Dante Moore threw three consecutive pick-sixes as a freshman at UCLA. By mid-October 2023, the highest-rated quarterback recruit in Bruins history was standing on the sideline, watching Ethan Garbers run the offense.
A year later, Moore still wasn’t starting — but this time it was his choice. He transferred to Oregon knowing Dillon Gabriel, one of the most experienced quarterbacks in FBS history, had the job locked up.
Now, 28 passing touchdowns and a 72.9% completion rate through 14 games later, Moore has guided the Ducks to the College Football Playoff semifinals and positioned himself as a potential first-round pick.
The path from benched true freshman to one of college football’s best quarterbacks demanded something no scouting report measures: humility.
How Dante Moore’s Transfer Decision Rebuilt His Career
When Moore entered the transfer portal in November 2023, he had options. Plenty of programs would have handed the former five-star prospect out of Detroit Martin Luther King High School the starting job immediately. He chose a different route, returning to the school he had initially committed to before flipping to UCLA in December 2022.
Moore knew he wouldn’t play right away. Gabriel, one of the most experienced quarterbacks in FBS history, had already committed to Oregon a week earlier.
“Transferring in with Dillon was probably one of the best things I ever did,” Moore told On3’s Pete Nakos. “I learned a lot from him.”
The decision looked unconventional at the time.
Moore had started five games at UCLA and completed 114 passes. Most quarterbacks with that experience don’t willingly ride the bench.
But his freshman tape told a different story than a stat sheet that included nine interceptions, a 53.5% completion rate, and being sacked seven times against Utah in a game where his first pass was returned for a touchdown.
Moore appeared in just four games during Oregon’s 2024 season, attempting eight passes total. He spent the year learning Will Stein’s offense, studying Gabriel’s preparation habits, and rebuilding the mental foundation that had crumbled in Westwood.
“Learned a lot from my mistakes, which is going to happen when quarterbacks start to play at a really young age,” Moore said. “It was a year when it was difficult in the moment mentally. Just trying to fight through the battles.”
Dan Lanning’s Quarterback Development Philosophy Pays Off
Oregon coach Dan Lanning has now developed three different transfer quarterbacks into stars: Bo Nix, Gabriel, and Moore. Each arrived with significant experience but needed refinement. Each left (or will leave) as NFL Draft picks.
With Moore, the transformation has been striking.
In 2023, he registered a 70.6 PFSN College QB Impact score. In 2025, it’s 85.9, the 22nd-best marker among college passers. His completion percentage jumped nearly 20% from his UCLA season. His interception rate plummeted. Through 12 regular-season games in 2025, he threw just six picks compared to nine in as many games as a freshman.
“The work has made Dante different,” Lanning told Joel Klatt. “I think about it myself, like what was I like as a coach when I started coaching? I wasn’t very good. Things change over time.”
The Ducks’ Dec. 20 playoff win over James Madison showcased everything Moore learned during his redshirt year. He threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns, orchestrating a high-powered offense.
Lanning hasn’t been subtle about his confidence in the junior quarterback.
“I think we have the best quarterback in college football,” Lanning said after Oregon’s double-overtime win at Penn State in September.
Moore’s emergence has caught the attention of NFL scouts. PFSN’s Ian Cummings projected him as a potential first overall pick, carefully choosing CJ Stroud’s Ohio State scouting report as a comparison for the Oregon quarterback.
Still, Moore has deflected questions about the draft, keeping his focus on the Ducks’ playoff run.
What makes Moore’s story instructive isn’t just the individual redemption arc; it’s the blueprint that it provides. In an era where quarterbacks chase immediate playing time, Moore bet on development.
He chose a coaching staff over a starting job. He trusted the process even when that journey meant holding a clipboard.
Oregon faces Indiana in the Peach Bowl on Jan.9 . Win, and Moore will have led the Ducks to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in his first year as a starter and vindicated a decision that looked like a retreat but proved to be the strategy.
