Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dante Moore Turns Heads With Evan Stewart Comments

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore took the podium at the team's media day on Monday, Aug. 3, and the star signal-caller spoke about the offseason that wide receiver Evan Stewart had as Stewart continues to turn heads before the fall.

"Yeah, Evan, love him to death. He's somebody that probably had the greatest off season I've ever seen. The way he just came in every day, early in the mornings, late nights, just pushing himself, pushing the team. Of course, his past year was the year he wanted, and it's just that with that incident, I mean, it just made him love the team even more. Because at the end of the day, we all appreciated him for the support and things he did," Moore said.

oregon ducks dante moore big ten nfl draft dan lanning big ten schedule college football playoff evan stewart dakorien moore — Fighting Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart makes a catch during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"But yeah, he's a really good bowler. Just found that out. I'm bowling in L.A. He beat me twice. I didn't have my balls though. They were in Eugene, so that doesn't matter. But yeah, he's we're gonna go tonight actually, and hope I get him this time. But overall, he's a great dude. Great energy. Loves dancing. Everybody sees his TikTok, so he's a great deal," Moore continued.

Stewart flashed in Oregon's spring game, and his return to the Ducks offense is highly anticipated.

Moore and Stewart enter the season with high expectations earned by the Oregon team as a number of Ducks decided to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return for one last run in Eugene. What else did Moore have to say about his offseason as well as his thoughts on the upcoming fall?

Dante Moore on NFL Draft Decision:

"There were some days where I thought about that, like about 'Was it the right decision?' But it's been months now, and we put in so much work this offseason and making sure we get our bodies right and preparing for the season," said Moore. "So I'm excited."

On Tokyo, Japan Trip and Billboards:

"It's a blessing. Of course, thank you to Nike, Division Street, everybody that helped plan that trip. And thank you to the community of Tokyo for accepting us," Moore said. "It was great, I never thought in my life I'd be in Tokyo, but especially Shibuya Crossing. I mean, being able to look up there with my teammates and they'd be happy for me. But just seeing my face across the boards, it's a great feeling. But at the end of the day, I want more of that in the future, so I gotta make sure I put the work in and just handle business."

On Jamari Johnson:

"Yeah, I say it's preparation. This year, he's taking you know prehab, rehab, everything before, even the game of football more serious. He learned a lot from Kenyon (Sadiq). Kenyon used to get to the facility at 4:45 in the morning. You know, hot tub, stretching, and he's done the same thing with just learning his routine. Not saying he has to play like Kenyon, because at the end you're yourself, but just picking up those habits, learning from the players that have done something in our lives that we want to do, go first round, get drafted," Moore said.

"So he's done a great job. Most important, I love about him is he's a jokester. I'm pretty sure everybody's heard recently what's happened, but he's a great dude. I love him to death, and I' mhappy for these upcoming days."

How he's Changed as a Person, Player:

"As a person, I feel like I connect with, I've been connecting with Earth way more better. Eugene, trees, forest, hikes, just in this world that God has blessed me with. Just being able to really appreciate that, just more get to earn myself more as a man in this community. Just be around the great people of the city of Eugene, and as a football player, I say just being a leader, being able to rally the troops, make sure we handle every task that needs to get handled. But overall, I got more learning to do this offseason and this upcoming days," said Moore.

On Connecting With Wide Receivers

"Yeah, very talented. The receivers, they put so much work in. Our trust has gotten way better. Recently, we were in the ocean together. Me and the receivers swimming with the waves, and they didn't believe me at first. 'Hey, go in the water and have a good time.' And then they trusted me with that, so our trust level was way up there. So that's a great thing."

"I mean, the game of football-they've been doing this since they're four or five years old. They're very talented, but at the end of the day, they're enjoying the process. A lot of them are young. A lot of them are, you know, old as well. So, all of us coming together to make sure, you know, we keep that same goal in our mind and go attack," said Moore.

On the Offensive Line:

"Yeah, starts with Coach (A'lique) Terry," Moore said. "Coach Terry has done a great job producing linemen and coaching them. Of course, Poncho that came back. I mean, he's doing a great job just molding everybody as a line. You know, at the end of the day, we got some guys that came in. At the end of the day, we're working in the weight room, putting on some muscle out there."

"And at the end of the day, Coach Terry's doing a great job on the playbook, making sure they're staying at the right technique. You know, with certain things. But overall, I'm not worried at all. We have so much more time of of practice and getting reps in with each other, and I'm gonna for sure feel confident in one," said Moore.

Coolest Part About Oregon:

"The fans."

Toughest Player on Oregon:

"Bear Alexander."

On His Busy Summer:

"That's the most busiest summer of my life for sure. But at the end of the day, I mean, it's the off season. I'm supposed to enjoy it, and when it's time to lock in, like currently right now, fall camp, you know, it's time to lock in. So at the end of the day, I did things that I remember for you know for many years. The memories I created with my teammates, World Cups, Tokyo, Zach Bryan. I mean, there's so many things that happened, and at the end of the day, I'm just blessed to have the opportunity to do that. But it was a great summer and enjoyed it. But yeah, now it's football time," said Moore.

On the Offense's Potential:

"Coach (Drew) Mehringer, so super excited about just trusting his game plans. Coach (Will) Stein did you know one hell of a job here, just make sure he pushed the herd and kept his offense how it was supposed to be, and I hope he does great things in Kentucky."

"But yeah, with Coach Mehringer, I mean, he's a scientist. He's really smart. He's for sure really good at dissecting defenses and helping you know make sure we have the right play called. And at the end of the day, he's been coaching me very well, coaching the players. You know, he was a tight ends coach, not coaching the whole offense. So he's done a great job with that. So he's going for sure be ready. And at the end of the day, there's going to be some, you know, bumps and bruises and things you have to learn, but at the end of the day, it's the game of football. You got to learn and adapt to it," Moore said.

On his Growth:

"At the end of the day, all these interviews, all these questions, just a normal conversation. I talked to JJ (Jamari Johnson) and Teitum (Tuioti) about that. It's just having a normal conversation that kind of just feels like, at the end of the day, you never want to put yourself in a bad position, so don't just say the wrong thing. Got to tell JJ that a little bit more, but it's okay," Moore joked.

"At the end of the day, there's confidence in me. The way I just prepared, the way I just been getting so much, you know, so many reps when it comes to football, spring ball this past year, and I just make sure I just keep pushing myself, and confidence is the biggest thing I reflect on."

On the Season's Expectations:

"Pressure is a privilege. A lot of pressure on this team. By the end of the day, we kind of put that pressure on ourselves. We've done great job these past couple years, and we've got to trust in our game plans and trust in Coach Lanning. Of course, we got to follow our our leader, and he does a great job making sure he's preparing us. But at the end of the day, it's just going to keep being more and more pressure in my life. So, got to embrace and have a joy," said Moore.

On His Relationship With Dylan Raiola

"Of course, you know 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. And never, I ever, you know, 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 said.

"But at the end of the day, when the roles get put out for the first game, you've got to respect it. And at the end of the day, you know, I made sure that was game prep or whatever that Dillon needed, I made sure it was done for him."

"And then with this year, you know, Dylan Raiola did the same thing. 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 you know, whatever. And he's been doing a great job. His weight, I mean, his speed, his just you know his attention to the our you know our playbook's been great. So at the end of the day, we've been pushing ourselves and make sure that you know we all want to get to that same goal and make sure we all attack it," said Moore.

On the Peach Bowl Loss:

"Yeah, I watched a lot of Fernando tape. Fernando Mendoza. He's a ball player. He someone I respect. You know, I've been playing him since I was my freshman at UCLA. Played each other at Cal. I learned a lot from him."

"The way he's just so good, anticipating throws, confidence with throwing RPOs. So I just learned a lot from just watching the tape. And then at the end of the day, we just learned a lot of the team, just knowing that you know things we can't do in that certain game. Of course, a lot of things I did was all in jeopardy. So just making sure that's learned from that. But yeah, quarterbacks watch quarterbacks watch them you know make their plays. Just learn from it," Moore said.

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