things in life, and I want to follow his footsteps," Moore said.

Fiercely competitive on the field yet humble away from it, Mariota and Moore share a team-first mentality and a natural instinct to redirect praise toward others.

Marcus Mariota And The Oregon Standard

Mariota has persevered through the ups and downs of 12 seasons in the NFL. His grit and hard work have always shined through as he's become one of the most beloved players in the league.

Dec 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota kisses the Heisman Trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

His story inspires as Mariota developed from an overlooked freshman into a Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 2 overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft.

“(Mariota) has kind of set that standard for what it is to be an Oregon athlete," Ka'ai said.

More than a decade later, he has embraced a different role as the backup to Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

“He’s not the first-round draft pick anymore. He’s a backup to Jayden, but he does a really good job. He owns that role,” Ka’ai said. “He’s talked to our guys about that role, and you couldn’t ask for a better role model.”

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore speaks during a press conference on Aug. 18, 2026, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Moore can relate to taking the patient path. He transferred to Oregon from UCLA and spent the 2024 season behind Dillon Gabriel before taking control of Oregon’s offense in 2025. Similar to that 17-year-old Mariota, Moore prepared behind-the-scenes to be able to step into the starting role when his opportunity came.

Now, Moore will enter the 2026 season with an opportunity to pursue the same trophy that greets everyone who walks into Oregon’s football complex and make Ducks history while doing it.

What is already clear is that Mariota’s influence can be found in Moore’s footwork, preparation and understanding of what it means to represent the Oregon Ducks.

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