A lot of things are underway at Oregon at the moment. Spring practice is well underway, and Dan Lanning is going hard in the 2026 recruiting class. He already seems close to getting the top 2 quarterbacks from the pool. Then, there’s also the high-stakes QB1 battle for his 2025 roster, being fought between Dante Moore and Austin Novosad. Moore, in particular, is pitched by many to be the victor. Amidst the comparisons between him and his stalwart predecessors, Moore had some things to say for himself. Novosad, on the other hand, sees a key pillar of support from the coaching staff.

Moore will play his 2 season with the Ducks, and his 3 overall. Lanning got him from the UCLA Bruins after a season that saw Moore have some flashes of brilliance. It also contained a good share of flaws. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that Moore is yet to show a complete show of his greatness. As a program, Oregon is a firebrand when it comes to quarterbacks. Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix have taken the Ducks football to new heights. The ceiling is immensely high for Dante Moore, and so are everybody’s expectations of him taking forward the legacy of the former QBs.

With what Gabriel and Nix have done for Oregon, Moore has some serious pressure weighing down upon his shoulders. He said at a presser on April 10, “Growing up, I’ve had great mentors, and one being Cam Newton. And one thing he always told me is, you know, control what you can control.” For now, Moore is just focused on showing what he brings to the field. “You ain’t got to do nothing special to be special. Really, it’s just me.” However modest he may be, making 1,610 yards across 9 games in a season is some serious talent. He also acknowledged the quarterbacks that came before him. Despite the rich history of the Oregon quarterbacks, Moore is busying himself with building his brand of football. “I’m just thinking about my style of play, how I can better the team. Just how I can make myself feel comfortable on the football field.” Primarily, he plans to “master [his] game plan and make sure [he] can better [himself] every day.” That brand of game would be a delight to watch if he makes it as a starting quarterback, based on what we’ve seen from him previously.

It’s not easy stepping in to fight for a spot that created magic upon magic for the Ducks. But Dante Moore is using all of that pressure in a constructive manner. “I just know coach Landon always tells me pressure is a privilege. I just feel like I’m blessed to be here, blessed to be where I’m at. I’m not really thinking about down the line of season and things like that. I’m thinking about every day, just how I’m getting better at practice, how I’m helping the team around me get better,” Moore said. It’s all about the now for Moore, instead of what comes after.

Gabriel himself had some high praise for the young quarterback. He said, “I ain’t never seen nothing like it. He’s so ready. He’s so ready to play. … The guy is talented.” Based on his experience, Dante Moore has an edge over the rest of his competitors. However, year three QB Austin Novosad also seems to be catching up in this race. Surprisingly, Dan Lanning also seems to have him in his good books.

Dan Lanning is batting for Austin Novosad

While Moore may be a popular favorite, HC Dan Lanning had a different opinion. He had high praises for Novosad, who has a total of just 59 yards across 2 seasons. Lanning said, “I think the guy’s just a winner. He has become really comfortable in our system. He understands it.” And it’s true. Novosad has seen both Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel put forward their brilliance for two years.

He knows there’s a lot to learn from them. Novosad said on the Ducks of a Feather Podcast, “[I]t was the best two years for me just because the experience really helps.” Going against Moore and other talents like Luke Moga and Brock Thomas, Novosad truly has to bring out his best to win the spot. He doesn’t have the luxury of popular appeal and will be relying on everything he learned from the other guys and coaches. His high school career’s numbers cement his potential to match up to Moore. Across three years, Novosad has produced a total of 8,983 yards and 114 touchdowns. Moore’s high school numbers pale by a long shot against his.

This is the first time Lanning is seeing a QB1 battle as the Ducks’ HC. And he has a tough decision to make because both Moore and Novosad bring some serious oomph to the Oregon offense. One is a popular favorite and has starting experience. The other lacks at both but has shining reviews from the HC. Who do you think will end up being Oregon’s starting quarterback this season?