Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has movement in his extremities right now, which is the absolute most important update we could get after that terrifying late hit he took during Saturday night’s 41-27 win over USC. That play was something else, and it led to Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II getting tossed from the game. Moore was carted off the field early in the second quarter and went straight to a local hospital, Los Angeles General Medical Center, after what we all saw go down.
That Hit Was Just Plain Foul, and Coach Lanning Was Pissed
Look, after Moore got hit, things got wild. There was a whole post-hit melee, and both teams got hit with personal fouls. But honestly, who can blame anyone for being fired up after seeing something like that? Especially with Stephens celebrating the hit, c’mon. Coach Dan Lanning didn’t mince words after the game, and you could feel his frustration. “He’s in recovery, so I don’t want to speak too soon, but he’s moving; he has the ability to move,” Lanning said. That’s a huge relief, but he was also clear about the hit itself. He called it a “disgusting play” and said, “It’s disappointing that it happened. I’m praying that our player’s healthy, and I’m praying that their player can learn from that situation.” He hit the nail on the head: “There’s a reason targeting exists in football, and it’s as clear as day targeting. It’s a shame that that happened to a good player when, in my mind, that certainly could have been avoided.” Several Oregon players echoed that, calling the hit “dirty” and believing Stephens did it on purpose. It got so bad Stephens’ Instagram account had to go private from all the hate messages. Wild.
Riley’s Sideline Response Didn’t Help Calm Anyone Down
USC coach Lincoln Riley opened his post-game comments reflecting on the play, saying he never wants to see that “with any opponent.” Fine. “These are all people at the end of the day on both sides. So, wish him a speedy recovery.” Okay, good. But then Riley faced questions about Stephens being on the USC sideline *after* his ejection. His response? “Why (was he out there)? Because he’s on our football team.” That’s a rough look, no doubt. Lanning even touched on reports of USC appearing to celebrate the hit on their sideline. “I didn’t see any of that, and if that’s the way somebody else was operating, that’s really disappointing,” Lanning said, trying to stay focused on what he could control. It’s a tough situation, and the optics aren’t great for USC, especially after a player gets carted off.
So, where does that leave us? Dante Moore is moving, and that’s the main thing. But this whole situation, from the hit itself to the reactions on both sides, is a stark reminder about player safety and sportsmanship in college football. We’re all just hoping for a quick and full recovery for Moore, because nobody wants to see an injury like that, ever.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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