Oregon quarterback Dante Moore stands on the brink of history. The Ducks may not be considered a top-four College Football Playoff team, but their offense is a serious threat to win the national championship. Moore recently received game plan-altering news from head coach Dan Lanning.
Oregon QB Dante Moore’s Offense Could See Playmakers Return
While hovering around Heisman conversations for the balance of the year, Moore helmed an offense that dominated many opponents. The Ducks ranked tenth in PFSN’s Offense Impact rankings. The team looked like it could march down the field on just about any opposing defense. Lanning’s team averaged 38.2 points per game, good enough for tenth in FBS. More impressively, Moore missed a couple of key targets for extended periods.
Freshman Dakorien Moore suffered an undisclosed injury in practice about a month ago and has not played since. Sixth-year senior Gary Bryant Jr. sustained a foot injury in a game against Iowa and has been out since that contest. Lanning and Ducks alum-turned-broadcaster Geoff Schwartz offered their thoughts about the potential return of each.
“Dan Lanning on Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant:
“I feel like there’s going to be an opportunity for us to see these guys again before the season’s done. But we’ll see how it all plays out.”
Like most coaches, Lanning avoids tipping off opponents, forcing them to prepare for every scenario. Schwartz, meanwhile, offers a deeper analysis.
“Unless Gary Bryant Jr. needs a new ankle, he should be fine to play on Saturday. I think it’s still a maybe on Dakorien Moore.”
Presuming that Bryant will definitely play, as implied by Schwartz, could change the outlook of Oregon’s approach. However, Moore suffered his injury in practice a month ago, and his return remains uncertain, which does not bode well for his availability this week.
From a positional standpoint, missing Dakorien Moore would affect Oregon in a more profound way. First, he is an outside wideout. Meaning, anything around the number, regardless of how the route breaks on the boundary, he provides his quarterback with a vertical threat, as evidenced by his 15.8 yards per catch, per College Football Reference.
In contrast, Gary Bryant Jr. is a slot-oriented wideout who works the seam and softer spots in a defense. Oregon could use its leading pass catcher, Kenyon Sadiq, to see some more of those targets. Sadiq’s 40 catches and eight touchdowns paced the Ducks during the regular season.
Saturday night, Oregon will welcome the Sun Belt champion James Madison Dukes to Autzen Stadium for their first-round CFP matchup. While the team shouldn’t need their freshman sensation or veteran threat to win the game, giving them field reps at game speed, especially after injuries that have kept them sidelined for several weeks, could help the offense in the long run.
