As Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks walked off the field at Autzen Stadium last Saturday following a 17-15 loss to UCLA, one thing was certain: something needs to change. A stagnant offensive showing that produced seven turnovers is so far below the standard that Lanning has set that the only solution is to change the process.
That could include a change in play-caller, which Lanning didn't outright admit would happen, but did hint on Monday that part of the process would be altered moving forward. But the biggest thing that needs to improve is quarterback play. Without Dante Moore available, the forward pass was almost a foreign concept to the Oregon offense.
Dylan Raiola committed three turnovers, while Brock Thomas wasn't given many opportunities,
but did have success late when he had to throw the Ducks back into the game. Yet, if Moore is unable to return for Saturday's game against Nebraska, the likelihood of which doesn't appear great right now, either Raiola or Thomas will get under center again, and the offense as a whole will need to show signs of growth quickly.
So, who will start? If it isn't Moore, it will come down to who competes the best in practice.
"We've really got a competition in a lot of positions," Lanning said. "Obviously, at the quarterback position, if Dante's not able to go. There's competition every single week because I always say football is like renting a house; it's not owning a house. You have to pay rent every week. We didn't do well enough in some areas. We have to really do hard evaluations and say, 'OK, how can we make sure that we're much better?'"
Raiola's experience so far at Oregon has been a roller coaster ride. After a perfect outing against Portland State and playing hero off the bench on the road against USC, Raiola quickly gained the confidence of fans, players and coaches. But after completing just 6-of-19 passes for 43 yards and tossing two interceptions against UCLA, some of Raiola's confidence took a hit when he was pulled at the start of the fourth quarter.
Given how well Thomas played in the fourth quarter, nearly pulling the Ducks even and sending the game to overtime, it's reasonable to wonder why the switch wasn't made sooner. Lanning acknowledged as much, but feels the Ducks didn't always put Raiola in a position to win, for one reason or another.
Brock Thomas is giving Oregon life!
— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) October 10, 2026
Thomas hits Evan Stewart who does the rest for a 44-yard TD to put the Ducks right back in the game against UCLA. pic.twitter.com/hKTXO9JVkc
"On the same note, I feel like some of those positions we put (Raiola) in weren't successful opportunities as well," Lanning said. "I think we made some adjustments in getting the ball out a little bit quicker, creating some more open pictures that allowed Brock to do that."
Thomas, who hails from the same Sheldon High School program that produced Justin Herbert from the shadows of Autzen Stadium, hasn't made a start in four seasons with his hometown team. He did play the hero role last season in a rainy win against Wisconsin, stepping in for Moore after an injury.
There isn't a lack of experience from Thomas that is keeping him out of the role. Raiola's experience as a starter and prior success with the Ducks, however, does keep him in the discussion, despite Saturday's disaster.
It could all come down to this week in practice. A few hours on the field and rigorous studying in the film room will decide who takes the first snap against Nebraska.
"But it all starts with the No. 1 job. I think if anybody ever asks me, what do you have to do at quarterback? You have to protect the ball," Lanning said. "That's the first thing that's going to give us a chance to have success. So Dylan knows that. He owns that. I mean, he had the courage to even come down, sit in front of you guys, and talk about where he can be better. I think that speaks volumes about who he is. He's an important part of this team. He's going to compete his tail off this week, and so will Brock."
To complicate matters even more, Raiola could draw the start against his former team, potentially setting up an emotional matchup under the bright lights. That's a tough situation to thrive in, especially coming off a career-worst performance.
Still, Lanning isn't avoiding the spotlight on Raiola, even if it means giving him another shot against the Cornhuskers and letting the former five-star deal with the moment.
"You never go through life where you're on a stage in front of the whole world, and you get replaced in front of the whole world; that's really hard, man," Lanning said of Raiola. "I don't know how like most normal people would handle that situation. I thought Dylan handled it with unbelievable grace, right in that moment, and was really humble."
"Of course, it's going to be an emotional game for Dylan," Lanning continued. "Being the place that he came from, he's going to do everything he can to make sure that our team's in the best situation to have success this week and be prepared and play as well as we possibly can. I know he'll do that because he's a pro."
The most upside in Oregon's offense might come with Raiola under center, using his experience and arm talent to his advantage to create explosive plays. But if keeping the ball safe is most important, and it certainly should be after a seven-turnover day, Thomas has played turnover-free in nine career appearances, outside of a botched snap against the Bruins last week.
Whichever way Lanning and the Ducks decide to go, the offense will be under a microscope with plenty of storylines to follow. Raiola facing his former team, or the local kid makes his career start as a senior. Time will tell what fits Oregon's offense best, assuming Moore won't be back in action.
Oregon will host Nebraska on Saturday night in another must-win game. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. PT from Autzen Stadium, with the game airing live on Fox.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dan Lanning details Oregon QB competition with Dante Moore's status unclear
