Dante Moore Spring Practice Myth Broken as Dan Lanning Receives Big Verdict on Oregon QB

Eugene, Oregon, is abuzz with activity as the Ducks prepare for a critical 2025 season, and in the middle of it all stands quarterback Dante Moore. With veteran wideout Evan Stewart out with a knee injury, the spotlight on “Moores” has intensified. Dante has already built a connection with Dakorien Moore, and despite having no relation, the duo playfully claims to be cousins. “Everybody keeps thinking we’re brothers,” Dante said. “But we just keep saying we’re cousins.” Dante was the heir to the throne last season, learning behind Dillon Gabriel, one of the most veteran quarterbacks in the college game. He watched the game closely, got some late-game reps, and for the most part sat idle, closing out the year with few pass attempts in mop-up duty.

But in 2025, it’s all different. Ten players were drafted, and others departed, including Gabriel and star wideout Tez Johnson. Now, it’s Dante’s crew. He’s the man, and the hype—Heisman’s dark horse. Until now, Dante has managed the pressure with Gabriel’s assistance. He made sound choices, developed chemistry with his new receiving corps, and shows glimpses of his talent, even though he doesn’t light up the stat sheet every week. And that’s what national analysts are taking notice of him.

On3’s J.D. PicKell offers a very considered opinion over Moore’s spring game myth. And his favourite trait is Moore’s maturity, a quality that can’t be quantified in stats. PicKell reflected on Dante’s decision to wait a year to brush up his skills: “Dante Moore, having sat for a year again, is better equipped now to run on time within this offense.” He further adds, “Even in the spring, if you go back and watch what they did on the Big Ten Network, it’s just, it’s stupid stuff. What that says to me is that the Oregon offense, as we know it, will have the opportunity to press the football downfield even more than they did with a Bo Nix or Dillon Gabriel.”

Oregon’s offense, as we’ve seen under Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, was already explosive. But those guys were more known for their efficiency, quick reads, and making the most of what the defense gave them. Moore, on the other hand, brings a new dimension. A willingness to attack vertically, to trust his arm, and to let his receivers go make plays. Pickle then reflects on Tez Johnson’s claim, “Tez Johnson said that in the Rose Bowl, when he was talking about what he expects from Dante Moore next year, he said he’s thrown the football in ways I haven’t seen before.” There were times that Moore dropped back, looked out across the field, and launched it. Sometimes uncompleted, but always purposeful.

Johnson, Oregon’s leading receiver, had seen Moore launch passes that made even the most experienced players blink: a “no-look, 60-yard bomb” that appeared to be defying gravity, layered passes with precision touch, and deep passes that came at precisely the right time, even under tight coverage. It wasn’t so much about arm strength, although Moore has a lot thereof, but about the inventiveness and assurance he was introducing to the game. Before the Rose Bowl, Johnson claimed, “He’ll be a Heisman finalist next year. 100%. Next year.” Moore then thanks his predecessor for all his learning and excellence.

How did Dillon Gabriel shape Dante Moore’s game?

J.D. PicKell, one of college football’s wittiest analysts, recently stated what many Oregon fans have come to recognize: “I love so much this dude’s [Dante Moore’s] maturity, whether it be him, whether it be him in his camp, whatever it was.” Dante Moore has grown up enormously under Dillon Gabriel’s tutelage. And in all honesty, riding the bench as a backup last season was the absolute best thing that could have happened to Moore and the future of the Ducks. Why? Because, as Moore himself explained to On3’s Pete Nakos, “This past year has been a learning year for me, transferring in with Dillon was probably one of the best things I ever did.”

The two weren’t only teammates but also roommates the night before each game. Moore had a front-row seat to Gabriel’s preparation, leadership, and tireless work ethic. He observed how Gabriel dissected film, how he spoke with coaches, and how he played under pressure. That level of intimate access to a winner was invaluable.

Dillon Gabriel + Dante Moore were roommates the night before every Oregon game, giving Moore a close look at how a proven starter prepares, he tells @On3sports.

“Transferring in with Dillon was probably one of the best things I ever did.”

Story: https://t.co/Qz8GNWpuvU pic.twitter.com/BTUAqvQ5tA

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) June 3, 2025

What has Moore changed? His attention to detail, first. Gabriel has a reputation for being accurate, for making quick decisions, and for operating a high-powered offense. Moore soaked it all up—how to read a defense, how to check the right way at the line, and how to stay calm when the pocket collapses.

Second, Moore’s leadership has developed. Observing Gabriel lead the huddle, motivate teammates, and set the tone at practice provided Moore with a template on how to lead. So, did Moore make the correct decision in learning behind Dillon Gabriel rather than beginning somewhere else? Well, his remark says it all, “Coming to Oregon and competing with Dillon and standing behind him, I learned a lot from him. He’s been in college for quite some time, and I’m glad that the Browns picked him up. Overall, he taught me a lot. The way we competed with each other in the weight room, in the classroom, and out there on the field. It’s been a great year, and I got close with the team.”

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