Oregon football will have a fantastic quarterback competition between…

Oregon football will have a fantastic quarterback competition between Dante Moore and Dillon Gabriel.

With Bo Nix leaving the Ducks, the Ducks are looking for a new starting quarterback, and the competition appears to be between Dante Moore and Dillon Gabriel right now.

This year, the vacant QB1 position in Eugene, Oregon, will be a prized item. The Ducks have a lot of talent on their roster, including Dillon Gabriel, Dante Moore, and a few others.

Moore and Gabriel, the two players with the most experience at the position, are currently the center of attention.

Gabriel has five years of collegiate experience, including two seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners, and has a lengthy resume.

While OU’s season was not as successful as everyone had hoped, Gabriel established himself as a quarterback. His 2023 performances weren’t bad, either, leading the Sooners to a 10-3 season and a big win over the Texas Longhorns.

Gabriel was able to compile an excellent stat sheet in addition to his winning record and Red River reckoning. For 3660 yards and 30 touchdowns, he completed 63.1% of his pass attempts.

Gabriel, like the last Duck quarterback, Bo Nix, enjoys using his legs. Gabriel rushed for 12 more scores and over 400 yards last season. For those keeping score, that’s two more rushing touchdowns than Nix.

He revealed his intention to join the Ducks in December, and it appears that he’ll be wearing the same number as another great Oregon quarterback, the one and only Marcus Mariota.

Moore, on the other hand, has faced some of Oregon’s toughest opponents during his rookie year at UCLA. In 2024, the Ducks will face Boise State and in-state rival Oregon State, both of which Moore faced.

The Ducks will also visit Moore’s old haunts when they take on the Bruins in Pasadena.

Moore entered college as a 5-star talent and was downgraded to a 4-star as a transfer. He struggled at UCLA, finishing the season with a dismal 32.7 quarterback rating.

Many, like myself, think that he lacked the tools and team he need to succeed successfully for the Bruins, as defenses produced 42 sacks and forced 34 quarterback hurries.

Moore can’t blame everything on those around him; he threw nine interceptions in nine appearances this season and only managed 11 touchdowns.

In addition, he struggled to carry the ball, gaining only 84 yards and scoring no touchdowns.

In reality, Gabriel has a clear advantage against Moore. Gabriel has appeared in 41 more collegiate games than Moore. Gabriel has also accumulated 125 total passing touchdowns in his career.

Oregon has always favored the RPO-style offensive philosophy, and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Will Stein does not appear to be leaving anytime soon. Stein was a finalist for the 2023 Broyles Award for best college football assistant coach.

In addition to Moore and Gabriel, the Ducks will have sophomore Brock Thomas and freshman Austin Novostad as quarterback alternatives. Duck supporters need not be concerned that their team’s nickname, Quarterback University, will be phased out anytime soon.