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Tez Johnson predicts Dante Moore will be Heisman Trophy finalist in 2025
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- Tez Johnson predicts Dante Moore will be Heisman Trophy finalist in 2025
It's a quote that got lost in the middle of what was a hectic and crazy media day ahead of the Rose Bowl earlier this week, but with the day's events in Eugene, Oregon Duck fans are buzzing after a quote from wide receiver Tez Johnson has surfaced.
The quote was about sophomore quarterback Dante Moore , who has been waiting in the wings behind Dillon Gabriel after transferring in from the UCLA Bruins this past offseason.
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Moore, who is expected by many to take over as the Ducks ' QB1 in 2025 after a competition with Austin Novosad , is getting quite the hype from his teammates.
"He'll be a Heisman finalist next year," Johnson said of Moore at the Rose Bowl media day. "100 percent. It's something you haven't seen yet. That boy can throw a ball like no other. I've never seen nothing like it."
For Oregon fans who are still mourning the loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, and frustrated by the news that 5-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was transferring on Friday morning, this is music to your ears.
I have confirmed with a source close to the program that part of the reasoning for Sagapolutele to transfer was because he had aspirations of starting as a true freshman in Eugene. After joining the team for bowl practices, though, He came to a realization that this would be tough with Moore already proving early on that he is ready to lead the team in 2025.
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According to Johnson, Moore has the tools already to be a dynamic player, and his performance in practices with the backup players leaves little to no fall-off from Dillon Gabriel and the starters.
"He is so ready. He is so ready to play," Johnson continued. "You can just tell. We can put the 2's in at practice, and they look just like the 1's."
While some people may write this off as a player hyping up one of his teammates, it is also important to consider that Johnson has caught passes from a pair of Heisman finalists in the past two years, so he knows what it looks like to see them play.
The past couple of days might have been tough for Duck fans, but going into 2025, there should be hope and expectations building quickly. According to one of the best Ducks we have seen in recent memory, a legend is on the way.
