Joel Klatt: Dante Moore is on a very short list for Heisman Trophy

Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt put Oregon QB Dante Moore on a very short list for the Heisman Trophy. The Ducks’ signal caller has been that impressive so far this season.

Oregon had the highlight of their season, so far, with a 30-24 overtime win at Penn State Saturday. While the defense closed it out, Moore had a great game once again.

After sitting a year behind Dillon Gabriel once he transferred in from UCLA, Moore looks like a totally different quarterback. That could lead him to college football’s biggest individual award.

“There’s not a doubt in my mind, the calm and poise that we saw from Dante Moore on Saturday night in front of that environment was remarkable,” Klatt said on his podcast. “This was the biggest environment that he’s ever started a game in front of by quite a margin, I would just say. And I know that there’s been some good ones, but this is a different animal, as we all know. He handled the operation of that really well with the offensive line. His poise throwing the football down the field, his poise in all of those fourth down efforts where he had to carry the football, he had to scramble, he was terrific. 

“(Moore) made great throws. He made easy throws, he threw a touch, he drove the football. He did it all, he had answers. Dante Moore proved that he is on a very short list for the Heisman Trophy, 29 to 39 to 48 three touchdowns, 10 carries for 35 he was phenomenal.”

In the win over Penn State, Moore was 29-of-39 passing for 248 yards and three touchdowns. That was a typical performance as the Ducks rolled to 5-0 and are now No. 2 in the country.

“Dante Moore makes them a team that can go and beat anybody in the country on any given Saturday, in any given location,” Klatt said. “He really is.”

This season, Moore has 1,210 yards, 14 touchdowns, one interception and a 74.6% completion percentage. For context, he threw just eight passes last year and struggled as a freshman at UCLA. With the Bruins, Moore played in nine games and threw for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 53.5% completion percentage.

Oregon goes into a bye week this weekend, so they’ll get extra rest before another top 10 matchup. Moore and Oregon will host No. 8 Indiana and QB Fernando Mendoza on October 11th.