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Dante Moore explains decision to return to Oregon for 2026
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Dante Moore surprised many around the nation when he took to SportsCenter on Wednesday and announced that he would be returning to play for Oregon in 2026.
The presumed top 5 NFL Draft pick opted to run it back in Eugene following his first season as a full-time starter at the collegiate level. With just 20 career starts under his belt, Moore believed that he needed more time to develop at the FBS level before moving on to the pros.
“With this decision, mainly all my life has just been about being as most prepared as I can for any situation I go into. And when it comes to me making my decision, I just want to do what’s best for my situation, especially as a quarterback,” Moore said.
The Ducks’ star signal-caller went on explain that he and his teammates have a major goal in mind for 2026, and it played a factor in his return.
“With my decision, it’s been very tough. I’ve prayed a lot about it, talked to many people — my mentors and people I look up to. With that being said, of course I’ll be coming back to Oregon for one more year, being able to play for the Oregon Ducks and reach our goal and be national champions.”
After transferring from UCLA and sitting behind Dillon Gabriel for one season, Moore burst onto the scene with 3,565 passing yards and 30 touchdowns on 65.9% completion.
With their quarterback returning along with a host of talented youngsters on offense and a veteran defense, the Ducks figure to have national title aspirations next season.
Parker is currently the sports editor for the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.