"It Was A Disgusting Play": Oregon Coach Dan Lanning Lambasts Late Helmet Hit on Quarterback Dante Moore
NFL scouts and draft evaluators take note after the sophomore sensation absorbs brutal hit while sliding.
Key Story Takeaways
- Oregon head coach Dan Lanning fiercely condemned a late helmet-to-helmet hit on quarterback Dante Moore.
- Moore was sliding in the open field when a closing defender initiated violent contact to his helmet.
- The sophomore quarterback was evaluated for a concussion and held out for the remainder of the contest.
- NFL draft scouts and national commentators called for immediate NCAA and conference disciplinary review.
EUGENE, Ore. — College football emotion boiled over Saturday night at Autzen Stadium, and during the post-game press conference, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning delivered one of the most impassioned condemnations of player safety negligence seen this season.
Early in the third quarter, Oregon starting quarterback Dante Moore—widely viewed by NFL front offices as a premier future first-round draft prospect—scrambled past midfield and executed a clean, textbook feet-first slide.
Well after Moore's knee hit the turf, an opposing defender lunged downhill, delivering a direct helmet blow that knocked Moore's head violently backward.
Lanning's Fiery Post-Game Rebuke
Flagged immediately for unnecessary roughness and targeting, the collision prompted a fiery response from Lanning at the podium:
"It was a disgusting play. Plain and simple. There is no place in our game for that kind of predatory hit on a player who has already given himself up. Dante did everything right. He slid, he protected himself, and he got hit in the head. We need the conference to take real accountability on plays like that."
Moore was helped off the field by medical staff and was subsequently placed into concussion evaluation protocol.
NFL Draft Implications
Prior to the injury, Moore had completed 16 of 20 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns, displaying the poise, touch, and pocket presence that had NFL general managers raving:
"He was operating at an elite level tonight," Lanning added. "Dante is tough, and our thoughts are with him and his family right now as our medical team evaluates his recovery."