UCLA has had stability at the quarterback position the past four seasons. And while there have been strides toward a level of stability at the position this season, Dante Moore is still on a learning curve.
While most true freshmen usually spend the first year of their college season on the sideline and some as a redshirt, UCLA coach Chip Kelly has given the 18-year-old a vote of confidence by sticking with him as the starter through the past four games this season, despite having experienced quarterbacks on the roster awaiting an opportunity.
The No. 18 Bruins (4-1, 1-1) have managed to win games behind a strong and experienced defense as Moore has continued to develop, but even he understands he has some challenges ahead.
The Detroit native used the bye week as an opportunity to regroup from some of the costly mistakes made during his first Pac-12 Conference game and collegiate loss.
He spent time in Kelly’s office to evaluate his performance and what’s been working early on in the season.
“Being the quarterback, you want to talk to your coach, especially Coach Kelly because he’s an offensive-minded guy and he’s the one calling the plays,” Moore said. “The two weeks we had to get ready for (the Washington State) game, I went into his office and sat down to communicate with him what I do like and what I don’t like.
“If I don’t like it, he can change my view of things, but if I said ‘Coach, this play isn’t really fitting with me,’ he would just cancel it.”
Moore expressed appreciation toward Kelly for the “hours” spent working through the playbook as he continues to learn an offense that has often been considered complex.
“If it doesn’t go the way you want it, what was the reason it didn’t go the way you wanted? And then let’s fix it,” Kelly said of the advice he’s given Moore after his early mistakes. “You know he doesn’t make many mistakes twice. The only issue is that he hasn’t had a lot of snaps.”
Moore will make his fifth start at 5 p.m. Saturday at No. 15 Oregon State (5-1, 2-1) on Fox (Ch. 11).
Moore has thrown for nine touchdowns this season while completing 53.08% (69 of 130) of his passes, but he’s also thrown four interceptions, including a pick-six in each of his first two Pac-12 games.
“The one thing I’m learning at the collegiate level is that everybody’s good and if you keep making mistakes, a lot of people will want to capitalize on your (consistent) mistakes,” Moore said.
Moore threw the first pick-six to linebacker Karene Reid on the first offensive play of the Utah game and put the Bruins in a hole early. Moore also surrendered a 9-3 lead in the final seconds before halftime Sunday with a pick-six returned 88 yards by Kapena Gushiken that allowed Washington State to take a 10-9 lead into the locker room.
“Every time you get down in the red zone, especially being that close, you want to score some points,” Moore said about the pick-six against the Cougars. “On that play, (Gushiken) was like a flying squirrel. He jumped in the air with wings out. I threw the ball and he picked it. I just need to move or do one of my amazing sidearm angles (throws) and get the ball to the running back because he was open.”
Even as Moore continues to proceed through his “on-the-job training,” Kelly and the Bruins continue to show their support with the understanding that he was playing on Friday nights in Detroit a year ago.
Kelly has been through this process at UCLA. Dorian Thompson-Robinson had to start games as a true freshman and overcome his early struggles before he became the program’s all-time leader in total offense, completions, total touchdowns, TD passes and passing yards.
Even with the early struggles, Moore’s early on-field success has already garnered him some national attention, with ON3 Sports naming Moore as its midseason freshman All-American quarterback.
“It’s just a steady progression,” Bruins tight end Moliki Matavao said of Moore. “He’s just a kid who’s just taken on this role and doing so well with it. He’s just grown and been able to make mistakes on the field and then learn from it and come back and forget (the mistake) with a clean slate and have that next-play mentality. He’s good at that.”
This content was originally published here.
