Viral Photo Of Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dante Moore In Offseason Workouts

Quarterback Dante Moore is projected to be the Oregon Ducks starter next season as the Dillon Gabriel Oregon era ends. The Ducks are currently in their offseason workout program and a photo of Moore is going viral as he leads coach Dan Lanning's team.
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore: Credit Seigher Brown for Oregon Ducks on SI
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore: Credit Seigher Brown for Oregon Ducks on SI /

The 2025-26 Oregon Ducks football team will have a new quarterback commanding its offense. Dante Moore is projected to be the Ducks starter when the season kicks off on Aug. 30 against the Montana State Bobcats in Autzen Stadium.

The Ducks are currently in their offseason workout program and a photo of Moore, posted by Oregon Football on Instagram, is taking the internet by storm.

Moore saw limited playing time last season behind Heisman-Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel in 2024... Invoking a lot of intrigue and questions about the former 5-star recruit out of Martin Luther King high school (Detroit, MI).

Originally committed to the Ducks, in 2022 Moore flipped his Oregon commitment to then coach-Chip Kelly's UCLA Bruins. Moore had a rough freshman season at UCLA, finishing with 11 touchdowns against nine interceptions, going 114-for-213 with a 53.5 completion percentage.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound signal-caller transferred to Oregon last winter and has blossomed under coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein's tutelage. Moore learned from Gabriel and found his footing again in the pocket. 

In the photo, Moore looks to be leading the Ducks team, which is gathered around him. Many of his teammates have raved about Moore as a leader and player, including 2024 top receiver Tez Johnson.

"He'll be a Heisman finalist next year. 100%. Next year," Johnson said during a Rose Bowl media availability.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore throws out a pass during warm ups as the Oregon Ducks host the Idaho Vandals Saturday, A
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

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A bold claim, but Johnson stayed firm on his statement while talking further about Moore and the younger athletes rising in the Duck program. Johnson also described a "no-look, 60-yard bomb" Moore threw during practice for the Rose Bowl to which he described Moore walking away from the throw like "Steph Curry."

"It's something you ain't seen yet," Johnson said. "That boy can throw a ball like no other. I've never seen nothing like it. He's so ready. He's so ready to play. You can just tell. Like, we can put the two's in practice and they go out there and look just like the ones. You don't have a fall off. The standard that the first group has for the entire team - it's a waterfall. It goes from the ones, the twos, the threes. You don't see a single fall off."

The Ducks have been lead by back-to-back Heisman Trophy finalists in Gabriel and former quarterback Bo Nix. Could Oregon again have a Heisman contender in 2025? Moore is tied for the ninth best Heisman odds at +2000 according to FanDuel. The favorite to win the award is LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier with odds of +900.

"I feel like the biggest (growth) is being a leader," Moore told Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus before the 2024 season. "I feel like my leadership has for sure changed. I appreciate Coach Lanning for having leadership retreats and giving us skills and videos to understand how to be a better leader. So I feel like my leadership has for sure improved a lot."

Below are reactions on social media of the photo of Moore.

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Bri Amaranthus
BRI AMARANTHUS

Bri Amaranthus is an Emmy-winning sports reporter with over 12 years of experience in television, radio, podcasting, and digital sports journalism. She has been with Sports Illustrated for four years, providing breaking news, exclusive interviews, and analysis on the NFL, college sports, and the NBA. Prior to joining SI, Bri hosted NBC Sports Northwest's prime-time television show, where she also served as the Oregon beat reporter and created content covering both the NBA and college sports. Throughout her career, Bri has achieved significant milestones, including covering major events like the NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Basketball Tournament, NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine. She earned a D1 scholarship to play softball at the University of San Diego and won two state softball titles in high school in Oregon. In addition to her Emmy win for NBC's All-Star Coach special, she has received multiple Emmy nominations, highlighting her dedication and talent in sports journalism.