Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dante Moore Reveals Confidence Level Going Into Week 2

EUGENE – Quarterback Dante Moore made his first start for the Oregon Ducks in week 1 against the Montana State Bobcats after redshirting 2024.

Moore’s highly anticipated season debut didn’t disappoint. He threw three touchdowns for 213 yards in the 59-13 win. The quarterback addressed the media as he tries to follow up on that performance against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday.

What Dante Moore Said:

dante moore oregon ducks oklahoma state cowboys dan lanning montana state bobcats quarterback mike gundy — Aug 30, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) walks off the field after a game against the Montana State Bobcats at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

How Much Confidence His Season Debut Gave Him:

“This past Saturday. I mean, the way we prepped, the way we just treated practice like a game, it was kind of make us help people play better on Saturday. . . . We're going to push ourselves to better ourselves and feel like, you know our practice, you push yourself to a certain point, certain standards, that on Saturday, it should look a certain way. So nothing's going to change.”

On Wide Receiver Jeremiah McClellan’s Growth:

“The growth, I'll try to say, is we've got more to the point where he's texting and blowing my phone now when he gets to work. I mean, last year, during ball, with first fall camp. Always go down to Dallas to train. And I kind of brought it up to him, like, hey, come down to Dallas. Come catch, come train. He was okay,” Moore said.

“But this year he was kind of like, when are we going to Dallas? But I'll get a plan for us. And he's done a great job of going to work. I mean, he's got way stronger, way faster and, I mean, his hands are incredible.”

How He Responds To Lanning Cussing Him Out At Practice:

dante moore oregon ducks oklahoma state cowboys dan lanning montana state bobcats quarterback mike gundy dakorien moore — Aug 30, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning, right, and Montana State Bobcats head coach Brent Vigen shake hands after a game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

“I feel like a lot of players when they get that type of fire under my practice show, but I've been through it my first year has been a lot of things that happened to me and throwing fire. But I love it. I love it because, I mean, he loves me.”

What He Sees From Alex Harkey:

“I remember when he just was hard to talk to that first. And so, he's a tough guy. He's somebody you can trust and for sure block on the perimeter. But, I mean, during practice, he's pushing himself. He's sweating and exhausting himself,” Moore said.

What He Learned Against Montana State:

“Having that next play, focus on the example that when I got the first down, and I was excited and pumping. I was fatigued the next play because I was, like, tired and lost a lot of energy, and something that, of course, excited during the moment, but plays like that would happen, but yeah, focus on the next play,” Moore said.

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On Wide Receiver Dakorien Moore Imposing His Skills As A Blocker:

“(Dan) Lanning kind of tells us we have our four pillars, you know, connection, growth, toughness, and sacrifice. And toughness is definitely one of them. (Dakorien) has done a great job. Of course, when he first got here in mod bracket kind of looked favorable for the defensive side when he went up. First he had to adjust to how the speed and how the college game was. He's done a great job during practice," Moore said.

"During mod bracket, he'll gain extra reps and make sure he's pushing himself in practice. So come game time, when he's throwing fire of having to block the perimeter, he's done a great job of doing that, and kind of something that he's mastered getting better at day by day. So, he's getting ready.”

Oregon Ducks Dakorien Moore Dan Lanning pancake block touchdown Gary Bryant Jr. Dante Moore five-star wide receiver — Oregon Ducks receiver Dakorien Moore against Montana State | Jake Bunn / Oregon Ducks on SI

What He’s Seen From Cooper Perry Since He Arrived:

“When he first got here in spring ball, I mean, he was probably, I'll say, to be honest, the best player that went through the whole spring time. Just looking at him when it comes to winning, winning routes," said Moore.

“Just the way he is as a receiver, I feel like he was the most, you know, produced in the spring, and he's a great talented receiver. As a quarterback, I trust him. I know he's going to be at during certain coverages or be on the same time. And I'm glad he had a chance to go out there, you know, playing college his, first snaps, and he's done a great job.”

What It Will Be Like To Go Against Cornerback Jaylin Davies:

“Somebody I always communicated with when I was out there in LA he's a great guy, great player. I'm excited to see him, but when it comes to him being on the perimeter, when it comes game time. So I gotta kind of have no love from during the within the white lines after the game when I get to talk about him, but he's a great guy.”

What He’d Say To His Freshman Self:

“Smile. Don't care about who's playing.”