Why Ducks QB Raiola was willing to take a backseat to Moore

Before Oregon football's starting quarterback Dante Moore had decided to return to the Ducks for another year, rather than pursue the 2026 NFL Draft, Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola knew where he wanted to go.

Whether that was starting for the Ducks in 2026 or taking Moore's blueprint and sitting behind the entrenched starter, the destination and place was more important than the situation.

"It was just a total buy-in of the program of Oregon as a whole," Raiola said following spring practice April 14. "I was very excited to have the opportunity to learn from a No. 1 draft pick caliber guy. It’s very special. And not just him, but the whole room. Every guy brings something to the table, good, bad and indifferent. It’s all great for everybody to learn from."

Oregon’s Cal Scolari pitches against Nebraska during the first inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Nebraska’s Case Sanderson, center, celebrates his first-inning homer against Oregon with teammates at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon’s Cal Scolari, center, celebrates the end of the first inning against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Nebraska’s Cooper Katskee pitches against Oregon during the first inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon’s Angel Laya watches his home run go over the fence during the second inning against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon’s Angel Laya, right, celebrates his second-inning homer with Brayden Jaksa, left, against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Nebraska’s Mac Moyer makes the catch to take a homer from Oregon’s Burke-Lee Mabeus at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Nebraska’s Mac Moyer, left, slides home ahead of the tag by Oregon catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus during the third inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon second baseman Ryan Cooney gloves a ball against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon’s Tanner Bradley pitches against Nebraska during the fourth inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon’s Maddox Molony scores the go-ahead run against Nebraska in the sixth inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon’s Angel Laya, left, celebrates his second home run of the game with Burke-Lee Mabeus during the game against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon’s Burke-Lee Mabeus, left, is run down between third and home by Nebraska’s Joshua Overbeek at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon plays Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Nebraska’s Rhett Stokes upends Ryan Cooney on the front end of a double play at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

The umpire jumps in between Nebraska’s Rhett Stokes and the Oregon infield after a play at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon pitcher Miles Gosztola throws against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon’s Maddox Molony, left, reaches for the tag after Nebraska’s Rhett Stokes hit a double in the ninth inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Oregon pitcher Devin Bell, center, celebrates with teammates after closing out the game against Nebraska for the win at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

The Oregon baseball team celebrates with fans after winning the final game of the series against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Cal Scolari pitches against Nebraska during the first inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Cal Scolari pitches against Nebraska during the first inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Nebraska’s Case Sanderson, center, celebrates his first-inning homer against Oregon with teammates at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Cal Scolari, center, celebrates the end of the first inning against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Nebraska’s Cooper Katskee pitches against Oregon during the first inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Angel Laya watches his home run go over the fence during the second inning against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Angel Laya, right, celebrates his second-inning homer with Brayden Jaksa, left, against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Nebraska’s Mac Moyer makes the catch to take a homer from Oregon’s Burke-Lee Mabeus at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Nebraska’s Mac Moyer, left, slides home ahead of the tag by Oregon catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus during the third inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon second baseman Ryan Cooney gloves a ball against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Tanner Bradley pitches against Nebraska during the fourth inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Maddox Molony scores the go-ahead run against Nebraska in the sixth inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Angel Laya, left, celebrates his second home run of the game with Burke-Lee Mabeus during the game against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Burke-Lee Mabeus, left, is run down between third and home by Nebraska’s Joshua Overbeek at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon plays Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Nebraska’s Rhett Stokes upends Ryan Cooney on the front end of a double play at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

The umpire jumps in between Nebraska’s Rhett Stokes and the Oregon infield after a play at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon pitcher Miles Gosztola throws against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon’s Maddox Molony, left, reaches for the tag after Nebraska’s Rhett Stokes hit a double in the ninth inning at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

Oregon pitcher Devin Bell, center, celebrates with teammates after closing out the game against Nebraska for the win at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

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See photos as Oregon baseball hosts Nebraska at PK Park

The Oregon baseball team celebrates with fans after winning the final game of the series against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026.

Still, when Raiola arrived in Eugene as a former five-star high school recruit out of Buford, Georgia, and two-year starter for the Cornhuskers, there was an adjustment period.

Raiola broke his fibula last November and was just cleared to practice in late March. After learning how to walk again, let alone drop back and throw a football at a high level, Raiola also said he had to "humble himself" with a quarterback like Moore already entrenched as the likely UO starter next season.

"I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take a couple of practices to kind of get used to it," Raiola said. "But at the same time, it’s all learning. It’s all eventually trying to achieve the goal of mine and obviously of Dante’s right now. That’s our whole room’s goal is to get Dante to where he wants to go. It’s a great person to learn from."

Raiola was a day one starter for Nebraska and threw for 4,819 yards and 31 touchdowns over two seasons and 22 games for the Cornhuskers, all at a 69.1% completion rate.

That, to coach Dan Lanning, was the biggest indicator that the talented gunslinger could fit Oregon's system.

"It just starts with completing passes," Lanning said. "When we recruited him in high school, we knew how intelligent he was and how he could make all the throws. So that intelligence is really important in our system and our ability to execute there. The way he completed passes and what we thought fit our system."

Raiola also will follow in nearly the same path as Moore, while also being the overwhelming favorite to replace Moore should he leave for the NFL Draft in 2027.

Moore was a top-ranked quarterback recruit in 2023 and played one season for UCLA before transferring to Oregon to sit behind college vet Dillon Gabriel in 2024. Moore credited that year to his strong 2025 season, and Raiola saw the same blueprint after Moore announced he would return in 2026.

"I’m just trying to maximize this year on everything, getting healthy, getting back to a place where I can play and compete and do all the things that I love doing," Raiola said. "Mainly the connection of this team and being able to learn as a leader, learn from coach Lanning and coach Koa (Ka'ai) and Dante and all the fellas here. I’m very blessed to be a part of this football program and it’ll be an exciting thing to come."

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola drops back to throw during spring practices in April 2026 at Autzen Stadium.

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him atadietz@registerguard.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Why QB Dylan Raiola transferred to Oregon football