Mike Jorgenson, former Oregon Ducks QB and current UO color commentator alongside Jerry Allen, recently joined Zachary Neel on the most recent episode of the Sco-ing Long podcast to discuss everything that they saw at Oregon’s spring game a week ago.

 

The subject of alumni engagement in the Dan Lanning era came up.

 

Oregon Football How Dan Lanning has impacted Oregon alumni.

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Dan Lanning’s attempt to bring Oregon alumni back into the fold has impressed many over the last year.

 

I like they way Lanning is bringing back former players and coaches. There was such continuity in the program through the 17 years Rich Brooks was HC, and then 14 years with Mike Bellotti. That's a lot of years of constancy and stability. I hope those aspects will be revived with Lanning's embracing of the past in addition to working toward the future.

It had to be surprising for all the recruits to see all the former players, and feeling the love they have for Oregon.  It also had to make a big impression upon them of how life with Coach Lanning and Oregon can truly be satisfying in the short term and the long term?

 

 

He has checked all the boxes, filled most of the shelves, now just how good is the soup he is putting together going to be. I do think we have to keep in mind this is his second season as a head coach. 

 

It should be interesting to see how he adjusts in season two. I like what I saw, but will he learn anything from season one, and what will the adjustments be?

 

We should see improvement based on him having more of the players he wants. A big question for me is what has he learned, and how will those game day decisions shift, or just what does he have up his sleeve this season.

 

Connecting with alumni, and seeming to embrace Oregon for the longterm is a huge step.

Maybe the most impressive thing about Lanning is how aware of the mind set of the modern elite athlete he is. Last recruiting class he lost a couple 5 stars at the last minute in bizarre ways and was a finalist with several others. This year he has even more interest from several top recruits. At first, I saw his youth as a possible liability but now it seems like a real asset. The dude just gets it which is far easier said than done.

What is really interesting is that Lanning really does feel like a coach who is in the Duck continuity that was established for years. 

 

Brooks, Bellotti, Kelly, Helfrich, Lanning... They all feel like they were brought into the program as part of the continuity of the program... As all but Brooks and Lanning were continuity hires. 

 

Taggart destroyed Oregon's continuity, rightly or unrightly so. Taggart came in and declared Oregon a disfunctuonal rebuild and fired all the coaches. 

 

Were there problems within the program? Absolutely. 

 

But it's funny to also think that some of the biggest stars of Taggart and Cristobal years were those players who were brought in by Helfrich and his staff. 

 

Troy Dye, Justin Herbert, a large portion of the 2017-2019 offensive line, CJ Verdell (yes, signed under Taggart but committed under Helfrich). Along with many many others that I'd need to look at rosters to compile.

I find it interesting that 'The Letter' was focused on getting a coach that understood Oregon. That was the begin all of the topic of 'The Letter'. Winning is the begin all. If you aren't winning then the coaches head is going to roll. Understanding Oregon culture isn't primary. See CK. Oregon put up with CK because he was dominating all of College Football sans a RB down but not down play. 

 

We all groused how CK wasn't a people person and didn't shmooze the right healed Donor's. But CK never left because he was pushed out. He left of his own accord. And the Oregon faithful put up and even embrased it because we were PAC Champs and Bowl opponent beaters. 

 

Oregon faithful are desirous of a 'Winning Culture' first. It's a fair observation. Wilcox wouldn't bring a winning culture IMO. Before anyone says anything about CAL, I'm thinking Tedford. He had the Bears ranked #2 under the same support system.

 

Now, we have DL and he is the total package. He IS a people person for all the groups that are Oregon. And it's only a matter of time. Oregon is going to play in the Natty and take one home. I believe Oregon hit the Jackpot with Lanning.

Edited May 7, 20232 yr by 1Funduck