UCLA Football: Dante Moore getting preseason hype

Dante Moore is a true freshman and he is already getting much attention nationally by multiple well-known publications.

Much has been analyzed and talked about regarding who will be the starting quarterback for UCLA in week one and Moore is a prime candidate among the four scholarship quarterbacks to earn the right to be named the starting quarterback against Coastal Carolina in the Bruin’s first game.

Before we talk about Moore and the preseason accolades and mention that he is receiving this preseason, let’s first talk about the UCLA quarterback competition.

The UCLA quarterback competition for the 2023 season appears to be competitive by most reports coming out of Westwood, with four players technically, vying for the starting job.

*Moore, a five-star recruit from Detroit, Michigan. Moore is the highest-rated quarterback to ever sign with UCLA in the modern recruiting ranking era. He is known for his strong arm and accuracy.

*Ethan Garbers, a redshirt junior who has completed passes in 7 games in his career. Garbers is a dual-threat quarterback who is also a good runner.

*Collin Schlee, a transfer from Kent State. Schlee was the starter for the Golden Flashes for the majority of last season and threw for over 2,000 yards in 2022. He is a pocket passer who is known for his accuracy.

*Justyn Martin, a redshirt freshman. Martin has yet to play in a college game, but he has impressed coaches with his athleticism and potential.

Head coach Chip Kelly has said that he wants to have a “healthy competition” at quarterback. He has not yet named a starter, and it is possible that the competition could go down to the wire entering week one play.

Moore is the most likely candidate to win the job, but Garbers and Schlee are also capable quarterbacks either one could be named the starter against the Chanticleers.

The winner of the quarterback competition will be a key factor in UCLA’s success in 2023. The Bruins are coming off a 9-win season, and they are hoping to contend for the Pac-12 title this year. Strong quarterback play will give them a good chance to do so.

Let’s take a look at Moore’s preseason acknowledgments and honors.

Moore was named to the Preseason True Freshman All-American Team by 247 Sports. He was named to this honor overArch Manning of Texas and Nico Iamaleava of Tennessee.

He was also named to the Preseason True Freshman All-America team by ESPN and they describe Moore as “He is clearly the Bruins’ most talented option, but what he possesses in physical attributes, he lacks in experience and age.”

CBS Sports has Moore as one of the six college football freshmen “ready to burst onto the scene, make an immediate impact” for the 2023 season. He is the only quarterback mentioned among the six players listed.

Moore was named one of the top 13 freshmen in college football by the Bleacher Report in Best Position for Key Roles in 2023.

Regardless of who is named the starter for week one, Moore is projected to start at some point this season for the Bruins at quarterback and have a meaningful impact.

The preseason hype and attention are great for Moore and the UCLA football program as you would rather be talked about in the preseason in a positive manner then ignored but patience and understanding are very important with a true freshman playing quarterback at a high-profile football program like UCLA.