Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore has not played since suffering a concussion in the second quarter of Oregon's win over the USC Trojans on Sept. 26, and it turns out that will be the last time Ducks fans will watch Moore compete as Oregon's quarterback.

During his press conference on Monday evening, Lanning confirmed that he does not expect Moore to play againn in 2026. The Ducks coach clarified that the decision was not made by Moore.

"I'm not anticipating him (Dante Moore) being back this season, no," said Lanning.

With Moore officially sidelined for the rest of the season, Oregon's quarterback room features Raiola, Thomas, and freshman Akili Smith Jr. Who leads the offense against the rest of the schedule remains to be seen as the Ducks still have games against No. 20 Northwestern, No. 2 Ohio State, and a rivalry matchup with Washington to close out the season.

Lanning also confirmed that offensive analyst Jay Johnson will spearhead the play calling efforts in replacement of Mehringer.

Dante Moore Oregon Ducks Career

With Moore's Oregon career coming to an abrupt ending, he finishes with 4,450 passing yards and 39 touchdowns in 20 games played wearing a Ducks uniform. 2025 ended up being the only full season that Moore started for Oregon, and he averaged 237.7 passing yards per game, totaling 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on the year with a completion percentage of 71.8.

In the three full games that Moore did play in during the 2026 season, the Ducks quarterback was averaging 283 passing yards per game. He finishes the year with 926 total passing yards with 9 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Moore was knocked out of the USC game after a hit by Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens not only drew a targeting penalty but also saw Moore taken out of the stadium in the back of an ambulance.

Stephens was ejected from the game because of the targeting penalty, and USC suspended him for one additional game "as a result of his conduct." In doing so, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley released a statement and Stephens released a public apology.

Oregon Ducks Offensive Struggles in 2026

The Ducks offense looked out of sync with or without Moore in at quarterback, and Lanning ultimately fired Mehringer seven games into the season. The Ducks have not yet announced who will be calling plays in replacement of Mehringer, and that uncertainty likely did not do Oregon any favors when analyzing the potential factors that played into Moore's decision.

The Ducks have had a tumultuous season, loosing on the road to Oklahoma State with Moore in at quarterback. After Moore's injury against USC, backup quarterback Dylan Raiola entered the game and led Oregon to a 41-27 win. However, the Ducks have not had success in Raiola's two starts, losing both of those games to UCLA and Illinois.

Lanning and the Ducks rotated between Raiola and quarterback Brock Thomas, even giving Thomas the starting nod against Nebraska before Raiola entered in relief and led the Ducks to a 17-15 win over the Cornhuskers.

Through seven games, Oregon scoring offense ranks No. 40 in the nation averaging 33.1 points per game. Take out the 84-point game against Portland State, the Ducks average points per game drops to 24.6, which would rank near No. 95 New Mexico State and No. 96 Boston College. On third downs, the Ducks' conversion percentage of 35.4 is good for No. 107 out of 138 teams.

By comparison, in 2025 with current Kentucky Wildcats coach and former Ducks offensive coordinator Will Stein calling plays, Oregon's scoring offense ranked No. 10 in the nation, averaging 36.9 points per game for a full season. On third downs, the Ducks converted 46.8 percent of attempts under Stein, good for No. 19 nationally.