Oregon Suggested to Have QB Controversy Brewing Before UCLA Game

The No. 15 Oregon Ducks will have a bye this weekend, giving quarterback Dante Moore an extra week to heal from a concussion he suffered in the first half of Week 4's 41-27 win over USC in Los Angeles.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning didn't reveal when Moore is expected to return from the injury. Moore will have to clear the concussion protocol before he can practice and play. 

The Ducks are in capable hands with backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, who transferred from Nebraska to Oregon when Moore was unsure if he'd bolt for the 2026 NFL Draft or return to start a second season in college football.

Moore chose the latter, and completed 69.7% of his passes for 926 yards and nine touchdowns, leading Oregon to a 2-1 record. He went 8 of 10 passing for 77 yards against USC before leaving the game.

Raiola finished the night going 19 of 25 for 289 yards and two touchdowns. He went 11 of 11 for 124 yards and three touchdowns against Portland State on Sept. 18.

Matt Hayes of USA Today argued that Oregon will have to contemplate a quarterback change to Raiola after seeing the results on Saturday night. It's unclear what limitations Moore could have when he first returned to action. 

The second issue is that Oregon's offense did not look good the first couple of weeks, and Raiola could provide the spark the Ducks need to make the College Football Playoff amid a difficult Big Ten schedule.

Hayes' reasoning is understandable, but it's unfair to blame Moore for many of the problems. Moore has yet to throw an interception all season, which shows he is not being careless with the football. He threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns against Boise State. 

Moore wasn't the reason the Ducks only beat the Broncos by seven points.

Lanning would certainly not do himself any favors in the future by benching Moore. Moore returned to Oregon instead of entering the 2026 draft, where he would have likely been the second quarterback taken behind Fernando Mendoza (which could have bene pick No. 2 or No. 3).

Benching Moore might cause some quarterbacks to question playing for Lanning in the future, knowing that he's willing to made decisions on the starting quarterback on the drop of a dime. 

More importantly, when it comes to winning, opposing defenses might prepare better for Raiola after seeing the tape of Oregon vs USC.