Dan Lanning and co. just had a breath of fresh air. The Oregon Ducks finally hit Rich Brooks Field for their first scrimmage of the spring. After weeks of being stuck inside Autzen Stadium due to construction, stepping out onto that field just felt different. There was energy. A game-day kind of buzz. And of course, the quarterback battle continues to heat up. Dante Moore and Austin Novosad were out there slinging it. And yeah, Dan Lanning stood close by, locked in. Who’s going to fill in the golden shoes of Dillon Gabriel? That guy who threw for 3,857 yards and 30 TDs and led his team to an undefeated regular season to finish third in the Heisman Trophy list. 

During his media speech after Oregon’s eighth spring practice, Dan Lanning kept it simple. He just dropped one word when asked what he wants from his QBs—“Efficiency.” That’s it. That’s the bar. “Like who can operate, keep the ball out of jeopardy, who understands the system,” he added. “You know, the thing about quarterback is you got to be able to get everybody lined up. You got to understand the protections. You got to understand the play clock, the operation. So there’s a lot that we ask our quarterback to do here.” He seeks a QB who can move that ball, a shot-caller who makes everyone around him better. And that’s where Moore and Novosad come in.

Now, Dante Moore’s story is pretty wild. That freshman year at UCLA? He was thrown into the fire. The 2023 Utah game saw him receive seven sacks. Still, he hung in there for 1,610 yards and 11 TDs. After transferring to Oregon in 2024, he had a chance to learn behind Dillon Gabriel. So, the spotlight is shining on him.

Oregon insider Jason Piacelli is hyped about what the 19-year-old could bring to the table. “What excites me the most about Dante Moore is that the ceiling with his Oregon offense,” he said. “With Dante Moore at the helm, is, in my opinion, indefinitely higher than it was with Dillon Gabriel.” But his competitor isn’t here to be anyone’s backup plan either.

Austin Novosad, a redshirt sophomore, has been in the Oregon system for nearly three years now. He took notes under both Bo Nix and Gabriel. And now he’s eyeing that QB1 spot like a veteran. The 6’3, 205-pounder’s got size, confidence, and chemistry with the room. And he kept it real in the QB room on Tuesday—“It’s been super good. That whole room is pretty close. We go out there and help each other when we need to, and go out there and compete.” A friendly battle, but a fierce one too. Last year, these two were just fighting for second-team reps. Now? It’s the starting job. And speaking of battles…

Dan Lanning is confident in his 320-pound weapon

Dan Lanning lit up when he was asked about the offensive line. Especially when the names Emmanuel Pregnon and Alex Harkey came up. “Both physically gifted guys,” he said. “I think they walk out there with the temperament. There’s very few teams that I’ve been around that have an O-line that feels like our O-line.” Yeah, Oregon’s O-line room is built differently. And it’s not just empty vessels; it’s culture. O-line coach A’lique Terry and other assistant coaches like Cutter Leftwich, Dallas Warmack, and Ryan Walk have built a wall up front, and Pregnon and Harkey are two massive contenders. 

At 6’5, 320 pounds, Emmanuel Pregnon was that guy at USC—starting all 13 games at left guard without giving up a single sack. He logged 882 snaps, the most on the Trojans’ line, and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. He was also ranked the No. 2 IOL in the transfer portal. So you see, Dan Lanning didn’t just get a player. He landed a mauler. As for big Alex Harkey? The 6’6, 325-pounder is a Texas State transfer who started all 12 games at right tackle. 

Now, all eyes shift to April 26—the spring game inside Autzen Stadium. With a QB battle and new weapons across the board, Dan Lanning and the Ducks are cooking.