How ‘total buy-in’ of Oregon program led Dylan Raiola to the Ducks

Dylan Raiola might not know what it feels like to sit on the bench, but it's an idea he's had to grow to accept since arriving on campus in Eugene. The Oregon Ducks are prepared to roll with Dante Moore for presumably his final season in pursuit of a national championship, while Raiola studies behind him and stays ready if he's needed.

"You’ve got to humble yourself," the former Nebraska starting quarterback said Tuesday. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't take a couple of practices to get used to it. But at the same time, it's all learning, and it's all trying to eventually achieve the goal of mine, and obviously of Dante's right now. And that's our whole room's goal: to get Dante to where he wants to go. It's a great person to learn from.”

Raiola, a former 5-star, started all 22 games he was healthy for with the Cornhuskers over the past two seasons. There were some growing pains, as Raiola led the Big Ten with 11 interceptions in 2024 and finished his time in Lincoln with a 13-9 record. He suffered a broken fibula in November and was sidelined for the rest of the season before entering the transfer portal.

In the past, Raiola has been subject to heavy criticism, both on and off the field. When he decided to come to Oregon, it wasn't with the mindset that he would pick up where he left off and try again. Rather, his decision came from a stance of growth and maturity, acknowledging some of his flaws and a need for a step back.

"I think there are a lot of instances of things I could've done better to help prepare our team to win," Raiola said. "But you use all those experiences for learning, and to propel not only myself, but this team forward. I'm going to do my best to be the best teammate I can be."Learning was the core principle behind Raiola's decision to come to Eugene, not in an attempt to battle or usurp the starting job from Moore this year. In fact, Raiola pointed out the timeline of his and Moore's decisions during the offseason as proof of his intentions.

“I think if you look back through it, I decided before Dante decided," Raiola said. "It was just a total buy-in of the program and of Oregon as a whole. So I was very excited, and to have the opportunity to learn from a number one draft pick caliber guy is very special. Not only him, but the whole room. Every guy brings something to the table, good, bad and different, and it's all great for everybody.”

Raiola provided flashes of brilliance at Nebraska that excited Oregon coach Dan Lanning enough to bring him aboard. Having completed 69.1% of his passes and tossed 31 touchdowns in two seasons, Raiola and Lanning both seem to be on the same page about his potential future with the program.

The Ducks have taken the "wait and see" approach with quarterbacks in the past, even before Lanning arrived. Tyler Shough waited behind Justin Herbert. Dante Moore waited behind Dillon Gabriel.

It's not just waiting, however. The coaching staff's belief and trust have been built with those passers during their time as the backup. For some, the trust began to form during the recruiting process.

“A lot of the same people that recruited me in high school were the same people," Raiola said. "When I came on my visit in the portal, there were the same people here. So I think that goes a lot to say about how much people love this place and they don't want to leave. Especially, if you look at it, every single coordinator can get hired at pretty much any program in the country.”

The Ducks are always looking to the future. With Drew Mehringer now running the offense and the Ducks still pursuing top quarterback options on the recruiting trail, Raiola has the chance to set himself apart within the room this season and, as Moore did before him, become the next man to carry the torch under center next season with a different mindset and outlook on the game.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dylan Raiola explains 'total buy-in' at Oregon; accepting QB2 role