The Oregon Ducks have been spoiled with elite quarterback play since Dan Lanning took over as head coach in 2022. When he first got to Eugene, they landed transfer quarterback Bo Nix, who went on to become a Heisman finalist in 2023 and was a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
After Nix’s departure, the Ducks brought in Dillon Gabriel from Oklahoma, who was also a Heisman finalist, en route to being drafted in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Heading into next season, however, Lanning hasn’t quite decided who the starter will be for Oregon, but is revealing what he wants the most out of all the quarterbacks on his roster.
Dan Lanning Reveals What He Wants Most From His Quarterbacks
Heading into the summer of 2025, HC Dan Lanning has yet to name a starting quarterback for the Oregon Ducks as former five-star Dante Moore and former four-star Austin Novosad continue to battle for the QB1 spot.
While Lanning hasn’t picked a starter, he revealed what he wants all quarterbacks on the Oregon roster to do in a recent interview with analyst Greg McElroy on the “Always College Football” podcast.
“We highlight when guys take the easy money and they take advantage of what’s in front of them, and we highlight when guys make sure they protect the ball and don’t put it in jeopardy,” Lanning revealed.
So what exactly is Lanning talking about here? In short, he’s saying that the Ducks emphasize the importance of ball security. While Lanning, like all coaches, loves big plays, he values taking care of the football more than anything else.
He wants his quarterbacks not to be afraid to take the checkdown if it means that they aren’t putting the ball in harm’s way.
This has been a constant philosophy for Lanning since his arrival in Oregon, and has led the Ducks to having one of the lowest interception rates in college football for three straight seasons.
In the last three seasons, Oregon quarterbacks have thrown only 16 interceptions on a whopping 1,326 passing attempts. That kind of ball security has led the Ducks to a 35-6 record under Lanning.
So, while the quarterback battle between Moore and Novosad is tight, it would appear that whoever ends up being Oregon’s starter in 2025 will be the quarterback who does not turn the football over and the one who isn’t afraid to take what the defense is giving them.
Regardless, whoever wins the battle should have some time to fit into the role. The Ducks kick off their 2025 campaign on August 30 against FCS power Montana State. They then have a three-game slate comprising of Oklahoma State, Northwestern, and Oregon State, before traveling to Happy Valley to take on a likely top-five Penn State squad.
