Dante Moore’s ‘big leap’ unlocking more for Oregon offense

When one watches highlights of the Oregon Ducks football team from last season, Dante Moore sticks out like a sore thumb.

In a good way.

The Oregon quarterback was impressive for the vast majority of that season, and it’s quite obvious why Moore has a great chance to bring home the program’s second Heisman Trophy. The Ducks were going to be a good team in 2026 whether Moore went into the NFL or not, but when he decided to stay, that lone decision turned Oregon from a good team to a national championship contender.

Even with his great season from a year ago, Moore had to work on some things in order to become an elite quarterback and possibly the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL draft. According to Ducks quarterback coach Koa Ka’ai, the fourth-year signal-caller has made all those improvements and then some.

“He’s taken a big leap this offseason in regard to defensive recognition and really understanding what all 11 guys on the field are doing, and then just kind of taking that next level step in holding guys accountable,” Ka’ai said. “You know, being that vocal guy out there. He’s not a first-year starter here anymore. This is his third year in the program, so he’s taking a huge leap in that regard.”

Not only has Moore improved in nearly every way possible, Ka’ai also says the entire offense as a whole has become better. Oregon was in the Top 10 in scoring with 36.9 points per game, tied with Mississippi.

The Ducks also bring back much of that offensive unit for 2026. Moore is very good, but he’s not throwing to a bunch of stiffs. Oregon is expecting to have one of the best receiving groups the program has ever trotted out there, including Evan Stewart, who missed a lot of 2025 due to injury.

“In regard to how much this offense has progressed, there’s not much that we can’t do right now at all,” Ka’ai said.

That’s the last thing opposing defensive coordinators in the Big Ten want to hear.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dante Moore’s ‘big leap’ unlocking more for Oregon offense

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