FOOTBALL

Oregon Ducks sixth-year senior George Moore making most of latest O-line opportunity

Ryan Thorburn
Register-Guard
Oregon offensive lineman George Moore, right, participates in a drill with teammate Steven Jones during a 2020 fall camp practice. [University of Oregon photo]

Seven years of college down the drain?

No, George Moore is not feeling like the John “Bluto” Blutarsky of the Oregon football program.

The sixth-year senior hasn’t even considered whether he would be open to returning for a seventh year of college with the NCAA freezing eligibility in 2020.

Right now the focus for the Ducks’ 6-foot-6, 325-pound elder statesman is to finally get on the field for significant snaps.

“I was just blessed beyond words. I would pray about it all the time,” Moore said of his petition for a sixth year of eligibility being granted by the NCAA in August. “Really thankful for this opportunity that was given to me.”

Moore was ranked as the No. 1 junior college offensive tackle prospect after playing the 2015 and 2016 seasons at the College of San Mateo.

After not getting any playing time in 2017, Moore was considered a strong candidate to replace four-year starter Tyrell Crosby at left tackle during the 2018 fall camp.

Penei Sewell won the battle as a true freshman and won the Outland Trophy last season as a sophomore.

Moore has only played 69 snaps over the past two seasons.

“It was a lot of talk around me when I first got here about being that guy and coming up and replacing Tyrell. It didn’t happen as everybody thought, but I still stuck to it,” Moore said. “Being able to just learn from the journey and being able to stick around and learn from everybody here, that helps me a lot.

“That helped me build on being a better teammate and be a better brother to the guy next to me.”

Sewell decided to skip his junior season to focus on the 2021 NFL draft. Four-year starters Shane Lemieux, Jake Hanson, Dallas Warmack and Calvin Throckmorton played their last game together at the Rose Bowl.

As coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal search for five new starters up front, Moore has emerged as a viable candidate at the tackle and guard positions.

“He's really stepped up and took a leadership role," Steven Jones, the favorite to replace Sewell and protect quarterback Tyler Shough’s blind side, said of Moore. “He’s really pushing us all and making sure we all get better, too. He’s changing his mentality a lot now that there’s new shoes to fill."

Cristobal, who was Oregon’s offensive line coach in 2017 before getting promoted following Willie Taggart’s departure, said Moore has taken a “massive step” this offseason, despite all of the interruptions caused by the pandemic.

Mirabal noted Moore could have transferred to a different program with an easier path to playing time after the Pac-12 announced it was postponing the season.

The thought of leaving the Ducks was not something Moore considered.

“A lot of kids, if they don’t play now they’ve got to just jump and leave and find a place to go play,” Moore said. “I’ve learned to be very patient with the opportunities that are given to me. I mean, the journey has been long and I’ve been prepared and I’m getting more prepared every day with this opportunity that I’m getting.”

Moore’s primary competition during fall camp, in addition to Jones, is from T.J. Bass, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Sam Poutasi and Dawson Jaramillo.

During the 2018 season, all 43 of Moore’s snaps came at left tackle. During last year’s Pac-12 championship run his 26 snaps were split between left and right tackle.

“He has definitely put himself in a position to be one of those five guys,” Mirabal said. “A lot of times it’s just a matter of getting an opportunity. He had guys in front of him who not only never missed a game, but those guys never missed practice. He’s now starting to see that the time he has spent here will be worth it. Even if it’s maybe only eight games, it will be worth it.

“He’s got a tremendous attitude right now. He is providing some of the age and experience and maturity. It has been a blessing that he decided to come back to the University of Oregon, that’s for sure.”

Moore could conceivably return to the Ducks again in 2021, but right now he’s just soaking up the current extra senior season he has been granted.

“I love this program to death,” Moore said. “That’s why I came back in the first place. I never once shied away or thought about leaving. I love it so much. I’ve got so much respect for coach Cristobal and coach Mirabal. They have so much respect for me also.

“As of right now, my main focus is helping this offensive line in anyway that I can as we take this journey for the new season.”

Contact reporter Ryan Thorburn at rthorburn@registerguard.com or 541-338-2330, and follow him on Twitter @By_RyanThorburn. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to get unlimited access and support local journalism.