Many dubbed Dante Moore as the future of the starting quarterback position for Oregon the moment he transferred to the Ducks in 2024. Meanwhile, with all the attention on Moore, redshirt sophomore Austin Novosad continued to improve his game the past two seasons with the program, proving himself to be a worthy competitor for the starting role.
Novosad committed to the Ducks as a consensus four-star recruit from Dripping Springs, Texas. He led his high school to three straight appearances in the state playoffs, making him a consensus top-20 quarterback in the nation.
The quarterback utilized a redshirt in his first year with Oregon in 2023, but did play in three games. He made his collegiate debut against Portland State University in 2023 while also facing University of Hawai’i and Liberty University in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Last fall, Novosad took another step in his progression. He played in another three games in his redshirt-freshman season. He now enters the 2025 season with a career total of 42 offensive snaps: 11-for-13 for 59 yards.
Many fans and media members predict Moore to be the next in line for the quarterback position, but Novosad has stayed ready.
Also a redshirt sophomore, Novosad had been a part of several iterations of Oregon football. He said that the players at the position, which consists of Novosad, Moore, Luke Moga, Brock Thomas and Akili Smith Jr., have pushed each other to improve on the field.
“That whole room is pretty close. We go out there and help each other when we need to, and go out there and compete,” Novosad said. “We’re all trying to make plays and lead to the best of our ability in that room. It’s been great.”
The Ducks are incorporating a handful of younger players into the offense this season such as wide receiver Dakorien Moore. Novosad expressed that having quarterbacks like himself and Moore, who’ve been in college for multiple years and who know the Oregon playbook, has helped get the newer faces “up to speed.”
The redshirt sophomore is one of the longest tenured quarterbacks in the room. He has the rare experience of learning from two Heisman candidates in his first two seasons: Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel.
“Just seeing Dillon and Bo, both were completely different quarterbacks,” Novosad said. “But I think one thing that was super similar was just their preparation and that’s one thing that I really learned from both of them throughout the two years.”
Head coach Dan Lanning cited the experience Novosad gained from backing up Nix and Gabriel as important steps in learning the player he can be.
“I think the guy’s just a winner. He’s become really comfortable in our system,” Lanning said at a spring media availability. “He understands it, and I think that Coach Stein and the offensive staff do a good job of continuing to push that, but he’s just really level-headed.”
Novosad said his leadership and “execution of a faster-paced offense” are what’s improved since his arrival at Oregon. Other players, such as wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr., have also noticed his improvements, with Bryant saying he’s become more vocal. But Novosad’s still refining his craft.
“It’s been the same all three years, elevating your game every offseason,” Novosad said. “This spring, I think just leading the team and leading the offense has been a big thing for me. I’m really understanding the playbook now, so you’re out there trying to execute at the highest level you can.”
In addition to leadership and execution, Novosad said that performing well in the spring game this weekend is another one of his goals for the offseason.
