Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has decried a “disgusting play” that left his starting quarterback, Dante Moore, in hospital during the Ducks’ 41-27 win over USC.
Moore was carted off the field after a late hit by Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II in the first half of Saturday’s game in Los Angeles. He was able to move his fingers and feet and rotate his arms, and was taken to Los Angeles General Medical Center, according to the NBC broadcast. An Oregon spokesperson later said that Moore had movement in all of his extremities and was being evaluated.
Coach’s Reaction and Player Response
“He’s in recovery, so I’m not going to speak too soon. But he is moving,” Lanning said after the game. “He has the ability to move. So we continue to assess him.”
During the play, Moore took off on a scramble. As he attempted to slide, he was hit in the head by Stephens, who was called for targeting and disqualified from the game.
“It was a disgusting play,” Lanning said. “The energy changed. A lot of guys on the sideline, they were emotional in that moment, including myself.”
Fights broke out between players after the hit as Moore lay on the ground, and both teams were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Backup Steps In
“Seeing him like that shook the whole team,” said Oregon backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, who replaced Moore for the rest of the game. “But at the same time, we knew that it was our brother, and we were gonna fight for him.”
Moore was 8 of 10 passing for 77 yards, and Raiola was 19 of 25 for 289 yards and two touchdowns.
After Stephens was ejected he watched the game from the sidelines. “He’s on our football team,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley said when asked why Stephens was allowed on the sideline. Riley also expressed his concern for Moore’s health at his postgame press conference, something Lanning said he appreciated.
Raiola said the incident had motivated his team. “The wolf came out, and we made sure that our prey felt what we’d been preparing for all week,” he said.
Moore was an All-Big Ten third-team selection last season, throwing for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as the team went 13-2. This season, he was off to a strong start with 849 passing yards and nine passing touchdowns in three games. He had been predicted to be a top pick in this year’s NFL draft but chose to return to college.
