Oregon head coach Dan Lanning strongly criticized the hit that forced quarterback Dante Moore out of Saturday’s game against USC.Moore, who is already being discussed as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, was attempting to slide after picking up a first down when USC linebacker Desman Stephens delivered a hard hit to his head. Moore was forced to leave the game and was taken to the hospital for evaluation.Lanning made it clear that he was unhappy with what happened.«“Our players respect the game, and I don’t believe you would see something like that from our team or our coaches,” Lanning said. He described the incident as unacceptable and said his main concern was Moore’s health. He also expressed hope that Stephens would learn from the incident.»Despite losing their starting quarterback, Lanning praised Oregon’s response. He said his players showed impressive discipline instead of allowing emotions to take over.Rather than turning the situation into a confrontation, the Ducks responded on the field and continued competing.Oregon ultimately showed composure when the pressure was at its highest.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said early indications on Dante Moore were encouraging, while cautioning that it was too soon to provide a detailed update on the quarterback’s condition.“Indications are that he’s in recovery,” Lanning said, adding that Moore was able to move. He said the team would continue monitoring Moore and would avoid making further conclusions until more information was available.After Moore was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation, Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola stepped in at quarterback. Raiola delivered a strong performance, completing 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception or being sacked.Oregon went on to defeat USC 41–27.
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