Urban Meyer Doesn't Hold Back Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dylan Raiola

One of the biggest storylines going into the No. 13 Oregon Ducks' second ranked matchup of the regular season against the No. 21 UCLA Bruins is the ascension of back-up junior quarterback Dylan Raiola to starter as senior quarterback Dante Moore remains sidelined with a concussion.

With Raiola taking Moore's mentorship into what's shaping up to be quite the contentious match-up at Autzen Stadium against the undefeated Bruins, many analysts across the country have some hot takes on what Raiola adds to Oregon's offense since his splashy 41-27 win against the No. 18 USC Trojans.

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola takes a snap as the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans on Sept. 26, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Urban Meyer Shares His Hot Take On Oregon Ducks

One of those media members sharing his hot takes on the Ducks and Raiola's leadership under center is FOX Sports analyst Urban Meyer, who's previous history as the coach of Ohio State led to a 2014 National Championship win over the Oregon Ducks with a 42-20 final score in Arlington, Texas.

"Coach [Bob] Chesney. Coach of the year candidate," Meyer said on The Triple Option podcast. "'Cause they were awful at UCLA there for a few years and he's resurrecting them. However, Oregon three weeks ago, I watched the Oklahoma State game, and that was as bad as I've ever seen an Oregon team play."

"They got a little juice after their win at USC. A win that Dylan Raiola came off the bench and won. And played not good, played great. And now they're into it, and I think you're gonna see an inferno in Eugene, Oregon. And the old - that's gonna see the old Oregon show up and get a win," Meyer continued.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer hoists the trophy following their 42-20 win over Oregon in the College Football Playoff National Championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 12, 2015. (Adam Cairns / The Columbus Dispatch) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Is Dylan Raiola "The Guy" For Oregon's Offense

Those are bold claims from a controversial football figure in the Duck fan lexicon. However, the Oregon quarterback depth is unsual boasting two quarterbacks with starting history for major Big Ten franchises. When transferring to Oregon during the 2026 off-season, Raiola brought two 2,000-plus passing yard seasons with progressing development cut short in 2025 by a broken leg against the same team Raiola surged back to defeat with Oregon (the Trojans).

For coach Dan Lanning, Raiola's continued to develop with the Ducks through plenty of action in practice, which is also why his Oregon peers are rallying behind the once back-up, now starter.

“Yeah, I mean, you might not enjoy this, but it's been business as usual in a lot of ways, right? He had an exception when he stepped out there on the field and performed at a really high level, and everybody had confidence in him because they see him do it a lot in practice. You got a lot of reps in practice, regardless of where you’re sitting,” Lanning said during a media availability prior to the UCLA game.

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola throws against Southern California during their game on Sept. 26, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

What Dylan Raiola Brings For An Oregon Refresh

For many watching the Ducks during this 2026 season, it can be argued that a certain energy seemed to be lacking from a team that was reported as so connected in the days leading up to their first game at home against Boise State. When Raiola stepped in for Moore during the second quarter against USC, it appeared a sense of confidence came with him. That can especially be seen in the strong-arm deep balls Raiola sent downfield, testing the Trojan defense.

Raiola's dynamiscism with Oregon could especially be seen in his USC connections with sophomore running back Dierre Hill Jr., who not only punched in 63 yards and two touchdowns off of 15 carries, but also clocked 105 receiving yards off four targets from Raiola with one particular long gain of 62 yards on the second play of the third quarter.

Hill being able to show running back versatility that Oregon once used to pride themselves on in that 2010s era with Raiola slinging the ball must feel like a blast from the past for Meyer, and those that are happy to see a jolt in this offense.

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