Desman Stephens II makes a drastic decision after delivering dirty blow to Dante Moore that sent him to the hospital

Desman Stephens II has made a drastic move on social media after his targeting hit on the Oregon Ducks ’ Dante Moore sparked a furious reaction during Saturday's game against USC Trojans . The Trojans linebacker was ejected after striking Moore on September 26 as the quarterback attempted to slide during the second quarter, needing medical attention on the field for several minutes.

Moore had escaped the pocket and picked up a first down before beginning his slide, only for Stephens to make contact with his head and upper body as his head then struck the turf, prompting medical personnel to rush onto the field. He was then taken away on a stretcher in a neck brace and transported to a Los Angeles hospital and the collision immediately turned an intense rivalry game into a frightening scene as Oregon 's players reacted angrily, with both teams involved in a confrontation after the play. Stephens was disqualified for targeting, while Moore was eventually placed on a backboard and taken toward a waiting ambulance and the Oregon coach Dan Lanning later provided an encouraging update on his quarterback's condition. “He's in recovery, so I don't want to speak too soon, but he's moving; he has the ability to move," Lanning said. "So, we'll continue to assess him, but I don't want to speak too soon, but he's moving."

Desman Stephens II locks down social media after backlash

Stephens ' actions after the hit also became a major part of the discussion, with video showing the USC player appearing to celebrate with teammates after being removed from the game, and that reaction drew further criticism online. Fans flooded Stephens ' Instagram posts with angry comments. More than 1,800 comments were reportedly left in roughly 20 minutes before his account was switched to private to block people from giving their thoughts to him directly. Some of the online reaction crossed a far more serious line, with reports that users shared images and an alleged address connected to Stephens ' family. Such behavior amounts to harassment and raises obvious concerns beyond normal criticism of an athlete's actions. One user wrote on Instagram, “Don't be a fake demon now. He thought s**t was funny laughing on the sidelines.” A second said, “Can't wait for that chat gpt apology next.” And a third bluntly captured the sentiment by commenting, “Coward.” On the field, Oregon ultimately responded to Moore 's injury by rallying behind backup quarterback Dylan Raiola and securing a 41-27 victory over USC . Raiola completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns, including a 3-yard scoring pass to Evan Stewart shortly after entering the game. He then helped Oregon produce four touchdown drives after halftime.