How Oregon is still in play for Dante Moore despite landing Dillon Gabriel
The transfer portal specifically at the quarterback seems like musical chairs this offseason, as the nation’s top quarterbacks are all seeking to find different programs to call home when the music stops. But former UCLA quarterback Dante Moore could break that trend.
Moore entered the transfer portal following just one season with the Bruins, with reports suggesting that Oregon and Michigan have expressed mutual interest in the former five-star recruit. But both of those programs already have quarterbacks at the helm, with former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel recently committing to Oregon and Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy still undecided on return to the Wolverines or a move to the NFL.
It would surely be fascinating if Moore did choose a school with a starting quarterback already established, which On3’s Andy Staples and Scoop Duck’s Justin Hopkins recently discussed.
“Unique is the word to use here right? Because that’s just not typical of a quarterback going into the transfer portal, especially somebody that’s basically gonna have every Power Five school chasing him like Dante Moore does,” Hopkins said. “And it really makes you maybe appreciate the levelheadedness of his family, of who he’s his advice from. Like hey, maybe sitting for a year isn’t bad, going and learning from a Dillon Gabriel, a McCarthy, whoever. You’re gonna go learn from an experienced guy and it’s a unique way.”
Moore was originally committed to Oregon coming out of high school, flipping to UCLA on signing day which resulted in getting some significant playing time for the Bruins as a true freshman throwing for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.
“It felt like the flip to UCLA was a chance to play because they weren’t sure what they wanted,” Staples said. “Had Ethan Garbers and Collin Schlee, and it looked like there was a chance and he did get a chance to play, and I think what he learned was [he] may not be quite ready yet.”
Hopkins believes that UCLA head coach Chip Kelly’s offensive scheme may not have been the best fit for Moore, and that one season behind an experienced starter in a new system may be the best-case scenario for him.
“I think if you’re Dante Moore you go back to the drawing board,” Hopkins said. “You’re looking at Oregon, you’re looking at Michigan and you hey, they’ve got a guy with a ton of success in an offense that works. I could learn that and I could be that guy.”