As a five-star quarterback who was rated as one of the best prospects in the nation, Dante Moore came to college with all of the tools. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Moore had the size, the arm strength, and the football IQ to be an instant starter at the next level.
He learned quickly in his freshman season that those things weren't enough to be great at the next level, though. In nine games with the UCLA Bruins, Moore threw for 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions, getting sacked 16 times. Two years later, he now enters a QB competition with Austin Novosad in Eugene, knowing that he needs to be better in order to reach the high ceiling he has set for himself.
So, what exactly has Moore been trying to improve to reach these heights with the Oregon Ducks? In two words, you could say film and speed.
"It was more just to get faster, cut down my body fat," Moore said. "I did really good with that. I got a PR, my fastest speed this spring. Physically, just getting my body cut down, but mentally, watching a lot of film, a lot of NFL quarterbacks, just seeing the way they can just be decisive on the football field. So mentally, I've been, you know, learning a lot of concepts and physically cut down the body weight and got the way faster.”
While there are some expectations among fans and teammates that Moore will not only win the starting job, but also be one of the best QBs in the nation this year, there is work to do before that goal can be realized. Novosaid has been turning some heads in spring practice so far, and he is offering a real competition for the top spot on the depth chart.
We saw what Moore could do in high school and as a true freshman at UCLA. Since then, though, he's worked to grow and improve. From the sounds of it, he's done a lot of both. Once the spring game rolls around in a couple of weeks, we'll get a good chance to see how that manifests itself on the field.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon football's Dante Moore details focus on film and speed work
