Star quarterback Dante Moore has announced he is returning for 2026, and that should make you even more excited about Dylan Raiola becoming a Duck. It is understandable if fans were on the fence when the news broke that Raiola was transferring to Oregon.
If you are on social media, there is no doubt you have seen his comparisons to Patrick Mahomes. Despite his odd personality, Raiola has all the talent of a great quarterback. Now, the Ducks are fortunate enough to have that talent as their backup in 2026.
Nebraska QB transfer Dylan Raiola will sit behind Dante Moore in 2026
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 14, 2026
A similar route that Dante Moore took after transferring from UCLA and further developing behind Dillon Gabrielhttps://t.co/NdyO8wq4GE https://t.co/QHD8dXiMRB pic.twitter.com/ynTk0DHeJN
Having Moore and Raiola is the Best Case Scenario
When it was annouced the Raiola committed to the Ducks, everyone's first thought must have been about Moore heading to the NFL. In conjunction with gripes about his personality, much of the negative sentiment could have stemmed from the idea that Raiola was the starter in 2026. But, with what we know now, that is not the plan.
With Moore returning to Oregon, the Ducks now have their starters for 2026 and 2027 secured. Raiola will sit out a year and develop behind Moore. We saw what happened to Moore when he sat a year behind Dillon Gabriel. Moore made tremendous strides and became a QB many thought could be the second overall pick in the NFL Draft. Now, Raiola can make those same strides Moore did in a year of learning.
Dante Moore on Dylan Raiola:
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) January 14, 2026
"I know when he comes here, he's gonna be a great guy for the QB room. I'm gonna make sure to give him the thoughts that Dillon Gabriel did for me."
However, Raiola is in a much different spot than Moore was when he decided to take a year of development instead of being QB1. Moore had only five games played as a starter at UCLA before sitting out a year behind Gabriel. Raiola is much farther along in experience than Moore was, starting 22 games in total at Nebraska. We have seen what Dan Lanning and the Ducks can do with transfer QBs. In 2027, Raiola can be leaps and bounds above what he was last year as a QB. Right now, Ducks fans need to trust the process and believe in their coaching staff.
We are getting one more year of Moore in 2026. Many key players are returning from last season, and major contributors will be joining from the transfer portal and the next recruiting class. The Ducks are primed for a title run with their proven star QB Moore and have their starter set for the future in 2027.