Dante Moore injury update: Oregon QB returns to practice. Could he play vs UCLA?
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Oregon quarterback Dante Moore practiced Monday, Oct. 5, a positive sign there is a possibility he could suit up for the Ducks soon following his scary concussion against USC on Sept. 26.
Coach Dan Lanning said Moore was "wearing a helmet and shoulder pads today and was out there throwing the football." Lanning did not add any further details of where he's at in the concussion protocol or indicate if Moore will play Week 6 against UCLA, noting the Big Ten availability report will provide clarity.
The first edition of the report will be released the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 7.
"Similar to what we said before, we're going to continue to make sure we do what's best for Dante as we move forward," Lanning said. "But it was great to see him back out there with his teammates and able to get a little work in today."
It's another indication Moore could end up not missing any games following the vicious hit he took against USC that resulted in him being taken off the field in an ambulance and sent to a nearby hospital. There was concern the hit to the head caused significant injury, but Moore suffered only a concussion with no additional injuries.
On Sept. 30, Lanning said Moore was "healthy and doing well."
Will Dante Moore play vs UCLA?
Since Oregon had a bye week in Week 5, Moore has nearly two weeks to recover from his concussion so he can play in his team's next game, which will be a ranked contest against the No. 22 Bruins in Autzen Stadium.
While there is a real possibility Moore could play, a decision may not be decided until hours before the game if he continues to progress. Oregon's backup is former Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola, who shined in relief of Moore against the Trojans, throwing for 289 passing yards and two touchdowns in a critical win for the team's playoff hopes.
"Dylan's got to keep doing what he's been doing," Lanning said. "Preparing like he's going to be the guy that goes out there every single day. We need that from every single person on our team. We don't need anything special from Dylan other than doing what he's been doing."
UCLA coach Bob Chesney said his team is preparing to face either quarterback.
"There's not a giant drop off between the two of those guys," Chesney said. "They're both really good."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dante Moore injury update: Oregon QB returns to practice. Could he play vs UCLA?
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