Dante Moore Unintentionally Shades UCLA Revealing Why He Entered Transfer Portal

Moore will move on to another school...

This has not been a good week for UCLA Bruins head coach Chip Kelly. 

With Kelly seemingly keeping his job despite what some could call a mediocre six-year stint in Westwood, a large chunk of the fan base seems to be outraged at the notion of Kelly returning to the school. This can be seen on social media, not to mention a banner flying over the campus calling for his dismissal earlier this week. 

Things got even worse Thursday when prized freshman QB Dante Moore opted to leave UCLA in favor of the transfer portal. In an article with 247sports reporter Matt Zentiz, he offered the following quote below: 

Wonder if @MartinJarmond is reading the room now?

Dante Moore on his transfer from #UCLA: pic.twitter.com/UQRyigYIDJ

— Bruin Source (@BruinSource) November 30, 2023

Moore battled various injuries throughout the year. As such, it has been a tumultuous season for the former 5-star recruit. Moore threw for 1,610 yards in nine games. This includes 11 TD throws and 9 INTs.  

There were times when Moore resembled one of the best prep players in the country. He has effortless spin on his throws and can execute them from all sorts of arm angles. At the same time, Moore also demonstrated why he is a true freshman. He had a rough three-game stretch (at Utah, Washington State, at Oregon State) where he threw six interceptions. 

To be fair to Moore, UCLA's pass protection all season long was atrocious. Kelly's play calling also could fairly come into question as it pertains to Moore's skill set. It's a fair question to ask whether Moore was put into a position to succeed. 

SOURCE: Former five-star QB Dante Moore is transferring from UCLA. Where does he go from here? Keep an eye on Michigan State: https://t.co/gXmSNCwj36https://t.co/gXmSNCwj36

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 30, 2023

One report from Bruce Feldman believes Michigan State could be a destination for Moore. This makes sense, as Moore would be playing in a major conference back home in his native state. 

The quotes from Moore weren't exactly a ringing endorsement of Kelly and his program. Objectively speaking, Kelly has done a good job in developing players at UCLA during his tenure. Dorian Thompson-Robinson is one example of an athlete who got incrementally better during his time under Kelly's stewardship. The same can be said for Atonio Mafi, Greg Dulcich, Jon Gaines, Zach Charbonnet, and Laiatu Latu (among others). 

With that said, the optics of this decision -- along with the quotes from Moore -- don't look great. He was a massive recruit and was supposed to be the QB of the future for this program as it transitions into the Big Ten. 

Now, it's a possibility Kelly and his team will be squaring off against Moore while wearing another uniform. 

Don't forget to join our community at LA Sports Report, where we celebrate all things Bruins!