Former Oregon Ducks players highlight one potential position battle that nobody is expecting
The Oregon Ducks are turning the page on last year to a team that will look very different on the field when they return next fall. At Oregon's Pro Day, multiple players were asked about next year's squad, and some of their answers were quite surprising. Could Oregon be in line for a quarterback battle? The […]
The Oregon Ducks are turning the page on last year to a team that will look very different on the field when they return next fall.
At Oregon's Pro Day, multiple players were asked about next year's squad, and some of their answers were quite surprising.
Could Oregon be in line for a quarterback battle?
The assumption and the expectation is that next year's starting quarterback will be Dante Moore, the former UCLA transfer that was an elite 5-star recruit out of high school has a ton of talent and arm strength. According to a few guys that are likely on their way to the NFL, though, don't think that Austin Novosad should be overlooked.
"I think whoever it may be, I think they're all ready for it," former quarterback Dillon Gabriel said. "I've been around them. And playing quarterback, you can't just do it yourself, and there's a lot of guys that contributed to my personal success."
"I think we had a healthy competitive nature in that room, and I felt supported throughout the whole year," Gabriel added. "I watched them in the second practice, so I'll probably be back as well when I have private workouts and stuff. But yeah, they'll be just fine."
Gabriel made sure to put the team's focus on competition in the spotlight, which is something head coach Dan Lanning has made very clear as well. Every position on the field is an open competition.
"Dante Moore, Austin Novosad, Luke Moga, I mean, it's a battle no matter what," Josh Conerly Jr said. "That's one thing coach Dan Lanning emphasizes. I'm waiting to see who comes out on top."
Competition is a hallmark of the culture that Lanning is building at Oregon. We can make our predictions for who we expect to be in starting roles next fall, but nothing is given at Oregon. It's earned.
Oregon fighting with Georgia for the country’s No. 1 quarterback who has set a date for his commitment announcement
This would be a massive win.
Follow along all year for more Oregon Ducks coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on Bluesky @jonhelmkamp.bsky.social, as well as follow our main page @AtoZSports.bsky.social for all the latest news.
