UCLA football freshman quarterback Dante Moore to enter transfer portal

Freshman quarterback Dante Moore holds the ball during UCLA football’s game against Oregon State. The Bruins’ contest against the Beavers was the final game Moore started, and he played in three more games off the bench. (Brandon Morquecho/Assistant Photo editor)

By Joseph Crosby
Nov. 30, 2023 1:21 p.m.
This post was updated Nov. 30 at 11:21 p.m.
Dante Moore will enter the transfer portal, he told 247Sports on Thursday.
UCLA football’s freshman quarterback will enter the portal Dec. 4 when it opens for undergraduate students. Moore’s announcement makes him the fourth Bruin to declare his intention to leave Westwood, following senior wide receivers Kam Brown and Keegan Jones and sophomore tight end Carsen Ryan. Senior offensive lineman Jake Wiley became the fifth Thursday night.
The former five-star recruit initially committed to Oregon before flipping his commitment to UCLA last December and enrolling in January. He was the highest-ranked quarterback recruit in program history and the second-highest overall recruit, per 247Sports’ recruiting rankings.
Moore began the season on the bench behind starter redshirt junior Ethan Garbers, but he quickly earned the starting position for UCLA’s second game of the season against San Diego State following a 143-yard, two-touchdown performance against Coastal Carolina.
Moore’s tenure as starting quarterback lasted through the first three games of Pac-12 play. Opening the conference slate with six interceptions and a fumble lost against just three touchdowns, Moore was benched by coach Chip Kelly in favor of Garbers for UCLA’s Week 8 matchup against Stanford.
In total, Moore played nine games for the Bruins, amassing 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 53.5% of his passes for 1610 yards.
UCLA will have five quarterbacks remaining on its roster, including Garbers and redshirt junior Collin Schlee.