Dylan Raiola is going through his first spring camp at Oregon, where he is currently positioned as the clear backup to Dante Moore. He is taking a grounded and patient approach heading into 2026, as Dan Lanning’s program carries high expectations following its run to the College Football Playoff semifinals in the 2025 season.
Dan Lanning Shares Honest Confession on Dylan Raiola’s Oregon Move
Dan Lanning appeared on “The Jim Rome Show” on Wednesday, where he spoke about Raiola transferring to Oregon this spring.
“I think it says what he’s looking for,” Lanning said. “It tells you that, you know, I think you’ve seen the recipe for success for our guys. And some people have come here, and some have had to wait. You know, Dante was in a very similar situation. He waited while Dillon Gabriel was out there playing for us. But he grew when he learned and then ultimately was able to maximize that opportunity.
“So I think Dylan’s looking for some of the same things. And he’s certainly got the ability to go out there and be a great player. And we’re expecting that from him here. So it might just be a different timeline.”
Raiola’s decision to leave Nebraska via the transfer portal and join Oregon came as part of a busy offseason for the Ducks, especially with Moore later announcing his return for another season shortly after Raiola’s commitment. However, Lanning earlier said that Raiola’s choice was made independently of Moore’s situation. According to the Oregon head coach, Raiola was already drawn Oregkn because of its reputation for quarterback development and the opportunity to grow within a structured system.
Lanning also clarified that Raiola’s mindset entering Oregon was more focused on long-term development than on immediate headlines or external pressure.
As for what he saw in Raiola while recruiting him for Oregon, Lanning had a candid answer.
“Just starts with completing passes right down the field,” Lanning said, via SI. “He had over 70 percent completion percentage in his time there in Nebraska. And we had recruited him in high school. We knew how intelligent he was and how he could make all the throws. So that intelligence is really important in our system. And our ability to execute there, but the way, again, the way he completed passes, and what we thought fit our system.”
Raiola established himself as a productive but still developing quarterback across two seasons with Nebraska. He completed 69.1% of his passes over his Cornhuskers career, finishing with a 13-9 record as a starter before a broken right fibula cut short his 2025 season.
Raiola totaled 4,819 passing yards, minus-152 rushing yards on 96 carries, 31 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions over that span. He earned a 77.1 score in the PFSN College Football QB Impact Metric in 2025, ranking No. 90 nationally.
