Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is recovering from a concussion after taking a brutal blow to the head in Saturday’s win at USC, but what the Trojans’ radio crew said about the hit is absolutely wild and has everyone talking.
The Hit That Got Everyone Buzzing, For All the Wrong Reasons
USC linebacker Desman Stephens II delivered that brutal hit while Moore was giving himself up after a first down. It was nasty. Stephens was ejected for targeting, as he should have been, but get this, he then celebrated in a fencing posture. Yeah, you read that right. He was celebrating while Moore was still down, being carted off the field and transported to a local hospital, though thankfully he had feeling in his extremities. The whole scene even led to unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on both teams and every player involved. Oregon coach Lanning didn’t pull any punches, calling it a “disgusting play” and saying his players would never do something like that. Stephens got hit with a one-game suspension this week for the egregious hit.
The Broadcast’s Take Is Just Unbelievable
Here’s where things really went off the rails. USC play-by-play analyst Pete Arbogast, during the team’s radio broadcast, actually questioned the targeting penalty! He claimed Moore “ducked into that hit” and that he “did not see him put his feet out first,” saying it was “more of a knee slide.” He even doubled down, saying, “It didn’t look like targeting on the replay to us.” You can’t make this stuff up. The footage of this commentary has gone viral, and the reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay broke down the hit, confirming what everyone else saw. It’s tough to hear a crew deny what was clearly a dangerous play when a player is getting carted off.
Moore’s Road to Recovery
Moore himself is now out of the hospital and in recovery mode. He’s got to go through the NCAA’s mandated concussion protocol before he can even think about getting back on the field. He posted on Instagram saying, “These past 2 days have been very difficult, but through all of your prayers, I have made progress.” Moore’s focusing on his recovery, adding, “I can only worry about today, and making sure I give today it’s full attention. I’ll be back soon. Go Ducks.” Coach Lanning confirmed his medical staff is taking it slow and by the book with their quarterback’s head injury. We’re all hoping for a swift and full recovery for Moore, and that player safety gets the respect it deserves, both on the field and in the broadcast booth.
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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