Oregon Removes Dante Moore From 2026 Slate After Concussion Diagnosis

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore will not return to the field for the remainder of the 2026 season, head coach Dan Lanning confirmed on Monday. The decision removes the senior from the active roster after he missed the previous three games with a concussion.

Moore entered the year as a preseason Heisman Trophy contender and the No. 2 ranked team in the AP poll. Before his injury, he completed 69.7% of his passes for 926 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception in four games. He was projected to be a top-three selection in the 2026 NFL draft before deciding to return for his senior year.

The injury occurred on Sept. 26 during a game against USC. Moore attempted a slide after scrambling upfield and was hit late by linebacker Desman Stephens II in the second quarter. He was transported by ambulance to Los Angeles General Medical Center for evaluation. Initial imaging showed a clean MRI and CT scan, but the team diagnosed a concussion.

Lanning stated that Moore has not yet been medically cleared. The coach emphasized that the decision was not driven by the player's desire to rest but by the medical timeline. Lanning noted that while the staff can control the environment in practice, they cannot control the intensity of game contact.

"If it was up to Dante in any shape, way, he would be out there playing for the guys," Lanning said. "This isn't a selfish decision on Dante's part, saying, 'I don't want to come back, the season doesn't look the way I want it to look.' That's not at all what this is."

The Ducks' offense has struggled without Moore at the helm. The team has scored fewer than 20 points in the three games he has missed, losing two of them. Backup Dylan Raiola and third-stringer Brock Thomas have alternated as starters but have not established consistency.

Following a 21-10 loss to Illinois on Sunday, Lanning dismissed offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer. The defeat effectively ended Oregon's pursuit of a third consecutive College Football Playoff berth. Lanning announced that Jay Johnson, the offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach, will take over playcalling duties.

Johnson is in his first year with the Ducks and has coached in college since 1994. He most recently served as the offensive coordinator at Wyoming and Michigan State. Moore, who started at UCLA before transferring to Oregon, is currently ranked as the 25th prospect in the upcoming NFL draft by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.