PASADENA, Calif. — The illustrious profession of Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel ended Wednesday with a 41-21 loss to Ohio State within the School Soccer Playoff quarterfinal on the Rose Bowl. With Gabriel departing faculty soccer, the largest query heading into the offseason for Oregon will probably be discovering a solution at quarterback forward of its Week 1 showdown in opposition to FCS powerhouse Montana State.
Though Oregon has efficiently utilized the switch portal to discover a plug-and-play starter underneath coach Dan Lanning, 247Sports insiders don’t count on Oregon to pursue a quarterback within the switch portal this offseason.
Below Lanning, Oregon landed former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix following the 2021 season and helped the previous highly-touted recruit revitalize his profession to turn out to be a first-round choose. This previous offseason, Lanning secured a dedication from Gabriel, who completed tied with former Houston quarterback Case Keenum for essentially the most landing passes (155) in FBS historical past.
Essentially the most logical choice as Gabriel’s successor is former five-star quarterback Dante Moore. Moore spent his freshman season underneath Chip Kelly at UCLA and served as Gabriel’s backup throughout the 2024 marketing campaign. An alternative choice will probably be former four-star Austin Novosad, who served because the third-string quarterback behind Gabriel and Moore.
With a quarterback battle prone to ensue this fall at Oregon, listed here are the highest contenders to switch Gabriel.
The frontrunner for the job: Dante Moore
Of the 4 potential choices, Moore is by far essentially the most skilled. Moore had an up-and-down freshman season at UCLA however confirmed glimpses of why he might be a high-end energy convention beginning quarterback. Moore entered the 2023 season as UCLA’s backup to Ethan Garbers however “received” the beginning job after a formidable efficiency in Week 2 in opposition to San Diego State.
Within the first three video games of his faculty profession in opposition to Coastal Carolina, San Diego State and North Carolina Central, Moore accomplished 32 of 51 makes an attempt for 615 yards and 7 touchdowns. There are some causes for concern, although, given how Moore crashed right into a freshman wall in 2023.
After throwing only one interception in his first three video games, Moore threw six interceptions in UCLA’s first three convention video games in opposition to Utah, Washington State and Oregon State. Moore was benched for Garbers following the loss to Oregon State and solely made yet one more begin the remainder of the season in opposition to Cal.
The No. 3 QB prospect within the 2023 class, Moore has the instruments to achieve success in Oregon’s system. After sitting a full season behind Gabriel, he must be the logical successor at quarterback in 2025. Furthermore, Moore’s offensive weapons round him will probably be higher than what he had at UCLA. Nevertheless, the bust disappointment charge of his class of 2023 five-star quarterbacking friends is probably a crimson flag. Moore is certainly one of three five-star QBs from the cycle to have already transferred, whereas Malachi Nelson is in search of his third college and Jackson Arnold floundered early for Oklahoma in 2024.
Will probably be within the competitors: Austin Novosad
The previous No. 157 total participant within the 2023 recruiting cycle must be a quarterback competitors with Moore heading into the autumn. Novosad was in Oregon’s quarterback room final season alongside Nix and former extremely touted recruit Ty Thompson, who transferred to Tulane after the season ended.
Novosad made only one look this season and accomplished each passing makes an attempt for seven yards in opposition to Illinois. Novosad appeared in three video games as a freshman and noticed his most in depth motion in Oregon’s win within the Fiesta Bowl over Liberty. He accomplished 5 of seven makes an attempt for 38 yards in that recreation.
Whereas Moore is the seemingly alternative, Novosad ought to problem for the job. Oregon thought extremely of him throughout the recruiting course of and was happy to flip him the native Texan from Baylor on the primary day of the Early Signing Interval in December of 2022.
Editor’s Notice: Keawe Sagapolutele is predicted to enter the switch portal, 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman reported Friday — in the future after the publication of this text.
It isn’t sensible that Smith or Sagapolutele would win the job in 2025. Regardless, each gamers will function the way forward for this system on the place — contingent on Oregon not in search of a veteran quarterback within the switch portal down the road.
Sagapolutele was a late bloomer who rocketed up the category of 2025 recruiting rankings and at present stands as ranked because the No. 106 participant within the Top247 Rankings. Sagapolutele, a former Cal commit, backed off his pledge late within the recruiting cycle and dedicated to Oregon on Nationwide Signing Day.
Smith, the son of former Oregon star quarterback Akili Smith, dedicated to this system in July 2023. Smith ranks because the No. 198 total participant within the 2025 recruiting class.
MORE: Checklist of unknowns for Oregon to unravel within the coming weeks, based on insiders at Duck Territory
