David Pollack keeps it real about Oregon's QB race entering 2025: 'It's gonna be tough' as Dante Moore learns on the fly

While new Oregon Ducks QB1 Dante Moore has been focused on gaining weight and mastering the nuances that being an elite quarterback requires, the sharks are in the water as the college football season nears. The Ducks enter the 2025 season with some of the best odds to win the National Championship, but that hasn't stopped a flow of constant concern.

Most of those concerns center on Moore's ability to develop rapidly. The last time we saw him for a significant amount of time, he was at UCLA and struggling. 

Former ESPN analyst and podcast host David Pollack joined the pile of those uncertain of the team's decision to go all-in on Moore. Here's what he said on his “See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack” podcast.

“I feel like Oregon is gonna have dudes regardless,” Pollack said. “They’ve been recruiting dudes at a high level. What I think we’ll find out at the quarterback spot is ‘how ready are you for the moment?’ Obviously having a guy with experience is good because you’re not starting over. He’s played some football. I just think it’s the quarterback spot. Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel obviously were dudes but it’s more now. How ready are you for this moment and how prepared are you for the big games?”

“I think to me Oregon is gonna go if their quarterback is elite and be really, really good. I also think the quarterback position has been so good that there’s a standard to live up to. But, we’ll see how he does. I do think it’s gonna be tough though.”

Pollack is likely right that Moore is the key to the team's success. They're loaded with potential first round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, even with Evan Stewart already lost for the year with a knee injury. 

But the drop from Justin Herbert, Nix, and Gabriel to even an average quarterback would be massive. With the Big Ten deeper than usual but facing turnover at the very top, it'll be fascinating to see how quickly the young Ducks can develop.