Oregon quarterback Dante Moore may miss the rest of the season due to a concussion. Ducks coach Dan Lanning says the 21-year-old has yet to get medical clearance, and a return looks unlikely. For a team that began at No. 2 with hopes of its first national title, that's a rough turn.
Moore has been out since a clash with USC, where Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens struck him with an illegal hit. The Ducks won that game, but their star QB had to leave with a head injury. His absence has hurt Oregon badly.
Without him, the Ducks have managed just one win in three games, leaving their record at 4-3. Even worse, the offense has put up a mere 42 points across that stretch. Not great for a squad that had its eyes on the College Football Playoff.
Lanning has also fired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer after a 21-10 loss at Illinois. Mehringer had taken over from Will Stein, who left for the head coaching job at Kentucky. Oregon's attack has had a hard time finding any rhythm since Moore went down.
Backup Dylan Raiola had given fans some hope when he came off the bench against USC and helped seal that win. The former Nebraska QB, also a five-star recruit, then faced a much harder task as the starter.
Raiola did beat his old team after coming off the bench, but losses to UCLA and Illinois have left Oregon with little room for error. The Illinois result has all but ended its playoff hopes.
Moore had quite the résumé before this setback. A five-star talent from near Detroit, he spent his first college season at UCLA before moving to Oregon. He then learned behind Dillon Gabriel and got his shot as the Ducks' main QB.
His first full run as a starter was a big one. Moore threw for 3,565 yards and 30 scores, guiding Oregon all the way to the playoff semifinals. Rather than enter the NFL draft, where he had a shot at going second overall, he came back with several key teammates.
The move made sense for a player chasing a college title. Moore was also in the Heisman Trophy race, and scouts viewed him as a likely first-round NFL pick.
Even with an early upset loss to Oklahoma State, he had put up 926 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and zero picks before his injury. Oregon still had a path back into the playoff picture after beating USC, but that hope has faded fast.
Northwestern is next on the home schedule, followed by a trip to face No. 2 Ohio State. That Big Ten clash had looked like a major event when the season began. The Ducks head into it in a far less secure spot.
As for Moore, he has been helping the scout team at practice while he waits for medical approval. Lanning believes his QB wants to play, but the choice is out of the hands of both coach and player.
And his future remains open. Another college season is still an option, while the NFL draft could offer him a fresh path. Lanning won't guess which route Moore will take, though he has little doubt that NFL teams will give him a chance.
Moore has been out since a clash with USC, where Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens struck him with an illegal hit. The Ducks won that game, but their star QB had to leave with a head injury. His absence has hurt Oregon badly.
Without him, the Ducks have managed just one win in three games, leaving their record at 4-3. Even worse, the offense has put up a mere 42 points across that stretch. Not great for a squad that had its eyes on the College Football Playoff.
Lanning has also fired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer after a 21-10 loss at Illinois. Mehringer had taken over from Will Stein, who left for the head coaching job at Kentucky. Oregon's attack has had a hard time finding any rhythm since Moore went down.
Backup Dylan Raiola had given fans some hope when he came off the bench against USC and helped seal that win. The former Nebraska QB, also a five-star recruit, then faced a much harder task as the starter.
Raiola did beat his old team after coming off the bench, but losses to UCLA and Illinois have left Oregon with little room for error. The Illinois result has all but ended its playoff hopes.
Moore had quite the résumé before this setback. A five-star talent from near Detroit, he spent his first college season at UCLA before moving to Oregon. He then learned behind Dillon Gabriel and got his shot as the Ducks' main QB.
His first full run as a starter was a big one. Moore threw for 3,565 yards and 30 scores, guiding Oregon all the way to the playoff semifinals. Rather than enter the NFL draft, where he had a shot at going second overall, he came back with several key teammates.
The move made sense for a player chasing a college title. Moore was also in the Heisman Trophy race, and scouts viewed him as a likely first-round NFL pick.
Even with an early upset loss to Oklahoma State, he had put up 926 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and zero picks before his injury. Oregon still had a path back into the playoff picture after beating USC, but that hope has faded fast.
Northwestern is next on the home schedule, followed by a trip to face No. 2 Ohio State. That Big Ten clash had looked like a major event when the season began. The Ducks head into it in a far less secure spot.
As for Moore, he has been helping the scout team at practice while he waits for medical approval. Lanning believes his QB wants to play, but the choice is out of the hands of both coach and player.
And his future remains open. Another college season is still an option, while the NFL draft could offer him a fresh path. Lanning won't guess which route Moore will take, though he has little doubt that NFL teams will give him a chance.
