Oregon Football Spring Preview: Ducks Inject Talent Into Loaded Quarterback Room

The Ducks will have a new QB1 in 2024 and they've got no shortage of great options in Eugene.

We're just over a week away from the start of spring football practice in Eugene, so I'm diving into my position previews to get readers up to speed on what Oregon Football will look like in 2024. 

When it comes to offseason discussion, there's no position that's talked about more than quarterback. So let's start there, as Will Stein will tab a new QB1 to fill Bo Nix's shoes with the Heisman Trophy finalist now off to the NFL.

Transfer Portal Additions: Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma)

© SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

2023 Stats: 3,660 passing yards, 69.3% completion, 30 TD, 6 INT | 93 car, 373 rushing yards, 12 TD

Dillon Gabriel arrives in Eugene as one of the top transfers nationally with five seasons of experience under his belt. When tasked with moving on from Bo Nix, who set the record for most career starts in college football, it's hard to think of many candidates more qualified or appealing than Gabriel. 

He led the Sooners to a 10-3 record in 2023 and made a big impact with both his arm and his legs. The Mililani, Hawaii native has a lively arm, good mobility and elite playmaking ability, especially when he's required to go off script and improvise.

Gabriel is a perfect fit in Will Stein's offense and Oregon's elite group of weapons only elevates his ceiling. Another reason I like him is because he's a gamer. He's a fierce competitor and the type of quarterback that gives your team a chance in any game.

Lastly, I'm just excited to have a left-handed quarterback at Oregon---something I haven't seen in my lifetime. Maybe more reason for excitement? Stein has experience working with lefties after coaching Frank Harris at USTA.

Transfer Portal Additions: Dante Moore (UCLA)

© Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

2023 stats: 1,610 passing yards, 53.5% completion, 11 TD, 9 INT 

Moore lands back in Eugene after being verbally committed to Dan Lanning and the Ducks during the 2023 recruiting cycle. He was one of the highest-rated quarterbacks to ever pledge to Oregon, but he ended up flipping to UCLA to play for Chip Kelly after Kenny Dillingham, then Oregon's offensive coordinator, pounced on the chance to be the head coach at Arizona State. 

The young passer had an up-and-down season in Westwood, but there's reason for optimism heading into year two as he's in a better situation than he was in Southern California. He's clearly got all the physical tools to be an elite college quarterback, he just needs to be coached up and developed.

The Ducks were able to pull off a special feat in the transfer portal by bringing in both Gabriel and Moore, who were ranked inside the top-five at the position this offseason. On paper it looks like they have their 2024 starter and his long-term replacement with three years of eligibility and a redshirt remaining.

While many have been quick to assume that QB1 could be Gabriel's job to lose, the spring should give us a better understanding of how big the gap is between the two highly-touted transfers.

The Returner: Austin Novosad (Redshirt freshman)

© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

2023 stats: 9/11, 81.8% completion, 52 passing yards

With so much of the attention on Gabriel and Moore this offseason, Novosad may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Rated a four-star recruit and an Adidas All-American coming out of high school, he was one of Will Stein's first big recruiting wins at Oregon, as the Dripping Springs, Texas product flipped from a long-standing commitment to Baylor. 

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound passer only appeared in three games as a true freshman, but he looked solid when he got to spin it in Oregon's 42-6 win over the Liberty Flames in the Fiesta Bowl. It's obviously a small sample size, but he took care of the ball and distributed to the playmakers, which is sometimes all you need from your quarterback. 

He's not considered a favorite to win the starting job but he can take a big step forward in his development with another year under Stein and two gifted quarterbacks to compete with and learn from.

The Freshman: Luke Moga

Luke Moga on Twitter (@LukeMogaQB)

2023 stats: 1,883 passing yards, 23 touchdowns | 657 rushing yards, 12 TD

Moga may be the most intriguing quarterback in this room. After his recruitment took off as a junior, he signed with the Ducks as "just" a three-star recruit out of high school. 

Seeing that his junior year was only his first full season as a starting quarterback,  his potential and overall athleticism make him someone to monitor and get excited about. 

He was the cornerstone of his team at Sunnyslope and was a big-play machine during his senior year with the Vikings. His 10.4 speed as a top track sprinter in the 100-meters make his dual-threat ability something that could become very valuable for the Ducks down the line. 

Perhaps like Novosad, he's not one that projects to be heavily in mix for the starting job, but he'll get everything he can out of his first taste of the college game.

Be sure to keep reading Ducks Digest, as I'll continue giving you a position-by-position preview of what to expect ahead of spring football.

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