Dylan Raiola to Make First Start for Oregon Against UCLA as Dante Moore Remains in Concussion Protocol

Oregon backup quarterback Dylan Raiola is set to make his first start for the No. 13 Ducks on Saturday against No. 21 UCLA. The decision comes as starting quarterback Dante Moore continues to recover from a concussion.

Raiola will lead Oregon's offense in place of Moore, who sustained a concussion during the Ducks' 41-27 victory over Southern California on September 26. Moore was injured in the second quarter after a late hit and was taken off the field by ambulance. He has not yet cleared concussion protocol.

In relief of Moore against USC, Raiola threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns. He has appeared in two games this season, passing for 413 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Raiola transferred to Oregon after two seasons at Nebraska, knowing Moore was the likely starter.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning expressed confidence in Raiola, noting his performance against USC and his consistent practice repetitions. "He had an expectation when he stepped out there on the field and performed at a really, really high level, and everybody had confidence in him because they see him do it a lot in practice," Lanning said.

Lanning also addressed the transition for Raiola to Oregon's offensive system. "It’s totally different systems than what he was running before, so I think you got to build confidence in the system, and that takes time, especially when you ask the quarterback to do as much as we ask the quarterback to do," Lanning explained. "You know, whether it’s checks on plays or just the length of a call, right? It’s a little bit different. There’s a lot of variables in there, and it takes some time to get comfortable with it, even when you’re really cerebral and intelligent like Dylan is."

UCLA coach Bob Chesney commented that Moore and Raiola are similar players, emphasizing the need for his team to prepare for either quarterback. "They’re both very, very good football players. You can’t really think one way or the other who’s going to be out there and who’s not," Chesney said. "We've got to prepare for both. But really, the good thing is that it’s not like the second kid can’t throw and is only a runner and has to change everything we’re doing."

Despite Moore's return to practice in a limited capacity, he was listed as out for Saturday's game and must meet several benchmarks before he can play. Coach Lanning noted the positive impact of Moore's presence at practice, stating, "I think the biggest thing is just being able to see a smile on his face to get around and be around his teammates and his brothers and do that at a high level. Everybody has a smile on their face getting to see Dante out there with us this week, and it’s been fun seeing him compete."

Raiola acknowledged the team's focus on the upcoming game, saying, "Ultimately, the end of the day, our goal is to win and go 1-0 that week. Very proud of how we fought through the ups and the downs and the moments of that game, we came out on the other side strong. But on the flip side, kind of put that game to bed last week and been preparing because we've got got a really, really good football team coming to town."