Quarterback #1 is Dante Moore and there is no debate.

Now what happens if Dante gets dinged up (God forbid) in an important game like at Iowa. What is the real depth in this QB room as opposed to what is on paper. Is Brock Thomas really #2? Maybe he deserves it but is he good enough? Are Austin Novosad and Luke Moga both choosing to redshirt and are really not available? Is Akili Smith Jr. available? I am confused and not in a good way. Any thoughts?

I was wondering the same thing when Brock Thomas was put in to relieve Dante Moore. What happened to Novosad and Moga?

I don't think Novosad or Moga have redshirts at this point. Pretty sure Novosad used his in 23 with Nix's last season.

Pretty sure Moga has also burned a redshirt sitting behind Gabriel.

So I haven't got a clue what is going on but I'm pretty sure there aren't any redshirts here.

Now.. i did read a rumor that maybe they are trying to get Novosad a medical redshirt and for that he can't appear in any additional games while being injured. But that's just a rumor and I have zero evidence.

10 minutes ago, David Marsh said:

I don't think Novosad or Moga have redshirts at this point. Pretty sure Novosad used his in 23 with Nix's last season.

Pretty sure Moga has also burned a redshirt sitting behind Gabriel.

So I haven't got a clue what is going on but I'm pretty sure there aren't any redshirts here.

Now.. i did read a rumor that maybe they are trying to get Novosad a medical redshirt and for that he can't appear in any additional games while being injured. But that's just a rumor and I have zero evidence.

I didn’t see Novosad on the injury report. It’s going to be hard to get a medical redshirt authorized if he isn’t listed as injured.

Oregon's official roster on goducks.com lists Novosad as a redshirt sophomore and Moga as a redshirt freshman. Interesting rumor about a possible medical redshirt for Novosad. I would guess that the coaches hope to redshirt freshman Akili Smith JR.

So if both Moga and Novosad have burned their redshirt, then why are they not brought in to play or has Brock Thomas beat them out on the depth chart? Who comes in if we need backup and are in a real tight game?

9 minutes ago, DrJacksPlaidPants said:

I didn’t see Novosad on the injury report. It’s going to be hard to get a medical redshirt authorized if he isn’t listed as injured.

Yeah I'm not sure about it. Just passing it on for the hell of it. But again I have no evidence.

I also don't know quite how official the injury reports are. They need to be filed in know but how definitive do they actually need to be?

Maybe Lanning is looking to make BT a Justin 2.0? He's an Oregonian.

Never seen this before at Oregon! Both backups have used their redshirt year, and both are in uniform on the sidelines...but don't play in garbage time?

No facts or explanations on the other sites, except the same speculation as we have here. Just that thread on ScoopDuck alone is enough to make me very grateful for the community here. There are a ton of attacks on each other for simply disagreeing, or scolding each other for bringing up the question, etc.

Civility is highly underrated.

1 minute ago, Charles Fischer said:

Just that thread on ScoopDuck alone is enough to make me very grateful for the community here. There are a ton of attacks on each other for simply disagreeing, or scolding each other for bringing up the question, etc.

I was banned on scoopduck from talking and linking a FishDuck article.

I think I have only ever posted over there 5 times.

It's a crazy place over there that's for sure.

Go there for the inside information come to FishDuck for the conversation. That's for sure.

Thanks for everything that you do Charles.

1 minute ago, Charles Fischer said:

Never seen this before at Oregon! Both backups have used their redshirt year, and both are in uniform on the sidelines...but don't play in garbage time?

I haven’t seen this before anywhere. Usually there is a solid backup pecking order but each week the #2 QB seems to change this year at Oregon.

Perhaps Brock Thomas beat the other QBs out? Maybe we see someone else get the second string reps next week?

3 minutes ago, OregonDucks said:

Perhaps Brock Thomas beat the other QBs out?

Highly unlikely... Novosad throws a pretty nice ball and Moga has athleticism that Thomas just doesn't have.

OK guys...this is a TERRIBLE thought, but I will share it for your reactions, and thank goodness I am on a site where people cannot attack me personally.

What if...both Moga and Novosad have told the coaches they are leaving in the portal at the end of the season? Perhaps Dante has already told them that he is returning next year? So, the coaches are playing the only QB who might be back next year?

But the two QBs understand that they will be playing if Dante gets hurt?

Meanwhile Akili Smith Jr. is using a redshirt, and only has four games to use this year. My understanding is that he was not on the travel squad, which makes sense if you are already taking four QBs on the trip.

As the third quarter beatdown progressed, I was eagerly anticipating an answer to this confusing question but nope. I can accept the Novo talk of caution due to injury but that does not explain the Moga disappearance. Against Indiana when the offense was clearly figured out and was completely shutdown, I was expecting to see some sort of Moga trickery to show up to throw the Indy D off and maybe find some momentum but nope. Something seems to be going on behind the scenes that we may not find out until after the season. Enquiring minds want to know!

21 minutes ago, The Kamikaze Kid said:

I was expecting to see some sort of Moga trickery to show up to throw the Indy D off and maybe find some momentum but nope.

Against Indy there was nothing strange or interesting about the Oregon offense... Other than it's ineptitude.

We had three strange plays in one series against Rutgers. It really felt like there was a lack of creativity from the offensive scheming side of things against Indiana.

I think Mr. FishDuck may be on the money with this one. If both Novosad and Moga are going to the portal, they both have enough talent to start somewhere IMHO. Coach Lanning was just fine with Brock Thomas in the mop up role against Rutgers. If Novosad and Moga suited up and traveled with the team, surely they would be available if needed. Right?

My question is why are no reporters asking our coach this?

This is what Novosad said back in June, 2025. Has he changed his trajectory about his future with the Ducks? Only time will tell if this stay true.

Oregon QB Austin Novosad Ends Transfer Speculation With Clear Statement About His Future

“I’m a competitor, I love the program, I did not want to leave,” Novosad said. “I think Coach Stein and Coach Lanning speak for themselves. Just the consistency I mentioned earlier, they show that every day.”

Novosad continued, “I wanted to be at a program where I could showcase my ability and set myself up for the future.”

‘Set Myself Up for the Future’ — Oregon QB Austin Novosad Shuts Down Transfer Rumors With Bold Message

1 hour ago, Charles Fischer said:

OK guys...this is a TERRIBLE thought, but I will share it for your reactions, and thank goodness I am on a site where people cannot attack me personally.

What if...both Moga and Novosad have told the coaches they are leaving in the portal at the end of the season? Perhaps Dante has already told them that he is returning next year? So, the coaches are playing the only QB who might be back next year?

But the two QBs understand that they will be playing if Dante gets hurt?

Meanwhile Akili Smith Jr. is using a redshirt, and only has four games to use this year. My understanding is that he was not on the travel squad, which makes sense if you are already taking four QBs on the trip.

Not sure it’s a terrible thought at all. Could well be that Smith is next up, be it next year or the year after, and we go into the portal if needed. There’s no way to groom 3 future QBs at once in the portal era.