Despite returning to practice this week, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is "unlikely to play" against UCLA on Saturday, sources tell CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.
On Monday, Ducks coach Dan Lanning said that Moore was back at practice in shoulder pads and a helmet, but the team is taking things slowly with its star quarterback. Oregon will release its first availability report of the week on Wednesday night, but it sounds like Moore will be listed as questionable at best.
"Dante was out there at practice for us today," Lanning said at his weekly press conference. "Similar to what we said before, we're gonna do what's best for Dante moving forward. ... It was great to see him back out there with his teammates getting to work today."
Moore has been recovering from a concussion since taking a dangerous hit to the head against USC on Sept. 26. Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens Jr. struck a forceful blow to Moore's head as he was sliding, and the Oregon quarterback had to be stretchered off the field.
The NCAA's return-to-play protocol for players in the concussion protocol features five stages.
- Stage 1: Symptom-limited activity: Begin with light aerobic exercise.
- Stage 2: Moderate aerobic exercise: Increase the intensity of the aerobic exercise.
- Stage 3: Non-contact drills: Introduce sport-specific drills in full uniform without physical contact.
- Stage 4: Full-contact practice: Allow full-contact practice or training.
- Stage 5: Return to competition: An athlete can return to game play only after successfully completing all prior stages and receiving medical clearance.
Given that Moore is back at practice, it would be fair to assume he's at least reached Stage 3, but how his body responds to ramping up at practice will be critical for his return timeline.
This news means backup Dylan Raiola will likely get his first start at Oregon against UCLA. A former five-star recruit, Raiola transferred from Nebraska in the offseason, and his willingness to play the role of backup for one season is already benefiting him and the Ducks.
In relief of Moore, Raiola torched the USC secondary for 289 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He may need a similar effort this weekend as Oregon faces a UCLA team that has been lighting up the scoreboard under first-year coach Bob Chesney.
Confidence in Raiola
Raiola played extremely well in relief of Moore a couple of weeks ago, but it will be his show from the first snap of the game on Saturday. Does being the starter require a shift in mindset for Raiola? Lanning doesn't think so.
"No, there isn't a shift," Lanning said on Monday. "If he can just play like he played last time every single time, I think we'd be sitting in a really good situation. Dylan's got to keep doing what he's been doing, preparing like he's going to be the guy who goes out there every single day. We need that from every single person on our team. We don't need anything special from Dylan other than doing what he's been doing."
Lanning added that Raiola has shown tremendous accuracy on the practice field, and that showed up on the field against the Trojans. If that keeps up, the Ducks' offense should be just fine.
"I think all those things show up," Lanning said. "He can play quarterback at a high level. I think he showed his accuracy in this last game and his decision-making. That's shown up for him, and it's shown up for him in practice. Again, I would just ask him to keep doing the same things he's been doing in practice."
Among backup quarterbacks around the country, Raiola has a strong case for being the best. How many teams can bring in a player with 24 games of experience, 5,232 passing yards and 36 touchdowns off the bench?
Raiola shouldn't be shaken by the moment in a key top-25 matchup on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS, Paramount+Premium).
