What will year 3 of the Dan Lanning Era look like? New conference and even higher expectations. Some of the best players in program history have just been drafted in the NFL. What do the 2024 Ducks have talent-wise in order to take the next step towards a championship? Today’s spring game provides a sneak peek of the potential that will be unlocked this Fall.
This year’s scrimmage has the Ducks broken up into two teams – Green and White. QB’s Dillon Gabriel and Luke Moga are on the Green Team while Dante Moore and Austin Novosad lead the White Team. As with previous years, a running clock is instituted to keep the pace of the game a bit faster than a standard game.
The weather did not deter fans from joining in on the fun. As the teams ran onto the field a significant number of cars were still on MLK Boulevard trying to get into the Autzen Stadium parking lot.
The Green team won the toss and the Autzen fans got to see Dillon Gabriel’s first snaps as a Duck. The first drive began with a methodical march to the White Team 44 yard line and then stalled. Gabriel went 2-4 passing with an unofficial 22 yards on that drive.
Drive 2 started with Dante Moore leading the White Team to the Green 39, after a break out run by Jordan James for 35 yards. The drive was capped off by a 49 yard FG from Grant Meadors making the score 3-0 for the White team.
Drive 3 started off with a Gabriel to Sadiq pass for no gain, followed by a sack by Ben Roberts. That led to a 3rd and 15 where Gabriel’s pass to Kyler Kasper was broken up by Donte Manning. However, Manning was flagged for pass interference and the drive continued. Early in the scrimmage, Gabriel struggled with touch on deep passes, as he has yet to connect on a deep ball at this point in the game. The drive stalled as Gabriel was sacked for the second time, this time by Keyon Ware-Hudson.
Drive 4 had Novosad at the help for the White team. Jordan James opened the drive with a 3 yard run. A quick incompletion led to a desperate pass on 3rd and long, intercepted by Dakota Fields and returned to the White 30.
Drive 5 was a pretty interesting one. Gabriel handed off to Jay Harris for 6, only to have it negated by a holding penalty. Harris gets another carry, this time for 13 yards. A face mask penalty tacked on an additional 15, putting the ball on the White team’s 14 yard line. Jayden Limar carried to the 10 and Tez Johnson makes a catch to the White team’s 3 yard line. Limar then carried to the 1. Harris got a shot at the TD and was stopped. Limar then was given a shot on 3rd down and was stopped by Jamaree Caldwell with a great tackle. On 4th and inches Jayden Limar finally punches it in for the score. Former OSU Beaver Atticus Sappington kicked the extra point to make the score 7-3 for the Green Team.
Drive 6 sees Dante Moore with a completion to Whittington for 7. A quick sack and a nice one-handed catch by Kilohana Hassenritter were not enough to keep the drive alive as the drive stalled on the Green 46. Tez Johnson fair caught the punt at the Green Team 12 yard line.
Drive 7 saw Austin Novosad at the helm for the Green Team. After a very nice, 37 yard pass to Justice Lowe, the drive stalled at the White 44.
Drive 8 had Dante Moore attempt a 2 minute drill. Unfortunately, Moore was sacked by Emar’ion Winston to end the half.
Drive 9 Had Austin Novosad back for the White team. What appeared to be a quick screen pass to Gary Bryant Jr. almost turned into a Bryant pass down the field. When his receiver wasn’t open, Bryant tucked the ball and ran for 9. Ferguson picked up 15 yards on a nice pass. Novosad tried to go to the well with after Haasenritter gets the ball to the 1, Jordan James punched it in for the White Team and a 10-7 score.
Drive 10 saw an answer and a more comfortable Dillon Gabriel makes a nice touch pass to Kenyon Sidiq for 27 yards, followed by a flea flicker to Evan Stewart for 13. Jay Harris then made a 9 yard run to the White 27 yard line. Gabriel tried to thread the needle to Stewart who made a great catch … just out of bounds. Pass interference was called on the play and the Green team had the ball at the 5. Gabriel then hit Justice Lowe for the score to make it 14-10 Green Team.
Drive 11 had Luke Moga in at QB for the White team. Moga opens the drive with a 15 yard scramble. On the next play, Brison Cobbins rumbles for 60 yards and a Touchdown as the White team takes the lead back 17-10.
On drive 12, the green team showcased local Sheldon grad Brock Thomas at QB. Thomas went 1-2 passing for 3 yards. Unfortunately, Brock’s drive went 3 and out.
Drive 13 started at the 27 with Dante Moore. Moore completed a pass to Cobbins for 7, followed by an 8 yard reception by Ryan Pellum. Moore made a 1 yard run and was sacked on the next play to end the drive.
Drive 14 started with Moga in at QB for the Green Team. Harris opened the drive with a 3 yard and 8 yard run respectively. A face mask penalty at the end of Harris’ second run gave the Green Team a first down. Jack Ressler picked up a 6 yard reception and was hit again by Moga for 42 yards, down to the White team’s 9 yard line. Moga capped off the drive with a 9 yard keeper for the score and it was Green 21, White 17.
Drive 15 had Austin Novosad in the backfield. Austin led the team to the Green 30 and then hit Jordan James with a 28 yard pass down to the 2 yard line. Haasenritter inched the ball to the 1 on 2nd down. Moga threw an incompletion on 3rd down and on 4th and Goal, Haasenritter was stuffed for a 2 yard loss. Green team took over on their own 3 with 2:09 left.
Drive 16 started with Dillon Gabriel in a two-minute drill. Gabriel hits Evan Stewart for 48 yards to get to mid field. A Kenyon Sidiq 1 yard run and a false start penalty moved the ball back to the Green 48 yard line. Jayden Limar takes a screen pass for 17 yards and another first down. Justice Lowe follows with an 8 yard reception. DIllon capped the two minute drill with a 26 yard TD pass to Jay Harris, making the score 28-17 Green with 18 seconds left.
The final drive of the game was led by Dante Moore, who hits Gary Bryant Jr for an 8 yard pass. On the game’s final play, Moore scrambled for 75 yards and a touchdown for the White, making the final score 28-23 Green Team. Unofficially, Moore was down near mid field but the refs gave him the touchdown anyway.
Our unofficial stats for the QB’s had Dillon Gabriel 15-23 passing for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns. Austin Novosad was 12-21 for 221 yards and 0 TD’s. Dante Moore was 12-17 with 76 yards passing, 76 yards rushing and 1TD rushing. Luke Moga 1-2 passing for 6 yards and 24 yards rushing and a TD. Brock Thomas was 1-2 for 3 yards passing on the day.
Rushing leaders were Brison Cobbins with 62 yards and 1 TD, Jay Harris with 52 yards and Jordan James with 51 yards.
Receiving, Jordan James led everyone with 73 yards, followed by Evan Stewart with 67.
