Sports

Oregon Football Coach Dan Lanning Admits Dante Moore’s Mistake After Trashing USC

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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Dan Lanning opened up on the dirty hit to Dante Moore.


Dante Moore was carted off the field after sustaining a concussion from a vicious hit by a USC defender on Saturday night. His head coach admitted the quarterback made a mistake.

Dan Lanning says Moore could’ve gotten to the ground earlier. His late slide made it difficult for the defender to pull up. With that said, he still deems the hit dirty.

It was a scary scene in Los Angeles this weekend as Moore was taken off on a stretcher following a big hit.

On the play, he ran for 10 yards and a first down near the redzone. In an attempt to protect himself, he slid at the marker. USC linebacker Desman Stephens was in pursuit. He launched his body into Moore, causing the quarterback’s head to ricochet off the turf.

Moore’s body tensed up. Stephens, meanwhile, celebrated the hit on the field, sparking a near-brawl. The reaction was worse than the hit. The optics couldn’t have been worse with Moore lying motionless on the ground.

After the game, Dan Lanning trashed USC. He called the hit “disgusting.” Lanning sticks by that assertion though he admitted Moore could’ve done more to protect himself.

Dan Lanning admits Dante Moore’s mistake.

The Oregon football coach appeared on Wake Up Barstool Monday morning to talk about the win. He was asked about the hit on Dante Moore.

“Could the slide have happened earlier? Absolutely,” he told Dave Portnoy. “Was it a bang-bang play? Absolutely… Could we have coached that different? Could Dante have started the slide earlier? Yeah, potentially.”

Protecting the quarterback is of utmost importance in today’s age of football. When a player gives himself up, the defense must back off.

We’ve seen, however, ball carriers exploit the rules in the past. Kenny Pickett famously duped a defender with a fake slide before scampering to the endzone for a touchdown in 2021.

Others have also taken advantage. In 2023, South Carolina signal caller LaNorris Sellers slowed up near the sidelines before steamrolling an unsuspecting defender for a first down.

Protecting the quarterback is a good thing, but the rules have made defenders’ jobs all the more difficult. An argument can be made that Desman Stephens was in a lose-lose situation. The slide was too late. He had already started his motion to make the tackle.

With that said, Lanning still called the hit dirty. It was outside the rules of the game. Moore was defenseless. Stephens launched at the passer, leading with his shoulder and helmet.

“There’s a difference in leading and launching for a quarterback,” the coach said. “You teach all these guys to be careful around quarterbacks at all times… Targeting exists for a reason. Quarterbacks are protected for a reason.”

Dante Moore slid late. The hit was still dirty. Both things can be true.

Desman Stephens has been suspended for the targeting and ensuing celebration. Oregon posted an update on its passer on Sunday.

Moore did not suffer additional injuries outside of the concussion. The Ducks will monitor his progress in the meantime. Hopefully, he’s able to make a speedy recovery and return to the field soon.