Oregon Ducks' Austin Novosad Challenging Dante Moore For Starting Quarterback?

As the Oregon Ducks prepare for the 2025 season, the competition for the starting quarterback position is wide open. Offensive coordinator Will Stein is still evaluating his options, with quarterbacks Dante Moore, Austin Novosad, and Brock Thomas among those vying for the top spot.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore throws out a pass during warm ups as the Oregon Ducks host the Idaho Vandals Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

EUGENE- The Oregon Ducks are looking to make noise in 2025.

The Ducks, who completed an undefeated season, won the Big Ten Conference Championship in their inaugural season, and made a strong push for a national championship, are looking to have even more success next season.  

However, the program will look to do so with a completely different team than last season. Last season, the Ducks were led by the most experienced signal-caller in college football, quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Now, Oregon coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein are on the search for their new starting quarterback. 

Aug 31, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Austin Novosad (16) warms up before the game against the Idaho Vandals at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

“Yeah, it's been really fun so far. It's been fresh. It's been, you know, challenging at times, in a good way,” said Stein. “These guys have been professional from day one. They attacked the offseason like champs, and I think through the first two days, they've all shown a good understanding of our offense.” 

“I think the sky's the limit for that group. I do feel like we have guys in there that can win games for us, and we'll figure out over the next, you know, five, six months, who that guy's going to be running out against Montana State," continued Stein.

Although Stein is still determining who will be the Ducks' starting quarterback, quarterback Dante Moore is anticipated to be the starter for the Ducks next season. Moore, an incoming redshirt sophomore, spent last season learning and developing alongside Gabriel. This season, Moore will likely be tasked with a bigger role as he takes command of Oregon’s offense. 

New Oregon offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Will Stein leads a drill on the first practice of spring for Oregon football as the Ducks prepare for the 2023 season. Eug 031623 Uo Spring Fb 15 / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Despite the odds of Moore being Oregon's latest starting quarterback being high, it does not come without competition. Stein and the Ducks boast one of the deepest quarterback rooms in the nation. Joining Moore in the quarterback room are redshirt sophomore Austin Novosad, redshirt freshman Luke Moga, redshirt sophomore Brock Thomas, true freshman Akili Smith Jr., and redshirt freshman Ryder Hayes. 

Although none of these players have as much experience as Oregon's past two quarterbacks, Gabriel and current Denver Bronco Bo Nix, the experience these play callers have received, even without playing in many games, is invaluable. 

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Not only did Moore, Novosad, Moga, and Thomas learn under one of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football in Gabriel, Novosad and Thomas also firsthand witnessed the development of Nix, who led the Brocos to their first 10-win season and their first playoff berth since 2015. 

“It is young, for sure, in terms of experience. But Austin got the chance to learn from Bo when he was here. He's still really close with Bo. He's actually going to visit him this spring break,” said Stein. “He had great mentorship from Bo. . . . And Brock got to hang around Bo as well.” 

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws a. Pass during the first half of the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to Stein, the competition level across the first two spring practices is extremely high, and a large reason for this high sense of competition is the abundance of talent in the quarterback room. However, rather than trying to one-up one another, Stein is challenging his room across the early days of practice to simply do their job and run the offense. 

“They've all done a really good job so far of just keeping the main thing, the main thing, just trying to grow every day,” said Stein. “Anytime there's this type of hype around a quarterback competition, guys try to press. Guys try to see, 'Oh, this guy threw a deep ball and completed it in practice. Well, then I’ve got to do it.' I’ve just challenged them: just run the offense, just take each play as its own and do a good job with that. And again, they've done a really, you know, solid job so far." 

As the Ducks continue their preparation for the 2025 season, the quarterback battle is certainly one to pay attention to. The coming months will reveal which of the talented candidates will earn the starting role and help drive the Ducks' success in the upcoming season.  

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