Last week, in the second quarter of the Ducks’ 41-20 victory over USC, linebacker Desman Stephens hit a sliding Dante Moore in the head with a dangerous late hit.Stephens celebrated in the immediate aftermath, and Moore was carted off in a scary scene.Fouts praised Oregon head coach Dan Lanning for how he handled the emotional and scary situation.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGEOregon head coach Dan Lanning stands over quarterback Dante Moore as he is attended to after a hard tackle by linebacker Desman Stephens II during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept.
26, 2026, in Los Angeles.(AP Photo/Mark J.
Terrill)"I think the way that Lanning handled it was perfect.He brought the team together, calmed them all down, said a prayer for Dante.
And it reminded them about focus, and reminded them about the importance of what they're doing, why they practiced so hard, why they're prepared, and got back into a football mindset.But the order in which he did that, I thought was absolutely perfect," Fouts told OutKick in a recent interview.When he first saw the play, Fouts said he was concerned about Moore's health."It's a violent, violent game, and anybody who's played the game has suffered injuries.
That one obviously looked just terrible," Fouts said while speaking on behalf of "Miller Night Football."As for Stephens’ celebration? Fouts said kids are kids.THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE.DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart checks on quarterback Dante Moore as he is carted off the field after a hard tackle by linebacker Desman Stephens II during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept.
26, 2026, in Los Angeles.(AP Photo/Mark J.
Terrill)"Kids are kids, and I think the player got caught up in the moment of something that I'm sure he regrets now, his actions, but in the heat of the moment, he made a mistake," Fouts said.USC announced it had suspended St...