Oregon coach Dan Lanning announced Monday, Oct. 26, that he does not expect quarterback Dante Moore to return this season after Moore missed three games with a concussion, ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti reported. “I'm not anticipating him being back this season,” Lanning said, according to @DuckFootball.
Moore has not been medically cleared to play in games. Lanning said he can practice in a controlled environment, including with the scout team, but the team cannot control a game the same way, ESPN reported. Lanning also disputed a selfish-motive interpretation of Moore’s absence: “This isn't a selfish decision on Dante's part”.
Moore sustained the concussion during Oregon’s Sept. 26 game against USC, according to ESPN. Before the injury, he threw for 926 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception in four games. ESPN reports Oregon scored fewer than 20 points in each of the three games he missed.
Moore chose to return to Oregon for his senior year rather than enter the 2026 NFL draft, for which ESPN’s draft analysts had projected him among the top three picks. For the upcoming draft, ESPN cites Mel Kiper Jr.’s ranking of Moore as the 25th prospect. Neither projection is a draft result, and Lanning’s expectation is not a declaration that Moore has been ruled out for the season, as his remarks make clear.
