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Oregon QB Dante Moore is undecided on the NFL draft or another year with the Ducks
ATLANTA (AP) — Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has a decision to make: the NFL draft or another season with the Ducks.
In the aftermath of a 56-22 loss to No. 1 Indiana in the College Football Playoff semifinal Friday night, Moore said he’s not ready to make the call.
“I knew that question was coming,” said Moore, who had three crucial turnovers in the first half, leading to three Indiana touchdowns that gave the Hoosiers a commanding 35-7 lead at halftime. “I want to soak this moment up. That’s most important. Just giving hugs and thank-you’s to my teammates.”
Moore said he will meet with coach Dan Lanning as well as his family before deciding his future.
“At the end of the day, I don’t know my decision yet,” said Moore, who completed 24 of 39 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns. “I don’t want to think about that right now. I just want to think about my teammates and give love to them.”
Moore began his college career at UCLA but left after one season to sign with Oregon. He backed up Dillon Gabriel last season before moving up to the starting job when Gabriel departed for the NFL.
This season, Moore completed nearly 73% of his throws for 3,280 yards, with 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
But he took the blame for the big loss to the Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl. Moore threw a pick-6 on the first play of the game. He also fumbled twice deep in Oregon territory, with both turnovers also leading to TDs.
“The quarterback has to protect the football,” Moore said. “At the end of the day, we beat ourselves.”
Despite the lopsided loss, Lanning would love to have Moore for another season after a 13-2 campaign that came up two wins shy of the school’s first football national championship.
“Dante has been exceptional,” the coach said. “It’s gone right for us 13 times. It didn’t go right tonight. You can’t let that overshadow (the season). Every one of us has unbelievable disappointment. Learn from it.”
The question for Moore is where will he learn from it next season.
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