Oregon quarterback Dante Moore will not play another game during the 2026-27 college football season. He was officially ruled out for the rest of the season with a concussion.
A new story from this past weekend proves that he is not making a “business decision” by sitting out.
First and foremost, the athletic training staff for the college football program at Oregon makes decisions based on symptoms. And even beyond that, a player who decided to quit on his team would not then play for the scout team during practice.
Dan Lanning ruled Oregon’s quarterback out for the season.
Oregon began the season as a legitimate national championship contender. Starting quarterback Dante Moore was considered a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender, if not a favorite. Things did not go as they hoped.
The Ducks dropped to 4-3 over the weekend while Moore watched from the sideline in street clothes. He took a nasty hit to the head against USC that sent his body into fencing response and required him to leave the field on a stretcher. It was scary.
Moore has not practiced with the 1s since Sept. 26. He will not practice with the 1s again this season.
Head coach Dan Lanning revealed the status of his starting quarterback during a press conference on Monday. Moore is out for the rest of the year.
“Really got clarity for us over the past week. I think if it was up to Dante in any shape or way, he would want to be out there playing for the guys. But unfortunately, it’s not really up to Dante, and it’s not really up to me. We can control the setting of practice where he’s able to do things for us, where that’s not always the case in a game.”
Fortunately, Moore is going to come back from this concussion. Just not any time soon.
“You know, we said before that this is a serious deal that he’ll 100% be able to make a full recovery from. That has not changed, I definitely feel that way. But for him to be out there on the field for us right now, that’s not going happen.”
Unfortunately, critics on the internet were quick to label Moore’s indefinite absence as a “business decision.” Oregon is (probably) out of contention for the College Football Playoff so its starting quarterback chose not to risk tanking his NFL Draft stock by playing for a team that cannot win a national title. He chose not to play any more this year. He used the injury as an excuse.
Lanning even pushed back that narrative.
“This isn’t like a selfish decision on Dante’s part, saying, ‘I don’t wanna come back, the season doesn’t look the way I want it to look.’ That’s not at all what this is.”
Every head injury is different and the brain is not something that can be expedited in terms of recovery. Moore isn’t ready.
Dante Moore is still sensitive to light.
It has been more than a month since Dante Moore was knocked out of the game against USC. He is currently serving as the scout team quarterback during practice because it is a controlled environment. Oregon can manage his contact. He won’t take any hits.
That is a good sign. It does not mean he is ready for live action. Hence his status for the rest of the year.
At this stage, recovery is well underway. Moore has obviously showed improvements in coordination, concentration, stamina and tolerance for physical activity. Ongoing symptoms, like light sensitivity, warrant continued assessment and evaluation.
He wore sunglasses during his return to the sideline on Oct. 10.
That was true again on Saturday. And new story from this past weekend disproves the narrative that he quit on his team.
Aaron J. Fentress covers the Ducks for The Oregonian. He shared the following anecdote:
As someone with a great familiarity with concussions, and the recovery process, that says all that needs to be said. For Moore to still be taking things “one day at a time” after a month means there is no clear timeline for his return. That uncertainty led him to be shut down for the season. The brain is the most important organ in the body.