EUGENE — Dan Lanning has never formally announced a starting quarterback at Oregon. That won’t change before Saturday’s season opener.
Bo Nix was never officially announced as UO’s starter before the 2022 season, though Georgia coach Kirby Smart certainly knew the Auburn transfer would win the job over Ty Thompson, who later transferred to Tulane and has since changed positions to tight end.
Dillon Gabriel came to Eugene as the most experienced quarterback in college football and even with Dante Moore joining him to solidify both short- and long-term plans, Lanning did not make any proclamations.
Nothing has changed now, with Moore expected to lead the No. 7 Ducks into Saturday’s matchup with Montana State.
Lanning explained his reasoning for not announcing a starting QB, or any other position for that matter as Oregon has never released a depth chart during his tenure, in an interview on ESPN’s radio’s Amber and Ian.
“I don’t announce a starting a 3 technique,” Lanning said. “I don’t announce a starting running back. What’s the benefit for our organization? People know; they come to practice every day. They know how we operate. I don’t see a ton of benefit and I love the fact that we have great competition.
“You’ve got to go out there – football, it’s not a mortgage; you don’t own it. You got to pay rent every single day. If there’s a spot that you earn out there on the field, you got to turn around and earn it again the next day. That’s what makes us better. That’s what creates a great team.”
RELATED: Dante Moore given same offensive control as Oregon QB predecessors
Oregon’s confidence in Moore, who started five games as a true freshman at UCLA in 2023, has been established and vocalized throughout the offseason. Lanning and others have praised the former five-star prospect’s leadership and command of the offense during both spring practice and fall camp.
Fellow Elite 11 finalist Austin Novosad and redshirt-freshman Luke Moga have also drawn praise and had productive days during Oregon’s spring game.
Lanning called UO’s quarterbacks “a dynamic group” with varying skills.
“I think Will (Stein) does a good job of calling it based on who is in the game,” Lanning said. “You’ve got guys that are really familiar with our process, are familiar with our checks, like Dante and Austin have been here for a long time. Luke Moga is a guy that has a great running ability, an athletic ability. I think that showed up in the spring game.
“We’ve got some young guys too, like Brock Thomas has been here for a while now and he understands exactly what we’re doing and has been as good out there on the field for us as anybody else this offseason.”
Oregon (0-0) vs. Montana State (0-0)
- When: Saturday, Aug. 30
- Time: 1 p.m. PT
- Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene
- TV channel: Big Ten Network
- Stream: DirecTV (free trial) or Fubo (promotional offers). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.
- Oregon football 2025 season schedule, scores
— James Crepea covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten.
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