If you’re an Oregon fan, you’ve probably replayed Dillon Gabriel or Bo Nix’s highlights on loop for the past few years. Both have been legends in the college football world. But as much as the fans love Nix and Gabriel, it’s time to turn the page. And that new chapter? It’s headlined by a kid named Dante Moore. The name has been trending ever since he transferred to Oregon. But the question is, can he carry the program from where Gabriel left off last season?
When you have a coach like Dan Lanning, everything seems possible. Although the Ducks have spent years knocking on the door of greatness, they have always seemed one step away. Well, we all remember what happened last year, right? After winning the Big Ten championship, Lanning’s team had a great opportunity to win the national championship as well but couldn’t get past Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, losing the game 31-21. However, Moore’s arrival might bring good fortune for the program, and they might end up winning the CFP title.
But it wouldn’t be fair to expect too much from a kid who is still learning the ropes of college football. The situation was discussed in a recent episode of Crain & Company, where the host said that Lanning could be in trouble if Moore doesn’t live up to the hype. “I just wonder how good the rest of the Oregon roster has to be for them to be able to have the same sort of success if Dante Moore isn’t playing as well as Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, who are in the NFL,” the host said.
That’s a fair point, actually. Nix was a game-changer. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches and weighing 214 pounds, the star QB racked up 8,101 passing yards, 74 touchdowns, and just ten interceptions in the two seasons with Oregon in 2022 and 2023. Gabriel did the same and never let the fans feel the absence of Nix in 2024. The 6-foot, 200-pounder threw for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and only 6 interceptions with Oregon last year.
Despite that, Oregon couldn’t manage to win the national championship. The reason? Hear what the Crain & Company host has to say about it. “I think what’s held back Oregon is most of the time, has been their defense and their defense in big games. Yeah. I mean, look what happened to Ohio State in the playoffs. They, I mean, ran through him like hot butter. Anything Ohio State wanted to do, they could,” he said. Well, the Buckeyes were all over the Ducks during the Rose Bowl game. Ohio’s offense didn’t really find anything challenging in Oregon’s defense, and if the same issue repeats, the outcome will likely be the same in the upcoming season.
But there’s someone who’s all praises for Dan Lanning. He even admitted that the Ducks will be a threat to Ohio State in the upcoming season.
Urban Meyer tips Dan Lanning to take Oregon beyond the edge
Lanning took over as the head coach of Oregon in 2022, and since then, he’s delivered double-digit wins in every season. In 2023, Lanning’s squad lost the Pac-12 championship game to Washington (31-34). But the loss didn’t hurt them for long, as they made a comeback as the conference champions (13-1, 9-0 Big Ten) in 2024. And now the former coach, Urban Meyer, thinks Oregon is looking to dazzle audiences in the upcoming fall as well.
“Dan Lanning has done an awesome job. This will be his fourth season. His first three seasons as a coach, 10 wins, 12 wins, 13 wins.” Meyer said in a July 9 episode of The Triple Option. “You see the trajectory. I mean, Dan Lanning is absolutely elite and what he is building in Oregon.” However, he also mentioned that Lanning had a great three years with Oregon now, but it’s time to tick the biggest box on his resume.
“I think he’s certainly one of the top two or three coaches in the country right now. Love his enthusiasm… He loves Oregon… I know you’re going to ask this, but Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, you know, blue bloods, right? You’ve got to go get your crystal ball. You’ve got to win the national championship,” Meyer said.
With Meyer backing Dan Lanning’s rise and Dante Moore stepping into the spotlight, the stars might just be aligning in Eugene. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches and weighing around 210 pounds, Moore was a part of Oregon last year and was studying the game, sitting behind Gabriel. And now, it’s his turn to put all his learnings into the field and give Lanning’s team the much-needed CFP glory.
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