The vital way Dante Moore has to be like Dillon Gabriel

Oregon's offense will look different with Dante Moore running it and in many ways it could be better.

At the combine Gabriel measured 5-11, 201. Moore is 6-3, 210, and over the winter he cut body fat and added muscle. Gabriel was a sixth-year senior with an NCAA record 63 starts. He rushed for 1,209 yards and 33 touchdowns in his career.

Moore will have to get it done in a different way. Though a good athlete he's not a running quarterback. He'll make most of his living throwing from the pocket and pushing the ball downfield.

It will be change for Will Stein, too. In 2023 at UCLA Moore "rushed" 45 times for -84 yards as the UCLA offensive line gave up 42 sacks, second worst in the conference ahead of Colorado, which surrendered 56.

How will the offense change without the mobility of Bo Nix or Dillon Gabriel? After Oregon's second practice of spring back on March 15, Stein said:

"We're still in the early stages of figuring that out. It's really just base install these first two days. I've had Hudson Card at Lake Travis, who was a dual-threat kid. I had Frank Harris at UTSA, who was dual-threat. Bo could run as well and Dillon.

They've all been different, but to me they've all been uber-competitive and been to distribute the football and be high completion percentage guys."

Gabriel, Nix and Frank Harris all had the ability to gash defenses with their legs, able to run for 300-500 yards a season. Moore will have to be more of distributor.

He's stated often that he learned a lot from Gabriel and grew from competing with him. Ultimately, though, his mentor Cam Newton has stressed to him that he has to be his own man and play in his own style.

"Growing up, I've had great mentors, one being Cam Newton," Moore said. "One thing he always told me is, you know, control what you can control.

I mean, you go from Joey Harrington to Marcus Mariota, you got Darron Thomas, you got Bo Nix, you got Dillon Gabriel, there is so many great quarterbacks, but really I'm just thinking about my style of play, how I can better the team, just how I can make myself feel comfortable on the football field."

One of the things that came through in the "Ducks Vs. Them" series was how calm and cool Gabriel was under pressure, how he seemed to thrive in key moments of the game, like the fourth quarters against Ohio State or Wisconsin.

The eyes got bigger. The focus got sharper. He had a knack for making big plays when the pressure was greatest.

The way Dan Lanning talks about Dante Moore in this interview with Jim Rome, Moore seems to have a lot of that crucial quality.

If Moore is going to be a success as Oregon's QB-1, it has to start with embracing the pressure and inspiring trust from his teammates. Physical skills and arm talent are one thing, but being a truly great quarterback, like that long line of exceptional Duck QBs, comes down to what's between the ears.

The most important part of becoming a champion is learning how to think like one.

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