By Kyle Golik
While the atmosphere was festive in Autzen Stadium for the annual Oregon Ducks spring game, there were two serious questions at hand.
First was how will the defense look after the spring practice session? Considering Oregon surrendered 37 points in its final two games of the 2024 season in the Big Ten Championship against Penn State, and 41 points to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, fans wanted to see immediate improvements.
How immediate? Considering the departures of Derrick Harmon and Jordan Burch to the NFL Draft, and much maligned defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, there was the feel of uneasiness.
Uneasiness was felt a bit by the uncertainty at quarterback. Oregon has benefitted the last three seasons of having the most experienced quarterbacks in the nation in Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. Now they had their first good look at Dante Moore.
The defense, quarterback and others key takeaways
© Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
More Sports News
No. 1: Defensive Line Will Lead the Way
With how the defense faltered down the stretch of last season, one culprit was getting pressure on the quarterback. Oregon was only able to get to Penn State’s Drew Allar once in the Big Ten Championship and never touched Ohio State’s Will Howard in the Rose Bowl.
There was a point of emphasis of establishing pressure and Oregon succeeded generating a total of 11 sacks between both sides.
“I think we’ve seen a lot of guys take big steps this offseason,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said after the game. “I’m watching for the same things you guys watch for. There’s a lot of room for improvement on both sides of the ball. You see a big play, you get really excited about the offense, but then you worry about the defense, right? You see the sack; you get really excited about the defense and then worry about the offense.”
Fully expect multi-transfer interior defensive lineman Bear Alexander to clog gaps and allow dynamic rushers like Matayo Uiagalelei, who set career marks for sacks (10.5), tackles for losses (12.5) and total pressures generated (31), free to attack the opposing backfields.
© Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
No. 2: QB Battle Settled
The quarterback position seems to be settled unless there is some sort of injury or dramatic shift.
Moore, a redshirt sophomore, looks like the pending starter for the 2025 season. Moore will be making his first start since his true freshman season at UCLA in 2023.
During that season, Moore started on fire completing 62.7 percent of his passes and had a 7-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio in his first three starts. Then Moore hit a freshman wall of sorts. Moore’s completion percentage dropped to 50.6 percent with Moore having three consecutive games with pick-sixes and finishing out the string with four touchdown passes and eight interceptions.
Moore finished the Oregon spring game passing 12-of-20 with 140 yards with an interception.
Backing up Moore looks to be redshirt sophomore Austin Novosad. Novosad finished the day turnover free on 5-of-9 passing for 59 yards that included a highlight 36-yard completion to five-star wide receiver and true freshman Dakorien Moore.
Redshirt freshman Luke Moga looks to fit in at third string and his 56-yard connection on a quick slant to Dillon Gresham highlighted his day.
Lanning was asked postgame why he did not look for an experienced quarterback in the portal.
“Ultimately, I feel good about the guys we have at that position,” Lanning said point blank.
© Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
No. 3: Kenyon Sediq Will Be Offensive Focal Point
If there was one thing emphasized for Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein was that Moore had chemistry with tight end Kenyon Sediq.
Moore located Sediq seven times for 102 yards. While Oregon possesses the perimeter athletes to stretch defenses, defenses are going to have to make hard decisions this fall about how they plan to cover Sediq, who looks like Moore’s safety valve in Oregon’s passing attack this season.
“I have seen it every day that he’s been here,” Lanning said after the game. “He’s a guy that has constantly improved, worked really hard, and embraced whatever role he’s wearing for the team. He has been able to help us since the day he got here. I think you saw some of Kenyon that we get to see every day in practice.”
© Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
No. 4: Youth Will Be Served at WR
While the quarterback position looks clear, the hierarchy at wide receiver should shift throughout the season. Evan Stewart and Gary Bryant Jr. have the experience advantage to be the leading wide receivers for Oregon, but the signature plays that Moore and Gresham had on during the game will continue to force the issue for more reps and playing time.
Lanning lauded Greshman’s improvement during spring workouts.
“I would say that Dillon is probably one of our most improved players from this past season to what he’s done now,” he said. “He continues to make big plays on the field and has done a really good job for us. He showed up today and I think we all saw what he’s capable of.”
Lanning later said of Gresham he is a player they count on and is a signal he will be in the mix.
While Moore is a true freshman, the explosive skill the five-star prodigy has will force Lanning and Stein to get creative on how to use him. When you look at Moore’s plethora of weapons whether it is Sediq, Stewart, Bryant, Gresham, Moore or former Tulane running back Mahki Hughes out of the backfield—this is a good problem for Oregon to have.
© Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
No. 5: Offensive Line Red Flags
As alluded to earlier, the defensive collected 11 sacks, forced a fumble and picked off Moore’s final pass. Typically that type of defensive performance gives you a red flag for the offensive line.
Losing tackle Josh Conerly Jr. and Ajani Cornelius to the NFL Draft hurts. Oregon went to the portal and brought in three perspective starters in Isaiah World (Nevada), Emmanuel Pregnon (USC) and Alex Harkey (Texas State).
While it is easy to outline the bad, the good from the spring game is Oregon averaged 5.6 yards per rush—if you take away the sack yardage by the quarterbacks. Moore completed nearly two-thirds of his passes before the final interception.
Remember this was an Oregon team that started slow in 2024 (especially against Idaho in Week 1) and eventually the offensive line gelled and average 40.6 points per game prior to the Rose Bowl.
Oregon fans should not hit the panic alarm but keep more a cautious eye early in the Ducks’ season how the line gels prior to their first true matchup Sept. 27 against Penn State in Happy Valley.
